The VFW Post 2438 and Ladies Auxiliary honored area Gold Star Mothers in a special program at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Post home on Texas 60 North.
Gold Star Mothers are women whose sons or daughters served and died in the line of duty in the Armed Forces of the United States of America or its Allies, or died as a result of injuries sustained in service.
Since WWI, when our Nation was at war, service flags have been placed in the windows of military families.
These flags are a message to the community; it is bordered in red and the center is a field of white; in the field of white is a blue star for each member of the family serving in the military.
A gold star is representative of a fallen family member.
The name “Gold Star” Mothers was derived from this custom of military families placing a service flag in their windows.
Among those honored Sunday were: Lois Winfrey of Bay City; Anna June McCormick of Bay City; Patricia “Patty” Ward of Matagorda; Bertha Balsley of Victoria; Amelia Aguilar of Blessing; and Willa Penland Koontz of Palacios.
Gold Star Sisters Margie Quinn, Billie J. Suffling and Norma McDonald, all of Bay City, lost their beloved brother US Army Tech 5 Richard B. Legg, a Combat Medic in WWII.
Gold Star Mothers present were Lois Winfrey, June McCormick and Amelia Aguilar.
Lois Winfrey, of Bay City is the mother of PFC Johnnie P. Winfrey, US Army, KIA in Vietnam on September 18, 1965
June McCormick, also of Bay City is the mother of CPL David P. McCormick, US Army, KIA Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq on April 28, 2008.
Amelia Aguilar, of Blessing is the mother of SPC Armando Aguilar, Jr., US Army who died on August 21, 2010 in the line of duty as a result of injuries sustained from an IED explosion in Iraq.
Aguilar was accompanied by her husband Armando, Sr. and other family members.
Former members of the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force were recognized during the program as well.
The event closed with a brief history of the VFW, whose birthday is also on September 29 and celebrates 114 years of service to their communities.