Blue Star Banners honor service

Local representatives of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) honored community members with relatives in active service last week by presenting them with Blue Star Service Banners during a Sisters High School Veterans Appreciation Ceremony held last week.

"After 9/11 happened," said George Winterfeld at the Wednesday morning school assembly, "we thought it was time to start up with the banners again. We want to present the banners to every family in the Sisters School District with a relative in active duty."

Winterfeld served in the Army and is a life member of both the American Legion and the VFW.

Frank Jackson assisted in the presentations, representing the American Legion. VFW member Bill Prull and American Legion member Jack Berry made the presentations during the Tuesday evening ceremony.

"We gave out 11 banners on Tuesday night," said Winterfeld. "No actual presentations were made on Wednesday, but we hope to give out seven more banners at our December meeting."

The Blue Star Service Banner was designed and patented in 1917 by World War I Army Capt. Robert L. Queissner of the 5th Ohio Infantry, who had two sons serving on the front lines.

It quickly became the unofficial symbol of a child in the service.

The banner, bearing a single blue star in a field of white trimmed in red, was a badge of honor during World War I and World War II. A gold star replaced the blue if a family member was killed in action. The banners did not retain their popularity during the Korean and Vietnam wars.

American Legion commander Richard J. Santos recently urged the American Legion to reintroduce the Blue Star Service Banner during the war on terrorism.

For more information contact George Winterfeld at 382-5857.