Local woman featured in WWII book published by Our State

When Felma Ruth “Petie” Lynn Bass was young, she, like many children in the generation, grew up without the physical presence of her father and namesake. Her father, Pvt. Felmer L. “Pete” Lynn served in the 28th Division 112th Regiment 1st Battalion, Company B of the U.S. Army and was killed on the battlefield in Germany in 1944.

Bass and her story were recently featured in a book, “North Carolina’s Shining Hour: Images and Voices from World War II.” The book was published by Our State Books.

Bass grew up in Kings Mountain, and did not move to Alleghany County until after she and her husband, Norman, took early retirement in 2000. Bass, who also had two sisters, was born while her father was serving during WWII. Bass and her two sisters, Mickie, 4, Bobbie, 2, were raised by their mother, Ruth. Bass noted that her father lived in Kings Mountain his entire life, while her mother was born in Spencer’s Mountain — an area between Kings Mountain and Gastonia — and raised in Kings Mountain.

“After he went off to the war, (mother) took us to live with her mother and dad until (father) came back, and of course, he didn’t come back,” Bass said. “She stayed with them until I was three.” At that time, Ruth and her daughters moved into a home of their own in Kings Mountain.

Mom’s Diary

From the time of Mr. Lynn’s departure to serve in the military until 1947, Bass’ mother sporadically maintained a diary. Going through the diary, she pointed out a few of her mother’s entries.

“This was the day they buried him,” Bass said. “You can see she didn’t write a lot. It was mostly the little things about him being gone and when he came

Felma Ruth “Petie” Lynn (center) is shown here with her older sisters, (from left) Bobbie, age 3, and Mickie, age 5. Also shown is Ruth Lynn, who raised her children alone after the death of her husband, Pete, in Germany during WWII. This family picture, furnished by Petie Lynn Bass, was also used in a recent book about the role of North Carolinians in WWII.

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