MASSACHUSETTS | Memorial Day 2025 – This Memorial Day, bridges and landmarks across Massachusetts – including the Zakim Bridge, Longfellow Bridge, Fore River Bridge, and more – will be illuminated in gold to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.
The statewide initiative, known as “Operation Gold Star”, was championed by the Military Friends Foundation and signed into law as part of The HERO Act by Governor Maura Healey on August 8, 2024. “This program will raise awareness of the service and sacrifice of those who have given their lives in service to our nation,” said Brigadier General (Ret.) Tom Sellars, President of the Military Friends Foundation.
The color gold, also visible in the Gold Star flag and lapel pin, are symbols of honor and mourning for families of service members who have died while serving in the US Armed Forces. It signifies the ultimate sacrifice made by these service members and the lasting grief and loss experienced by their families. The Gold Star replaces a Blue Star on the service flag that families display to indicate they have a loved one serving.
The illumination is a tribute to the more than 37,000 Massachusetts Servicemembers who have given there lives in service since the Revolutionary War.
