Haugen seeks recognition for Gold Star Mothers

OLYMPIA — Harkening back to a World War II tradition of recognizing families who have lost a service member in combat, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, is proposing special license plates for mothers of United States armed forces members killed in combat.

“Washington has a great tradition of recognizing the exceptional sacrifices of a select group of service members by honoring them with special license plates,” said Haugen, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee. “But there’s another group out there that deserves recognition as well.”

Senate Bill 6678 will authorize the issuance of the Gold Star Mothers’ license plate under regulations similar to those for issuing Pearl Harbor Survivors’ plates.

“Recipients of the Medal of Honor and Pearl Harbor survivors receive special recognition for their heroism,” said Haugen. “I think it’s time we recognize the incredible sacrifice of mothers who have lost a son or daughter in combat. There are plenty of cars driving around with yellow ribbons that show support for our military, but I can’t imagine any tribute even beginning to compensate a mother who’s lost a child in the service of their country. This is just a small way to recognize their loss, and to give the rest of us an opportunity to thank them.”

During the Second World War, families displayed a banner in their window that had a blue star for each family member who was deployed overseas. A gold star on the banner denoted that a family member had died in combat, and was widely recognized as a symbol of sacrifice.

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