My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway

by Peyton H. Roberts

“Soon I’ll be home again and once more, time and life will have a meaning.” Bill Holston, USS Midway, 1951

In May 1951, a lovestruck sailor said a tearful goodbye to his sweetheart before boarding the USS Midway. Longing for home, he picked up a pencil and poured out his heart.

My Dearest Bea is a rare collection of intimate love letters written by U.S. Navy Band trumpet player Bill Holston to his new bride in Norfolk, Virginia, during the long months of sea duty following their wedding day. When the letters are discovered generations later, a blossoming romance leaps off the page transporting readers into the heart of a timeless love story.

130 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2024

Reviews

[Callie Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so special, especially as a military spouse. It’s a collection of letters from the author’s grandparents, pieced together with the author’s own take on their story. It’s a beautiful love story and celebration of family, and as a military wife myself, it made me appreciate our own seasons apart (and the letters we have from those seasons) even more.

[Carmen W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Dearest Bea is a beautifully crafted window into a love that feels both intimate and universal. Through Bill Holston’s heartfelt letters from the USS Midway in 1951, Peyton H. Roberts brings to life a story filled with longing, devotion, and the steady hope that carries couples through distance and uncertainty.
Each letter is rich with emotion, offering an authentic glimpse into military life, young marriage, and the kind of love that deepens through words on a page. It’s moving, nostalgic, and profoundly human.

A touching read for anyone who appreciates true love stories, historical letters, or the quiet power of handwritten connection.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what it is about epistolary books, but lately I can't get enough of them. Something the author says in her postscript rang true to me: "As handwritten correspondence becomes a lost pastime, I believe old letters will become even more cherished. The sentiments and stories inside unlock a door to the past, allowing loved ones to live on vibrantly in our hearts long after goodbye."

It's a labor of love that Roberts has performed here, not only reconstructing the early years of her grandparents' marriage for her own family, but for all of us. These letters provide an unselfconscious glimpse into the heart of a young sailor almost seventy five years ago. The language of the time is preserved like amber; the sentiments are timeless. The book is short and sweet (without being saccharine) and is a reminder to all of us that there's so much hope for humanity - a tonic during times when it's easy to despair about the world.

H. Roberts, Peyton . My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway (p. 123). Anchor Line Press LLC. Kindle Edition.

[Beth Westcott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Peyton Roberts' beautiful tribute to her beloved grandparents, My Dearest Bea. The authenticity of Shoopa's sweet love letters to his beloved Bea are enhanced by Peyton's commentary and the sharing of her own wonderful memories of her grandparents. I'd call this memoir a labor of love.

[Lizann Lightfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful collection of love letters written from a Navy musician to his wife in the 1950's. But it is more than that. It's a reflection on the way a loving relationship can impact family members for several generations. It's a commentary on the ways military life has changed, yet the emotional struggles remain the same. The yearning of a long-distance relationship during deployment will be familiar to modern readers. In this book, readers will savor the glimpse into a military marriage and the satisfying development of their love, as told through the eyes of their granddaughter. My Dearest Bea is a testimony to the lasting value of hand-written letters.

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review

My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway is a lovely memento for family and friends of the letter-writer, U.S. Navy Band trumpet player Bill Holston. The letters, which cover a brief period aboard the USS Midway from May to November 1951, are alive with details of mustering for General Quarters, practicing Man Overboard drills, and playing music for the refueling of destroyers and in-port dances. Professions of his love for his new wife, not so interesting to an outsider, also abound.

Peyton Roberts, the editor and Holston's granddaughter, realizing the limited appeal of her grandfather's letters, broadens the main story with well-researched historical background and her own interwoven story of being a navy spouse. Added attractions include family portraits and a vintage photograph of the Midway. This is a spare but neatly put-together book. A more ambitious book, developing of the historical background of the Navy Band, the USS Midway, and the pressing concerns of military family separation issues, would add value.

Review by Nancy Arbuthnot (June 2024)

[Michael Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway is a touching and beautifully preserved glimpse into a love story that transcends time. Through the intimate letters of Bill Holston, written during his naval service aboard the USS Midway in 1951, Peyton H. Roberts offers readers a deeply personal journey into devotion, longing, and the emotional resilience that sustains love across distance.

What makes this book especially captivating is its authenticity. These are not fictional expressions of romance, but heartfelt words written in real time by a young sailor missing his new bride and clinging to the hope of home. Each letter carries emotional honesty and tenderness, allowing readers to witness the quiet beauty of a relationship built on patience, commitment, and unwavering affection.

At its heart, My Dearest Bea is more than a collection of love letters—it is a tribute to enduring connection and the timeless power of written words to preserve memory and emotion. Warm, nostalgic, and profoundly moving, this book will resonate deeply with readers who cherish stories of love, history, and human connection.

