Roger Wicker (R-MS) and John Hoeven (R-ND) designating Aug. 1, 2026, as Gold Star Children’s Day. “The sons and daughters of our fallen service members carry on the legacies of their parents,” Sen. Wicker said. Sen. Wicker sponsored the resolution alongside 23 original cosponsors, including Sen. Hoeven and U.S. Sens. America’s Gold Star tradition began in World War I. These families came to be known as Gold Star Families.