What is Gold Star family?
'''Gold Star families''' (or '''Gold Star American families''') are the relatives of US military members who died in battle.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lynn|first=Bryan|title=What Is a Gold Star American Family?|url=http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-is-a-gold-star-american-family-and-how-are-they-important-for-the-military/3446219.html|work=learningenglish.voanews.com|publisher=Voice of America|access-date=3 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Zraick|first=Karen|title=Ghazala Khan Is a Gold Star Mother. Here’s What That Means.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/02/us/ghazala-khan-is-a-gold-star-mother-heres-what-that-means.html?_r=0|work=www.nytimes.com|publisher=New York Times|access-date=3 August 2016}}</ref> ==History== Starting in [[World War I]], the families of US [[soldier]]s and [[sailor]]s often flew [[flag]]s that had a blue star for each member of the family that was serving in the military.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gold Star survivors|url=https://www.army.mil/goldstar/|work=www.army.mil|publisher=US Army|access-date=3 August 2016}}</ref> If one of them died in battle, the blue star was changed to a gold star. In August of 1947, the [[United States Congress]] authorized the military to present a gold star lapel pin to the family members of those killed in action. That first pin was a simple gold star on a purple background with a [[laurel wreath]] around the star. Another pin—this time a gold star with a gold background and four [[oak]] sprigs around the star—was authorized by Congress in 1973. It was awarded to the [[next of kin]] of service members who die during [[military service]]. ==Modern use== The military continues to award Gold Star lapel pins to the family members or next of kin of service members who die during military service.<ref>{{cite web|title=Symbols of Honor Worn by Surviving Military Families|url=http://goldstarpins.org/SymbolsofHonor/tabid/93/Default.aspx|work=goldstarpins.org|publisher=US government|access-date=3 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=10 USC 1126: Gold star