// NEWS RELEASE

Gold Star Wife Returns to Army Base Where She Met Late Husband

DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center Public Affairs | April 5th, 2024

// NEWS RELEASE

Gold Star Wife Returns to Army Base Where She Met Late Husband

DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center Public Affairs | April 5th, 2024

// NEWS RELEASE

Gold Star Wife Returns to Army Base Where She Met Late Husband

DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center Public Affairs | April 5th, 2024

Gold Star Wife Returns to Army Base Where She Met Late Husband

DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center Public Affairs
April 5th, 2024

"When I came through the door, he was right there. We would dance all night." --Cecilia Lesser, Gold Star Sibling & Wife We had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Cecilia Lesser to talk about her experience of revisiting the place where she met her late husband in September of 1950.

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD – Etched into the 104-year history of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) are stories of sacrifice, valor, and dedication that have defined its legacy. They include moments of fate and reminders that the strength of institutions is often mirrored by the people who help build them. Cecilia Lesser’s recent visit to the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), was one such moment. Now 92 years old, she recounted the journey that led to her transformation from a “Baltimore girl” to a Gold Star wife.

Cecilia Lesser, a Gold Star wife, looks on as historians share documented stories of her late husband’s time in the military during her visit to APG South on August 23, 2023 as a guest of DEVCOM CBC Director Michael Bailey. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)
Cecilia Lesser, a Gold Star wife, looks on as historians share documented stories of her late husband’s time in the military during her visit to APG South on August 23, 2023 as a guest of DEVCOM CBC Director Michael Bailey. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, with three siblings, Cecilia was no stranger to military life. Her brother, Walter Nida, was drafted during World War II and stationed in Italy, where he was killed in action. As a Gold Star sibling, she regularly attended the non-commissioned officer (NCO) club dances that took place every Friday at Hoyle Gymnasium located at APG South, known as Edgewood Arsenal at the time. She met her late husband, Sgt. 1st Class George Lesser, Jr., at the first NCO dance she attended. “When I came through the door, he was right there,” she said. “We danced all night.”

The Edgewood military buses would transport Cecilia and her friends from the bus station in Baltimore directly to Hoyle Gym every weekend. Cecilia was able to stay in touch with George this way, but only for one night at a time. They never knew one another past the walls of the gymnasium as strict regulations forbade visitors from venturing beyond the gym doors.
However, this changed on September 7, 1950. George Lesser’s battalion, the 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion, received movement orders to Korea. Members of the battalion were aware of just how urgent the orders were, including George, who wasted no time in preparing Cecilia for his absence. At the following NCO dance, Cecilia recalled, “He asked me to wait for him.” At the time, she had only known George for two months. She recalled the countless stories of ‘Dear John’ letters from her brothers and told him that she could not promise that she’d be waiting for him when he got back home. “So, he took the pin off his uniform and pinned it on me,” Cecilia said of their last NCO dance together.

Cecilia Lesser shared a memento of her late husband’s military hat, which is still adorned with the pin he left her with upon his deployment to Korea in 1950. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)
Cecilia Lesser shared a memento of her late husband’s military hat, which is still adorned with the pin he left her with upon his deployment to Korea in 1950. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)

Within 47 days, the troops of the 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion arrived on the Korean Peninsula. The troops remained in combat for 1,007 days. They were never relieved, nor were they replaced. The battalion played a critical role in defeating enemy forces, being one of only two units that were in constant combat throughout the war. The battalion received four presidential citations commending them for their bravery and heroism. The valor was not without sacrifice. Many were killed in action or injured, including George Lesser who was wounded during battle in October of 1951. While recuperating in Japan from his injuries, he prepared to return home. He shipped a large set of dinnerware to Cecilia’s house. The gift arrived just in time to inform her of his arrival to the States. The pair were married soon after in December of 1951.

A photo of Cecilia and George Lesser on their wedding day, dated December 22, 1951. (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Lesser)
A photo of Cecilia and George Lesser on their wedding day, dated December 22, 1951. (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Lesser)

“I never knew what happened in Korea,” said Cecilia. “My husband never liked to talk about it.” But she was able to learn more by visiting DEVCOM CBC on August 23, 2023, the place where her story with George began.

Cecilia was invited to tour the Center’s facilities and spend time with DEVCOM CBC Director Michael Bailey. Cecilia brought two friends along during her visit. They were all greeted by Bailey and Military Deputy Col. James Polak. They were then guided through the DEVCOM CBC Visitor Center, which offered insights into the history of Edgewood Arsenal — including artifacts and images from the time her husband served there. Bailey provided a brief overview of what DEVCOM CBC is like today, sharing the Center’s current mission, to provide innovative chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive defense capabilities, as they proceeded through building.

