"American Gold Star Mother's Inc."
1 Peter 5:6-7 " Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you".
History of "American Gold Star Mother's"...
When the United States entered World War 1 in 1917, George Vaughn Seibold 23, volunteered, requesting assignment in aviation. He was sent to Canada where he learned to fly British planes, since the United States had neither an air force nor planes. Deployed to England, he was assigned to the British Royal Flying Corps. With his squadron, he left for combat duty in France. He corresponded with his family regularly. His mother, Grace Darling Seibold, began to do community service by visiting returning servicemen in the hospitals.
The mail from Geroge stopped. Since all aviators were under British control and authority, the United States could not help the Seibold family with any information about their son. Grace continued to visit hospitalized veterans in the Washington area, clinging to the hope that her son might have been injured and returned to the United States without any identification. Christmas Eve 1918 the postman delivered a package to the Washington DC residence of George and Grace Seibold. The package was marked "Effects of Deceased Officer First Lieutenant George Vaughn Seibold".
While working through her sorrow, Grace continued her work at Walter Reed Army Hospital helping to ease the pain of the many servicemen who returned so war-damaged that they were incapable of ever reaching normalcy.
After months of inquiry, the family received official notice. George had been killed in aerial combat during the heaviest fighting over Baupaume, France, August 26, 1918. His body was never recovered.
Grace, realizing that self-contained grief is self-destructive, devoted her time and efforts to not only working in the hospital but extending the hand of friendship to other mothers whose sons had lost their lives in military service. She organized a group consisting soley of these special mothers, with the purpose of not only comforting each other, but giving loving care to hospitalized veterans confined in government hospitals far from home.
The organization was named after the Gold Star that families hung in their windows in honor of the deseased veteran.
The idea of the Gold Star was that the honor and glory accorded the person for his supreme sacrafice in offering for his country, the last full measure of devotion and pride of the family in this sacrafice, rather than the sense of personal loss which would be represented by the mourning symbols.
After years of planning, June 4, 1928, tweny-five mothers met in Washington DC to establish a national organization, American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.-- a non-denominational non-profit and non-political organization. On January 5, 1929, the organization was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia.
There were many small groups of Gold Star Mothers functioning under local and state chapters. When these groups learned of a national organization with representation in nearly every State in the Union they wished to affiliate with the larger group and many did so. This group was composed of women who had lost a son or daughter in World War 1.
During the 1941 National Convention the membership was opened to mothers who had lost a son or daughter in World War 11 and was again opened after the Korean conflict to those mothers. The Vietnam conflict mothers began to join and were influential in helping to get the Vietnam Wall built. Now the mothers from the Global War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom are finding their way to our organization.
We stand tall and proud by honoring our children, assisting our veterans, supporting our nation, and healing with each other.
On June 12th, 1984, the Ninety-Eighth Congress of the United States granted the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. a charter. Section 3 of the charter lists the objectives and purposes for which the corporation is organized. The following articles promise a continuing commitment on a national basis.
*Keep alive and develop the spirit that promoted world services.
*Maintain the ties of fellowship born of that service, and to assist and further all patriotic work.
*Inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, State, and Nation.
*Assist veterans of World War 1, World War 11, the Korean conflict, Vietnam, and other strategic areas and their dependents in the presentation of claims to the Veterans Administration and to aid in any way in their power, the men and women who served and died or were wounded or incapacitated during hostilities.
*Perpetuate the memory of those whose lives were sacraficed 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.
*Extend needful assistance to all Gold Star Mothers and, when possible, to their descendants.
*To promote peace and good will for the United States and all other Nations.
On September 14, 1940, President Franklin D Roosevelt issued a proclamation designating the lastSunday in September as Gold Star Mothers Day. The organization conducts a service in Arlington Cemetery on this day, honoring all Gold Star Mothers for the loss of their sons or daughters while in the service of their country. The National President of AGSM lays a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns. Throughout the country chapters hold appropriate services and attend the church of their choice.
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions regarding American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
I have just recently started the FIRST Gold Star Mothers chapter, here in the state of Alaska, "Gold Star Moms of Alaska". If you are an Alaskan, and are a Gold Star Mother, and would like to be a part of our new Alaska chapter, feel free to email me at any time. We would love to help you in any way we possibly can. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Please visit my next page "Gold Star Moms Alaska"!
Sincerely, Donnetta Rogers
Proud mama to...
PFC Jessy Scott Rogers
9-2-86 / 7-23-07
173rd Airborne Combat Brigade
Sarobi Southeastern Afghanistan
"Freedom Is NOT Free"!!!
donnettarogers@goldstarmomsalaska.com