[Lisa Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was happy to receive an ARC of this book from the author/editor. My Dearest Bea is a beautifully annotated collection of love letters from Peyton's beloved grandfather to his wife, penned while he served as a musician in the Navy during the Korean War.

As a Navy spouse herself, Peyton has brought to this project an understanding of the many sacrifices service families make. This special bond with her grandparents and their influence on her life unfold through the loving and deeply personal prose she has woven throughout the letters.

Peyton’s tribute to her grandparent’s loving relationship during and after their separation brings their story back to life, preserving it for future generations, but it also reveals itself as a cathartic experience for her. It is wonderful she has chosen to share this part of her family’s history in this heartwarming book.

[Emily Waits (emilylovesreading_) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Thank you so much to the author and publisher for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

This was the sweetest collection of letters written from the USS Midway in the 1950s. The author of the letters is a Navy musician writing to his new bride, and the letters are annotated by the granddaughter of this sweet couple.

As a Navy wife myself, I really enjoyed this and loved reading the perspective of another service member writing home. One of the things I do love about this time my husband has spent in military service is that we do have a lot of handwritten letters, whereas others in my generation may not. I have saved every one! It’s fun to feel some comradery with couples who have served before us and I really felt that way from these letters.

What a sweet family treasure. I’m thankful to the author for allowing us readers to enjoy this sweet love story too. If you’re interested in history, sweet family stories, or naval history, I’d definitely recommend this short read to you.

[Jennifer Gwaltney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true-life love story of a sailor, Bill Holston, and his bride, Bea, literally unfolds from the letters the couple exchanged, discovered years later by their granddaughter, Peyton Roberts, who lovingly preserved their correspondence within this book.

Bill and Bea’s story is deeply personal, yet their letters were a delight to read. Bill passionately writes to Bea about the heartache of being apart, but as the couple share details about their everyday lives, there are lighthearted moments, too. I especially enjoyed gaining their insight into the social mores and values of the post-WW II era.

Overall, “My Dearest Bea” is an endearing and enduring book—a must-read for military spouses, but also for history buffs, and anyone who enjoys a good love story.

[Kathryn Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My Dearest Bea" offers a touching glimpse into the relationship between Bill Holston, a U.S. Navy Band trumpet player, and his bride, Bea, during his sea tour. The collection of vintage love letters illustrates how love can flourish even when apart. As a Navy wife, I found these letters especially relatable even with the decades between their experience and mine.

“My Dearest Bea” is a perfect nightstand read, and would also make a great bridal shower gift. A charming read for anyone who roots for young (and enduring) love!

[Martyn Beeny · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway is a touching and heartfelt collection that captures the enduring power of love, devotion, and human connection. Through Bill Holston’s letters, readers are transported to the early 1950s and given an intimate glimpse into the emotions, hopes, and sacrifices of a young sailor separated from his new bride. Both historically meaningful and deeply personal, this book preserves a beautiful love story that continues to resonate across generations.

— Martyn Beeny

[Mary Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of love letters not only offers us a glimpse into a faded past—letters as the only mode of communication—but also the touching evidence of one young man’s work to keep his long-distance romance alive despite the sea between them. It’s not every new husband who is as talented at writing as this one, and you’ll be swiftly caught up in his sweet longing to be back with his new bride just as soon as the Navy allows. A must-read!

[Doris Biddix · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a prior military spouse before email & iPhones, letters were all we had to stay in touch besides the collect calls home. This book was so touching & brought back so many memories for me. That the letters were so lovingly shared & the glimpses of their family & their dedication to each other, make this book a treasure!! Highly recommend!! There’s even a short chapter about what to do if you find old letters in an attic!! This book is excellent & I enjoyed reading it so much!!

[Heather Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this heartwarming book! Getting an inside look at the special love story between Bill and Bea through letters and the author's commentary made me wish I had access to any letters my grandfather may have written to my grandmother while he was in the Army. And as a former Navy spouse myself, I appreciate the power of letter writing during military separations, something that has become a lost art. I highly recommend this book!

[Linda Klager · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading about two people so much in love that they kept writing letters to each other while Shoopa was off serving our country during the Korean War.

I am so glad their granddaughter transcribed each letter and included them in a book. Thank you so much, Peyton!

The granddaughter has a lot in common with her grandparents because she is also the wife of a Veteran. She understands how heartbreaking it is to have her husband deployed for long periods.

I am so thankful for all who have served our great country.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an early copy of this book for review for Military Families Magazine - these sweet letters reveal a sailor who longed for his wife, a timeless tale to which every military family – then and now – can relate. Fans of military history and current military families will love this book and the connections we make to our loved ones, even when we are apart.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story of a sailor and his love letters to his new bride. Will brighten and warm your heart, hoping they’ll see each other soon. A not to be missed story.

[Kimberly Funk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read - sweet story that carries on through generations