“Because I feel that in the heavens above
The angels, whispering one to another,
Can find among their burning terms of love,
None so devotional as that of 'Mother'...”

- Edgar Allan Poe
(19 Jan 1809 - 07 Oct 1849)

What do people do?

Each year the United States president is requested to issue a proclamation to: call on US government officials to display the nation’s flag on all government buildings; and to call on people to display the flag and hold appropriate meetings at homes, churches, or other suitable places on Gold Star Mother’s Day to publicly express the love, sorrow, and reverence those who are Gold Star mothers and their families.

American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. is an organization of mothers whose sons or daughters served and died while serving their nation in times of war or conflict. It organizes major events that take place on or around Gold Star Mother’s Day each year. Previous activities included a Gold Star flower wreath laying service, as well as an afternoon tour of President Lincoln’s cottage in Washington DC.

The last Sunday in September is also Parents of Fallen Military Sons and Daughters Day in New Jersey. This day is a tribute to all parents whose children died as a result of their service with the United States Armed Forces. It commemorates the contributions, commitments and sacrifices made by those parents individually and through the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.

Public life

Gold Star Mother’s Day is not a designated public holiday in the United States so public life is not affected.

Background

The name the Gold Star Mothers was derived from the custom of military families who put a service flag near their front window. The flag featured a star for each family member serving in their country – living members were denoted in blue but gold stars honored family members who were killed while in duty. In 1918 President Woodrow Wilson approved the wearing of black arm bands bearing a gilt star by those who had a family member who died in the military service to the United States. This distinguished them from the blue stars, representing a family member presently serving in the armed forces.

American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. was incorporated in 1929, obtaining a federal charter from the US Congress. It began with 25 mothers living in the Washington DC area and soon expanded to include affiliated groups throughout the nation. On June 23, 1936, a joint congressional resolution designated the last Sunday in September as Gold Star Mother's Day, a holiday that has been observed each year by a presidential proclamation.

Symbols

A gold star symbolizes a family member who died in the line of duty while serving the United States Armed Forces.  It may be seen on a service flag or in the form of a pin, which is worn by Gold Star mothers. The pin is not limited to mothers and it is awarded by the US Department of Defense.

From http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/This%20Day/thisday0924.htm - INCLUDING:

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1861
NEGROES NOTE NAVAL NEWS

A historic ruling came today from Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, in a letter to Flag Officer Samuel duPont of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. A new regulation “with respect to...persons of color, commonly known as ‘contraband’, now subsisted at the navy yards and on board ships of war. It is not proper that they should be compelled to render...services without compensation. You are therefore authorized...to enlist them for the naval service, under the same forms and regulations as apply to other enlistments.” It would be some years before blacks were enlisted in the other services.

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 1862
CONSTITUTIONAL COVERAGE CRUELLY CUT

Abraham Lincoln announced another proclamation suspending the right of habeas corpus, this time in any area under Federal control. The particular target of this move was “all Rebels and Insurgents, their aiders and abettors within the United States, and all persons discouraging volunteer enlistments, resisting militia drafts, or guilty of any disloyal practice, affording comfort to Rebels against the authority of the United States.” This action suspending perhaps the primary guarantee of civil liberties in the Constitution was, in fact, Constitutional--Article I, section 9, states “The writ shall not be suspended unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.” Many were outraged at this trampling of civil liberties and regarded it as a sign of the downfall of the Republic.

Thursday, Sept. 24, 1863
ROLLING RESCUERS RIDING RAILS

The ambitious effort to rescue Gen. William Starke Rosecrans and the men of his Army of the Cumberland got into high gear today. The plan was to send the 11th and 12th Corps of the Army of the Potomac to assist him. The impediment to it was, of course, that the Army of the Potomac was in northern Virginia, and Rosecrans and his men were essentially under siege in Chattanooga, Tennessee. To march the route would have been a bit time-consuming, so the plan was to send them by train. Today saw an unprecedented massing of rolling stock on the railroads of the North. The Federal possession of Nashville, a great rail center of the state, would make considerable difference in this effort.

Saturday, Sept. 24, 1864
RAPID RAIDERS RANSACKING RIOTOUSLY

It was a time of rack and ruin in many parts of the country today. In the Shenandoah Valley Gen. Jubal Early’s Confederate cavalry was staying just far enough ahead of Phil Sheridan’s pursuing Federals that no real battle could be fought. Sheridan’s men, therefore, spent their time burning barns, farms, fields, haystacks and anything else that could possibly be of use to the military forces of the Confederacy. When not doing this they skirmished at Mount Jackson, New Market, Luray, and Timberville. In Missouri, Sterling Price’s Confederate raiders committed depredations in Fayette, along with rumbles in Jackson and Farmington, Mo. Finally, Nathan Bedford Forrest led his Confederate band to a battle in Athens, Ga., resulting in their capture of same.

http://www.nnhs65.com/SITE-MAP.html

     http://www.nnhs65.com/ANCHOR-Staffs.html

          http://www.nnhs65.com/ANCHOR-Staffs-June-1938.html 

          http://www.nnhs65.com/ANCHOR-Staffs-Feb-1939.html

          http://www.nnhs65.com/ANCHOR-Staffs-Feb-1942.html

Andrea Bocelli singing the Lord's Prayer

http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/bocelli_lord_prayer.html 

AMAZING GRACE IN THE ROME COLISEUM - JUST WAIT TILL YOU HEAR THE MIDDLE!

http://www.clarrissegill.com/videoclips/amazing_grace.php - Four Tenors (Il Divo)

   WOWZERONI! Thanks so much, Cheryl!