Soldier in Service Banner

In 2002, with the onset of the War in Iraq, I was commissioned to handcraft several of these banners for a Mother who wanted to honor her son and his comrades while they served their country overseas.   She presented a banner to each family member at the Family Readiness Group (FRG) meeting.

Prior to creating the prototype banner I researched the origin of their historic origin.  Although I live near Ft. Bragg and Pope Air Force Base these special tribute banners were nearly impossible to locate.

I began handcrafting the banners and distributing them first to my friends with family members in service and then as part of my Flags & Banners product line.

The History of Service Flags

Service flags have been in use since World War I, dating back to no earlier than 1917.  Also know as Service Star Flags or Son In Service Flags.  Each family was entitled to hang the flag in their window or on the porch of their home.  A blue star in the center of a white rectangle surrounded by a red border signified a family member in active service.

LAWDOD 1248.33-M  September 1996, Family members are defined as “Wife, Husband, Mother, Father, Stepmother, Stepfather, Parent through adoption, Brothers, Sisters, half Brothers, and half Sisters of a member of the Armed Forced Of The United States”.

A blue star signified one son; two stars represented two sons and so on.  The blue star was replaced with a gold star (yellow or dark yellow) if the family member died in combat.  The gold star was a smaller size so that the blue formed a border.

During WWI, the flags were no longer than one foot and were hung vertically with a dowel through a sleeve in the top of the flag and a piece of cording attached to the dowel.  They were handmade by family members, most likely of wool.  During WWII they were sewn of cotton bunting.  They were also printed on silk and sold retail for those families who did not choose to sew their own.

On 4 June 1928, 25 mothers met in Washington, D.C. to organize the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.  On 5 January 1929, the organization was incorporated under the Laws of the district of Columbia.  On 12 June 1984, the Ninety–Eighth Congress granted the organization a charter.  The charter listed several articles which include:

• Keep alive and develop the spirit that promoted world service.

•  Maintain the ties of fellowship born of that service and assist and further all patriotic work.

•  Inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation.

•  Perpetuate the memory of those whose lives were sacrificed in our wars.

•  Maintain true allegiance to the United States of America.

•  Inculcate lessons of patriotism and love of country in the communities in which we live.

•  Inspire respect for the Stars and Stripes in the youth of America.