After his surgery, Phil first wrote a letter to his mother (see yesterday afternoon’s blog), hoping against hope it would get to her before the Army did. He should have known better.[1]

The day of his surgery, his mother received this telegram at her home in Memphis, Tennessee.

Western Union Telegram

REGRET TO INFORM YOU YOUR SON FIRST LIEUTENANT PHILIP B LARIMORE WAS SLIGHTLY

WOUNDED IN ACTION 27 OCTOBER IN FRANCE. YOU WILL BE ADVISED AS REPORTS OF CONDITION ARE RECEIVED.

Phil’s mother breathed out a long sigh of relief and a prayer of thanks that he was alive, and the wound was “slight,” whatever that meant.

Other mothers told her of similar telegrams, even though their sons had been severely wounded.

She could only wait for more news.

As part of processing her emotions, she began sewing a Blue Star Flag,[2] completing it in a few hours.

The small, rectangular flag was made of white linen with a red border and a dark blue five-pointed star in the middle.

She hung it that day from her front porch. She was proud of her only child and began praying daily that she would not have to cover the blue star with a gold one[3] if she were to lose him. The telegram was a reminder that she needed to be prepared for that possibility.

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.

~~~~~

[1] Larimore, At First Light, 168.

[2] Blue Star Mothers were those with a child in active military service. The blue star flag was their unofficial symbol. The Blue Star Mothers’ original goals were to bring their children home, ensure they received the benefits they deserved, help service members’ families and each other, and to be there if something happened.

[3] Gold Star Mothers were those with a child killed in active service.

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