My "Mothers Flags"

[rrobertscv]

I really like these flags, they seem to show a families pride. I have one gold star flag, it is from WWI. The one in the frame on the right belonged to my uncle mother. When I got it, it was rolled up and stuck in an old fruitcake tin. We have a vet here in town that has one with 7 stars, him and his 6 brothers all served, and all 7 made it home. They say his mother almost suffered a nervous breakdown. This is the most I have seen for one family.

 

[Brig]

7 stars...that's an honorable family!

[sgtbrown]

This one says a lot. Just wish I knew the story. Found it in an antique mall.

 

By the way, I have heard both "wounded" and "POW" for the red star. I lean toward wounded. Any comments?

 

Tom

[sgtbrown]

Can you say "Brain Fart"? Make that a silver star!!

 

Tom

[rrobertscv]

Can you say "Brain Fart"? Make that a silver star!!

 

Tom

 

This is the first "silver star" I have ever seen.

[Brig]

it says a lot, we just don't know what it says...

[fightn5th]

I've never seen nor heard of one with a silver star either.

Here's a homefront banner for a WW1 Marine vet.

[BEAST]

This may be a new method of displaying a star for a POW, but I believe it is a blue star with a circle around it.

[fightn5th]

This one says a lot. Just wish I knew the story. Found it in an antique mall.

 

By the way, I have heard both "wounded" and "POW" for the red star. I lean toward wounded. Any comments?

 

Tom

 

 

 

From what I've been able to find, a silver star on a flag does indicate wounded in action, but this apparently was not instituted until WW2. During WW1, gold represented wounds, distinguished service, and death whereas red represented missing or captured.

 

In WW1 there were apparently 9 different versions of the service flag that can be found in a book entitled "The Flag of the United State--Your Flag and Mine" by Harrison S. Kerrick, 1925. Apparently, these different versions were not as widely used, hence the lack of exiting examples. See the following for the detailed information regarding those versions.

 

www.atlasgeo.net/fotw/flags/us%5esvc.html

 

 

Hope this clarifies some issued regarding the different colored stars.

 

Frank

[fightn5th]

Sorry guys. Still new at posting. Try this one.

 

Flag Webpage

[Jeeper704]

Here's the one I have in my collection (see topic "Groupings").

 

 

Erwin

[vzemke]

Here is a WWI one in a frame with the Vets picture, O/S chevrons and a extremely nice un-official pattern 91st Div patch. I don't normally do WWI stuff but I had a hard time passing this one up when I found it in an antique store while on leave.

 

BTW, "mothers flags" are still around. They sell them in the PX on most military bases, and my folks have one in their front window.

[Bob Hudson]

This is the first "silver star" I have ever seen.

 

 

According to a few different sources: "a silver star indicates an individual discharged from service because of wounds"

[Ricardo]

Sorry guys. Still new at posting. Try this one.

 

Flag Webpage

 

Hi All,

 

Infos by this great homepage:

 

...nine different emblems, all based on the blue 5-pointed star (pointing up). It is entitled "The Star of Service - For the Flag, for Liberty, for Justice.":

 

A Blue Star - "Service in Army or Navy."

A Blue Star with a Gold Greek Cross in the Center - "Wounded in Service."

A Blue Star with a Gold Ring superimposed - "Decorated for Distinguished Service."

An inverted Blue Star with both the Gold Greek Cross and the Gold Ring -"Missing."

An inverted Blue Star inside of a Red Ring - "Captured."

An inverted Blue Star superimposed over a Red Pentagon - "Wounded and Decorated for Distinguished Service."

A Gold Star bordered Blue with a Gold Ring superimposed on it - "Decorated for Distinguished Service," also seems to indicate the serviceman died, but that is not stated.

A Blue Star superimposed over a Red Pentagon with a Gold Greek Cross in the Center and a Gold Ring Superimposed on it - "Wounded, Decorated for Distinguished Service and Missing."

A Gold Star bordered Blue with a Laurel Wreath superimposed on it - "Died in Service. Laurel Wreath Optional."

 

=> "Gold represents wounds, distinguished service and death. Red, represents missing or captured. If desired, rank may be shown by the proper insignia of Officer or non-Commissioned Officer placed directly above the star. Service in the 'Zone of Advance' and foreign service may be symbolized by a gold chevron placed below the star, one shown for each six months of such service."

Notice there is no mention of the red border of the flag, as used in practice.

 

Best regards,

 

Ricardo.

[BEAST]

We are doing a Memorial Day display at a local antique shop. I brought in this "Sons-in-Service" flag to display there and thought I would share it here also.

 

I belive that this was used in a church, probably in the N.E. Indiana area. It measures approximately 4 feet x 3 feet. I hope you enjoy it!