CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Service members don’t defend our country alone. Military families across the country understand the service and sacrifice of living a military life. No more so than our Gold Star families.
Over half of all military service members are married, with nearly 500,000 having children, according to a 2017 Military report. Overall, there are over 1.6 million active duty dependents (family members). It is when the family’s father, mother, husband, daughter, or immediate family member is killed while serving, that they become Gold Star families.
Today, our nation recognizes the sacrifice that all Gold Star Family members make when an immediate family member dies in service to the nation. The Department of Defense presents spouses, parents, and children of service members killed in the line of duty with a Gold Star Service Flag and a Gold Star lapel pin.
The History
The term Gold Star Families is a modern term that originally stemmed from the Service Flag; first flown in World War I. The Service Flag includes a blue star for every immediate family member serving in the United States Armed Forces during a time of conflict. If this family member died, the blue star was replaced with a gold star.
According to The Congressional Act 36 U.S.C. 179-182 of 1967: “The Secretary of Defense is authorized and directed to approve a design for a service flag, which flag may be displayed in a window of the place of residence of persons who are members of the immediate family of a person serving in the armed forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities in which the Armed Forces of the United States may be engaged.”
Gold Star family members have been recognized since 1936 when the last Sunday of September was deemed Gold Star Mother’s Day. Today, the designation applies to all immediate family members.
Hear Their Stories
Willie Frank shared her story with Clarksville’s Conversation, and her feelings behind being a Gold Star wife. Frank’s husband, Ray, lost his life in combat during what would later become known as Black Hawk Down. Hear her story.
Janae Chatfield lost her husband, Tyler, two years ago. She shared her story with ClarksvilleNow.com on Facebook. Janae has made the choice for herself and her two boys to continue living.
“I have the appreciation for life in general. Losing him forced me into seeing things as a bigger picture,” says Chatfield. I was able to choose what was important to me and the boys and allow us to live a life we deem worthy. I can tell you that I love harder now than I ever did before his death. My gratitude for even the simplest things in life overflows into anything that comes my way.”
Honor Their Memory
We are honored to pay tribute to the memory of our fallen service members. Share the story below (please wait a moment as the gallery loads).
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