This is the last Sunday in September. On this day, since 1936, the Gold Star Mothers in the United States are remembered.
A Gold Star Mother is the mother of a soldier who has died in war.
Every soldier's death leaves a void. But it is the survivors who have to carry on.
George Siebold was 23 when he enlisted during WWI. He requested an assignment in aviation, and was eventually assigned to the British Royal Flying Corps, 148th Aero Squadron, as at the time the US had no planes, let alone an air force. His mother, Grace, began to do community service by visiting returning servicemen in hospitals. George communicated regularly with his family.
Then the mail stopped. Because US aviators were under British authority, the Federal Government could do little to help ease her worry or provide information.
Grace continued to visit hospitalized veterans in the Washington area, clinging to the hope that her son might have been injured and returned to the United States without any identification. While working through her sorrow, she helped ease the pain of the many servicemen who returned so war-damaged that they were incapable of ever reaching normalcy.
But on October 11, 1918, George's wife received a box marked "Effects of deceased Officer 1st Lt. George Vaughn Seibold". On November 4 a family member in Paris also confirmed his death.
Grace, realizing that self-contained grief is self-destructive, devoted her time and efforts to not only working in the hospital but extending the hand of friendship to other mothers whose sons had lost their lives in military service.
She organized a group consisting solely of these special mothers, with the purpose of not only comforting each other, but giving loving care to hospitalized veterans confined in government hospitals far from home.
The organization was named after the Gold Star that families hung in their windows in honor of the deceased veteran.
After years of planning, June 4, 1928, twenty-five mothers met in Washington, DC to establish the national organization, American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
On May 28, 1918, President Wilson approved a suggestion made by the Women’s Committee of the Council of National Defenses that, instead of wearing conventional mourning for relatives who have died in the service of their country, American women should wear a black band on the left arm with a gilt star on the band for each member of the family who has given his life for the nation.
“The Service Flag displayed from homes, places of business, churches, schools, etc., to indicate the number of members of the family or organizations who are serving in the Armed Forces or who have died from such service. Service flags have a deep Blue Star for each living member in the service and a Gold Star for each member who has died.” Thus, the Gold Star and the term Gold Star Mother, as applied to mothers whose sons or daughters died in World War I, were accepted; they have continued to be used in reference to all American military engagements since that time.
Perhaps the single most famous mother to have joined was Aletta Sullivan, the mother of the five Sullivan brothers, who were killed in action when their ship, the USS Juneau (CL-52) was sunk by an enemy torpedo on November 13, 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. On September 21, 1948, the U.S. Post Office issued a commemorative stamp, specially designed by artist Charles Chickering, honoring the Gold Star Mothers. Mrs. Sullivan was given the first sheet of stamps issued.
Another famous Gold Star Mother was Edith Roosevelt, widow of President Theodore Roosevelt. Her son Quentin, also an aviator, was shot down over France. The story goes that Roosevelt fought so bravely, and by him also being the son of an American the Germans admired, that the Germans themselves buried Roosevelt with full military honors in France.
The World War II Memorial, to honor the dead, has a Wall of Stars. They are gold, because of this tradition.
Finally, to honor the Gold Star Mothers, I leave with the final words of President Obama's proclamation of this day, and the music of John Philip Sousa, who wrote The Golden Star in honor of Mrs. Roosevelt and all Gold Star Mothers.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 29, 2013, as Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day. I call upon all Government officials to display the flag of the United States over Government buildings on this special day. I also encourage the American people to display the flag and hold appropriate ceremonies as a public expression of our Nation's sympathy and respect for our Gold Star Mothers and Families.