DEVCOM CBC Director Michael Bailey and Cecilia Lesser stop at Hoyle Gym to re-visit the same building where Lesser met her late husband in 1950. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)
DEVCOM CBC Director Michael Bailey and Cecilia Lesser stop at Hoyle Gym to re-visit the same building where Lesser met her late husband in 1950. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)

Cecilia and her guests were later transported to Hoyle Gymnasium and dropped off at the same doors where the Edgewood Arsenal buses dropped off a young lady from Baltimore more than 70 years earlier. The original gymnasium façade remains, including the original stonework, windows, and entryway. Michael Farlow, APG’s Survivor Outreach Services Coordinator, greeted Cecilia and led her through the gym’s entrance. Walking into the renovated gym, Cecilia recalled, “The floor is different. I don’t remember these rooms being here.” While some things had changed, Cecilia’s memories within the building have remained the same. Overwhelmed with nostalgia, Lesser leaned into Farlow, who then offered her one more dance in the building where she met her late husband.

Cecilia Lesser dances with APG Survivor Outreach Services Coordinator Michael Farlow in Hoyle Gymnasium where she once attended NCO club dances with her late husband. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)
Cecilia Lesser dances with APG Survivor Outreach Services Coordinator Michael Farlow in Hoyle Gymnasium where she once attended NCO club dances with her late husband. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)

The stories of her late husband’s time in Korea were revealed, too. The accolades and duties of Sgt. 1st Class Lesser and his battalion are well-documented, surviving in the history books and landmarks of the installation. In a presentation by the DEVCOM Command Historian Richard Wiltison, Cecilia was able to take a peek at the work that her husband did while at Edgewood Arsenal and learn more about the exploits of the 2nd Chemical Battalion during the Korean conflict. Wiltison also provided excerpts of Carl Hulsman’s personal journal that were published in the Red Dragon, the official publication of the 2nd Chemical Battalion. Hulsman had served as platoon sergeant to which George was assigned. Of the commentary made by Hulsman about her husband, Cecilia said, “That sounds like George. He always talked highly about Carl.”

Cecilia Lesser and friend Cathy Gistedt listen attentively as Linda Flint, DEVCOM CBC management analyst, shares historical documents discovered by the DEVCOM History Office. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)
Cecilia Lesser and friend Cathy Gistedt listen attentively as Linda Flint, DEVCOM CBC management analyst, shares historical documents discovered by the DEVCOM History Office. (U.S. Army photo by Ellie White)

Surely, George Lesser had impacted Carl Hulsman just as much Hulsman impacted him. In a final journal entry, Hulsman concluded the pair’s journey from war, sharing in an excerpt:

“George Lesser visited us. He married a Baltimore girl, had three daughters, and would go on to become the motor sergeant for a battalion of semi-tractor trailer rigs in France and finally succumb to a heart attack while serving as post maintenance sergeant at Fort Holabird in Baltimore. During the conversation, George turned to my wife and said, ‘You know, we always felt safe when Carl was with us.’ There, that was my place! I wouldn’t trade his words for a Silver Star.”

A treasured photo of George and Cecilia Lesser. (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Lesser)
A treasured photo of George and Cecilia Lesser. (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Lesser)

Etched into history as the “Baltimore girl” who waited for a young Soldier to return from war — even when she said she wouldn’t – Cecilia Lesser returned to Aberdeen Proving Ground to learn more about legacy that she and George began in Hoyle Gym so many decades ago. She and her friends finished their day touring the installation, citing landmarks which served as reminders of those distant times, and as proof that these meaningful moments once existed, although everything else has changed.


The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, is Army Futures Command’s leader and integrator within a global ecosystem of scientific exploration and technological innovation. DEVCOM expertise spans eight major competency areas to provide integrated research, development, analysis and engineering support to the Army and DOD. From rockets to robots, drones to dozers, and aviation to artillery, DEVCOM innovation is at the core of the combat capabilities American Warfighters need to win on the battlefield of the future. For more information, visit devcom.army.mil.
The DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center is the primary DOD technical organization for non-medical chemical and biological defense. The DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center fosters research, development, testing and application of technologies for protecting our military from chemical and biological warfare agents. The Center possesses an unrivaled chemical biological defense research and development infrastructure staffed by a highly-trained, multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, technicians and specialists located at four different sites in the United States: Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas; Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois; and Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.