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Pin given to mother or parents of deceased soldier?


Tonomachi
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I picked this up at the flea market today. Is this what I think it is? Were these given out by our government to the mothers of US soldiers or sailors killed during WW2? The date on the back says, " 1.AUGUST 194?" It appears that the last numeral after the 4 was sort of brazed over on purpose. Were their different dates?

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The Gold Star Mother pin was authorized in 1947. Unissued ones are common and can easily be found on E-bay and other places. Issued pins have the initials of the mother engraved in the center back of the pin and are a bit harder to come by. Kevin

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Unissued full cases with these turned up recently, and now they are fairly common if unengraved ( $5-$10 at the flea market ) . It is much harder to find one with the NOK's initials hand engraved on the reverse. The Govt engraved the initials of the person it was issued to on the reverse and not the soldiers. Any close NOK was entitled to these and not just the Mother.

 

Kurt

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  • 7 months later...
Guest ssgtedusmc

The official name of this pin is Gold Star Lapel Button and it was issued upon request of the next of kin of any serviceman or woman who died while on active duty in the armed forces from any cause. The Act of Congress of 1 August 1947 was amended in the 1950's to include the Korean War and then in 1966 another Act of Congress was passed to make this lapel button eligible for the Viet Nam War. The 1966 dated lapel buttons are quite scarce and command a premium from those who know about them and don't have one in their collection. The eligibilty was changed yet again and now the serviceman or woman has to have died either as a KIA or died of wounds as a result of enemy action. The clutch post one has the initials A W S and the pin back one has C F.

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I didn't know anything about these. I would of passed it off as some Girl Scout pin if I saw one. Thanks for the information!

 

-Ski

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And very sad to say that more are being issued these days. The ranks of the Gold star mothers has new members. Some of them very active.

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Got da Penny

Heres the only two that i own, both with initials.

 

 

 

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PS, got them for $1.00 each at local flea markets

 

CS

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