"My father, Lt. Ralph J. Bishop Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio was a tank commander at the Battle of the Bulge. He died on the second day of fighting. I was five months old . Memorial Day was the only day my mother flew the flag, and the only flag she ever flew was the one the army returned to her instead of my father. She never remarried."

Ralph Bishop, III

The Concert

2011 Features

A Child's Loss: Growing Up with Grief

Nineteen-year-old Specialist 4th Class Richard Githens was killed in Vietnam when his daughter Yvette Michelle was only three months old. She grew up without knowing anything about her father — and with a big hole in her life. Until Chuck Gregoire, the soldier who had been with her father when he died, finally got the courage to get in touch and changed both their lives forever.

From World War II to the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, more than 200,000 American children have had to grow up without a parent. And today, there are almost 4,000 children of a new generation who lost a parent to war in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Coping with the loss of a parent in wartime is a tremendous load to bear. It is a traumatic grief, very different from the anticipated loss of an ill loved one whose death is anticipated. As Michelle Baugh has said, “You don’t get over it and that’s okay.” But a healing journey to process the pain and sadness of the loss is an integral part of living without that parent.

As a part of her healing journey, Michelle Baugh became deeply involved in an organization called Sons and Daughters In Touch, whose mission is, “To locate, unite and provide support to Sons, Daughters and other family members of those who died or remain missing as a result of the Vietnam War;”

Learn more about how to Cope with Losing a Loved One.

If you have lost a loved one to war, there are organizations that can help. Visit the Healing & Support section of this website to learn more and the Remembering Our Fallen section to share your story.