The History of Gold Star Mothers

Manteca Ministerial, that puts on the festivities at Woodward Park does a very good job of honoring Gold Star Families.  I was doing a book for my stamp collection a few years back, and came across some information about Gold Star Mothers.  Gold Star Mothers was started during WWI in honor of George Vaughn Seibold by his mother Grace Seibold.  George was an aviator, who was shot down over France.  He had been cited for bravery before his death.  His family had difficulty finding out what happened when his letters stopped because he was attached to a foreign unit.  Grace kept herself from facing her son's probable death by visiting hospitals and serving.  She finally joined a group of women in similar circumstance.  Gold Star Families have a special part in our society.  Of course out veterans carry the bigger sacrifice, but their families have also sacrificed.  In my sister-in-law's family they lost a nephew to war violence this year, just before he was due to retire from the military.  I can not imagine the sacrifice.
http://www.goldstarmoms.com/whoweare/history/history.htm

A few years ago we had the honor of being a Blue Star Family.  These are families who have someone serving.  Mark was in Iraq.  Gold Star Families are those who have sacrificed a family member to defense of our freedom.