America 250: Gold Star mothers head to Europe to collect 'sacred soil' to honor service and sacrifice
The World War I Somme American Cemetery and Memorial in France is sited on a gentle slope typical of the open, rolling Picardie countryside. (Photo by Warrick Page/ABMC)
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary of independence, a group of Gold Star mothers have embarked on a trip to Europe to collect "Sacred Soil" from ground made hallowed by the courage and sacrifice of U.S. service members who fought and died in France and Belgium in World War I.
Gold Star mothers to visit American cemeteries and memorials
The Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial at Waregem, the only First World War One US military cemetery in Belgium. (Photo by: Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Timeline:
The tour honors the sons of the first Gold Star mothers while underscoring the unbroken bond between those early families and mothers who have lost children in military service in the decades since. As they collect soil from these historic landscapes, the five mothers will share the stories of their own sons and daughters, reinforcing a legacy of remembrance and, more than a century later, providing these service members with the personal visit from a Gold Star mother they never received.
The group will visit:
- Lafayette Escadrille Memorial
- Suresnes American Cemetery
- Cantigny American Monument
- Flanders Field American Cemetery
- Somme American Cemetery
- Aisne Marne American Cemetery
- Belleau Wood Marine Memorial
- Chateau-Thierry American Monument
- Oise-Aisne American Cemetery
- St. Mihiel American Cemetery
- Sacred Soil Marker at Bois-le-Prêtre
- Douaumont Ossuary/Cemetery (Verdun)
- Meuse Argonne American Cemetery
Sacred Soil will be used to restore Sacred Soil Marker at Arlington National Cemetery
The collected soil will be used to restore the Sacred Soil Marker at Arlington National Cemetery, a monument honoring America’s World War I fallen service members. A re-dedication ceremony will be held on July 6 as part of the celebration of Franco-American relations on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Independence of the United States. The ceremony will be attended by French and U.S. representatives who supported Gold Star mothers, the Sacred Soil Tour and America’s 250th Birthday.
Dig deeper:
This international effort is being carried out in close coordination with the American Battle Monuments Foundation, the United War Veterans Council and the French Combat Veterans and War Victims Agency, reflecting a shared commitment between the United States and France to preserve the memory of those who served and sacrificed.
About the Gold Star mothers
American Gold Star Mothers across the country volunteer thousands of hours every year to support Veterans, Active Duty Military, and their families.(Gold Start Mothers, Inc.)
The backstory:
The American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. (AGSM) was founded by Grace Darling Seibold on June 4, 1928, in Washington, D.C. for mothers whose sons or daughters were killed while serving in the U.S. military.
The non-profit organization's name came from the custom of military families hanging a service flag with a star for each family member in the Armed Forces in the windows of their homes. Living service members were represented by a blue star, and those who had lost their lives in combat were represented by a gold star.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. This story was reported from Orlando.