Posted 9 years ago
wildchat
(1 item)
This Gold Star Medal was awarded to my great aunt. Anne J Temple.
Her son, Samuel Temple died in battle in the Argonne Forrest in 1918. He is buried in Cherbourg, France. I have her passport, photo, photo by his grave marker, His photo, Military papers, Death certificate, Enlistment papers and Honorable Discharge.
It's interesting because these memorial pilgrimages to Great War battlefields started within years of the war's end. Many family members, like your great aunt, wanted to visit the places their loved ones fought and died.
Poignant.
These medals were given to a Gold Star mother who participated in the WWI Gold Star Mothers' Pilgrimage to Europe in 1930. Authorized by Congress and paid for by government funds, the pilgrimage allowed Gold Star moms and widows to travel to Europe to visit the graves of their loved ones. These tours took place between 1930 and 1933. This medals were given to the mothers by the United States Lines, the shipping company which brought the Gold Star moms to Europe. It was designed and manufactured by Tiffany & Co. - It would have hung around the neck on a red, white, and blue ribbon.
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=56485
Great info agh.
In Australia tours started as early as 1921, but not as organised as these US Congress ones.