Ted Poe: “Yesterday, under the bright sun and blue sky of the Texas Sunday afternoon, American flags flew in the silent breeze…”

“Yesterday, under the bright sun and blue sky of the Texas Sunday afternoon, American flags flew in the silent breeze over thousands of quiet marble uniform tombstones in the Houston National Cemetery. This is where Texans bury their war dead, men and women who go off to war for America. In the center of the immaculately kept cemetery, a tribute of sacrifice was being made to the living: Those mothers who lost their children in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mothers of Texas who gave their children that died in their youth so the rest of us could live in safety were honored on this Gold Star Mothers' Day. I was present along with Congressman Gene Green and Congressman Nick Lampson and Congressman Kevin Brady to honor these special ladies. We, like those present, were emotionally affected. Gold Star Moms are what we call them, is a mother who lost a child in combat. This concept started in World War II when Grace Seibold learned on Christmas Eve 1918 that her aviator son was killed in aerial combat in France.”