A Gold Star family is a family with a member who lost their life in the armed services. The term comes from the service flag. The service flag was designed by a WWI veteran who had sons serving on the front line. The service flag is a white banner with a red border around it. In the middle is a singular blue star or a line of them.
During the world wars, mothers and wives would display these flags. Each blue star symbolized an active service member. The term “Gold Star” comes from this era as well.
While blue stars are symbols of pride, the Gold Star is a symbol of mourning. When a son or father would not return from combat, a gold star was sewn over the blue star.
“The saying goes that time heals all wounds, and for me, that may be true, with the exception of the wounds of war. We always have to remember,” said State Representative Chuck Moseley. “Every day, we have to remember. What we do, where we live, how we put food on the table, is all because of the sacrifice that has been made for centuries.”
This Memorial Day, Portage community members and leaders gathered in Founder’s Square to honor these Gold Star lives.
The service began with the placing of a red, white, and blue wreath by a veteran. He saluted the wreath, before walking away.
After this, members of Portage High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (MCJROTC) program presented the flag, and remarks began.
Throughout the event, each attendee had a Gold Star life in mind that they were honoring. Service members have a multitude of friends and family in mind.
“I think of my uncle Bud,” Mayor Sue Lynch said. “I had several uncles who served in the military and my father, but my uncle Bud was a medic in the Battle of the Bulge. When he came home, he slept out on the front porch for three weeks. He was so traumatized by that, and I think it was such a trauma for the rest of his life. When I was at the cemetery helping them build the Battle of the Bulge monument, meeting with those guys helped me learn more about it. Uncle Bud is the first person who comes to my mind.”
“I thought of a young man from Hammond who lost his life in Afghanistan. He had a young family and a child. Ultimately, he gave his life in sacrifice,” said Congressman Frank Mrvan. “He had always wanted to serve. Those individuals who believe in that ideal for our country and lost their life, you want their memory to live eternally. Not only do you want to honor them on Memorial Day, you want to honor them every single day in what you do for veterans.
“That particular story resonates with me because they had the event at Wicker Park,” Mrvan continued. “Something I will always remember is that it was a very cold day, and a pipe broke. There was water all over the Social Center. The Veterans Service Organization, the American Legion, the DAVs, contractors, everyone came out to fix the pipe and clean up the water. Not only is this about his sacrifice, but also about the veterans and the community coming together to make that moment proper and respectful.”
Veterans are the backbone of America, and it is the duty of all citizens to support them.
“I am a spouse of a veteran. Veterans should come first,” Ladies Auxiliary President of American Legion Post 260 Bernadette Esparza said. “I’ve been in the auxiliary for over 30 years, and we help veterans every year. We try to go to the veterans’ home in West Lafayette every year and give aid to any individual who needs help working with the VA.”
The government also has a key role in aiding veterans that Representative Moseley, Mayor Lynch, and Congressman Mrvan seek to fill.
“Mr. Mrvan is a strong supporter of the VA and veterans' rights,” said Post 260 Commander Rudy Miller. “He tries to help us as much as he can. When guys talk about suicide, the government is who can help with that.”
After remarks, Portage’s MCJROTC fired a 21-gun salute, followed by Taps.
The crowd stood somberly, and veterans stood saluting their lost brethren.
Post 260 Chaplain Jeffrey Brooks ended the service the way he began it, with a prayer.
Brooks said, “Our departed, God now has them in his keeping. But we, we will always have them in our hearts. May the rest in peace. Go in Peace. Amen.”
