Along thousands of miles of roadways and parks throughout the country, blue and gold star memorials have been erected to honor the sacrifices of America’s service men and women, and on Friday Chattanooga will get one more.
The Garden Club of Tennessee’s 3rd District has organized a public event that afternoon to commemorate the placement of a gold star plaque to honor the victims of the July 16, 2015, terrorist attack. The plaque will be located in the Tennessee Riverpark on Amnicola Highway, not far from the Naval Reserve where the men were killed.
“It’s an amazing event. It truly is,” said Candace Chazen, director of the Garden Club.
The public event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and include a rifle salute, as well as statements from veterans and local public officials in support of the memorial.
Chazen said the blue star has its origins in the homes of families who sent loved ones to fight in World War II. Banners would be hung in the windows to honor their service, and in 1945 the National Council of State Garden Clubs used that as a starting point to launch the network of Blue Star memorials that exists today.