Following the passage of a resolution in D.C., today has officially been designated as Gold Star Children’s Day.
The resolution, which was co-introduced in the Senate by Senator Roger Wicker and in the House by Rep. Trent Kelly, formally recognizes the sacrifices of the children of fallen service members.
“Designating August 1 as Gold Star Children’s Day will help recognize the unique sacrifices borne by the children of our nation’s fallen heroes,” Wicker said. “I encourage all Americans to come together in support of these sons and daughters who carry on the legacy of their parents who paid the ultimate price for our country.”
“The children of our fallen men and women in uniform have experienced the unimaginable loss of a loved one. Recognizing Gold Star Children’s Day will serve as a reminder to all Americans that freedom is not free,” Kelly said.
The resolution was also introduced by Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. and Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn.
Read the full text of the resolution below:
Whereas the recognition of Gold Star Families in the United States dates back to World War I, when the families of fallen service members displayed a service flag in the window of their homes with a gold star;
Whereas, in 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law legislation declaring Gold Star Mother’s Day, a national observance honoring the mothers of fallen service members annually on the last Sunday of September;
Whereas, since 2010, the Senate has honored Gold Star Spouses by resolution annually on April 5, recognizing the unique sacrifices made by spouses of fallen service members;
Whereas thousands of sons and daughters of military families have lost mothers or fathers who served in the Armed Forces and also deserve national recognition for the burden and legacy they carry; and Whereas no date has existed to specifically recognize the children of fallen service members of the United States as part of a national debt of gratitude that the people of the United States owe to the service members who sacrificed all in protecting the freedom of the United States and the people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate—
(1) designates August 1, 2021, as ‘‘Gold Star Children’s Day’’;2) honors the sacrifices and hardships of the children of fallen service members; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe Gold Star Children’s Day in support of children of the fallen men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States.
