Welcome to Gold Star Families of Arizona

During the early days of World War I, families used a blue star to represent each family member in the military service of the United States. As the war progressed and soldiers were killed in combat, and others were wounded and died of their wounds or disease, the families covered the fallen soldiers' blue stars with gold stars.

The gold star represents the honor accorded the soldier for supreme sacrifice in offering for his country the last full measure of devotion and pride of the family in this sacrifice, rather than the sense of personal loss which would be represented by the mourning symbols.

On June 4, 1928, a group of twenty-five mothers residing in Washington, DC, met to make plans to organize American Gold Star Mothers. By September, they had a membership of sixty-five, which included mothers throughout the United States: North, South, East and West.

There were many small groups of Gold Star Mothers functioning under local and state charters. They were mostly women who had lost a son or daughter in World War I.

Today, the Gold Star Families of Arizona includes mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses, and children of fallen soldiers. If you know of someone who would like to join us, please let us know.