05/24/2026
Preserving Local History: A Recap of Yesterday's Gold Star Veteran Tour & The True Meaning of Memorial Day -
As we observe tomorrow's holiday, it is important to remember the solemn origins of Memorial Day. Originally called Decoration Day for the tradition of placing flowers on graves, it is a time to remember those who died in service to our country. The holiday was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, by proclamation of General John A. Logan to commemorate Civil War soldiers. That day at Arlington National Cemetery, 5,000 participants decorated the graves of over 20,000 soldiers. This built upon earlier local observances, like the May 1, 1865 gathering in Charleston, South Carolina, organized by freed slaves to honor Union troops. New York made Memorial Day a legal holiday in 1873, and after World War I, the observance expanded to honor fallen service members from all American wars. Congress officially moved the holiday to the last Monday of May in 1971.
In this spirit of remembrance, thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for our "Gold Star Veterans of Placerville Union Cemetery" walking tour.
A tremendous thank you goes to researchers Cindy Oswald and Joe Connolly. They represent the local volunteer arm of the national Stories Behind the Stars program, an initiative aiming to document and create virtual memorials for all 421,000 United States service members lost in World War II.
During the tour, Cindy and Joe shared deeply personal tributes to eight Gold Star soldiers resting in El Dorado County. As we walked from grave to grave, we were incredibly honored to be joined by members of the Ticksman, Schroth, and Fossati families. These relatives, including cousins and great nieces, graciously shared cherished memories of their fallen heroes.
The Gold Star tradition itself began during World War I when families displayed window banners featuring blue stars for serving members. If a loved one was killed in action, the star was changed to gold to publicly signify the family’s ultimate sacrifice. This profound legacy inspired the creation of the American Gold Star Mothers in 1928, National Gold Star Mothers Day in 1936, the Gold Star Wives of America in 1945, and the official Gold Star Lapel Button in 1947.
At the conclusion of each story yesterday, attendees left a penny on the monument as a tribute. Leaving coins on a veteran's headstone is an honored military tradition that evolved during the Vietnam War as a silent message to the fallen and their families saying, "I was here, and I remember." Each coin carries a specific meaning:
- A Penny indicates you visited to pay your respects.
- A Nickel signifies you trained with the veteran at boot camp.
- A Dime means you served in the same unit.
- A Quarter means you were present when the veteran died.
We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to volunteer organizations, local nonprofits like Save the Graves, and dedicated volunteers like Joe Connolly, amongst others. Thanks to their hard work, every veteran monument at Placerville Union and Westwood Hills cemeteries is marked with an American flag this weekend.
We encourage you to visit the cemetery, even if only briefly, to walk among these flags and reflect upon the lives sacrificed to secure the freedoms we so often take for granted. None of these individuals wanted to die when they answered the call to serve. May their sacrifice always be respected and honored.