“U.S. #969 was issued to honor mothers whose sons had been killed in war. It was the first stamp in eight years to feature women (or women’s organizations), and just the 11th stamp overall to do so.

 

 In 1917, Robert Queissner, an Army captain, designed a flag to honor the service of his sons in World War I. The flag had a blue star on a white field, with a red border. …

 

The flag took on a somber tone, when women whose sons died in the war began to sew a gold star over the blue one. ..

 

During World War II, women again began to display the blue star flags, often hanging them in a window to indicate a son or daughter was in service overseas. In January 1944, Tom and Alletta Sullivan of Waterloo, Iowa, lost all five of their sons after a Japanese submarine sunk the U.S.S. Juneau, on which they all served.

 

News of the family’s loss made national news. President Franklin Roosevelt sent a letter of condolence, and Pope Pius XII sent a silver religious medal and rosary. Later in 1944, a movie was released called “The Sullivans.” It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Two U.S. Navy ships have been named “The Sullivans” in honor of the family’s sacrifice.

 

When this stamp was issued in 1948, the first sheet of stamps was presented to Alletta Sullivan, as a Gold Star Mother.”