Monday September 22, 1930

Josephine and the rest of the Louisiana delegation arrived in New Orleans at 8:05 am on Monday, September 22.

Here Josephine said goodbye to the four Gold Star mothers who lived in New Orleans: Mrs. Alison Boner, Mrs. Delia M. Fox, Mrs. Laura Neight, and Mrs G. V. Soniat.

At this point in time, I don’t know what Josephine and the remaining six members of the Louisiana delegation did for the rest of the day and night. On this return train trip home, the pilgrims had a one day layover in New Orleans (the layover in New Orleans on the trip going to New York had been about 8½ hours). Josephine and her companions would not leave New Orleans until 7:20 am on the morning of Tuesday, September 23.

What did the ladies do? Where did they stay? I have no records from the military about their being provided hotel accommodations in New Orleans. Perhaps that was covered in the travel expenses given to the women for their travel home.

Did the American Legion Auxiliary help them? Was their an American War Mothers group in New Orleans that helped? I have searched the archives of the Times Picayune for articles on Gold Star Mother and Widow pilgrimages and found very little information.

Josephine’s sister, Gertrude and her husband Edward, may have been living in New Orleans at the time. If that is the case, perhaps they met Josephine at the train and she stayed with them that day and night.

Wherever Josephine and her companions spent the day and night, I am sure Josephine and her companions were well taken care of because the Army Quartermaster Corps had been so meticulous in planning all the other details of the pilgrimage.

Wherever she spent the night, Josephine’s anticipation must have been high, knowing that tomorrow she would be home, after a remarkable 40-day journey!

Stay tuned for her final day of the journey, Tuesday, September 23, 1930!


Source: written by Carolyn Ourso