A device of gold color metal and enamel 5/8 inch (1.59 cm) in diameter consisting of a gold star on a purple background, bordered in gold and surrounded by gold laurel leaves. On the reverse is the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and AUGUST 1966 at top and ACT OF CONGRESS at bottom.
The gold star was taken from the service flag used in World War I to signify killed in action. The laurel wreath signifies valor and has been used for this purpose as far back as the ancient Greeks. Purple is a standard color used to signify grief or mourning.
Lapel buttons are furnished without cost to the widow or widower, to each of the parents, each child, stepchild, child through adoption, brother, half brother, sister, and half sister of a member of the Armed Forces who lost his or her life while in the active military service during the periods indicated below. The term widow or widower includes those who have since remarried, and term parents includes mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, mother through adoption, father through adoption, and foster parents who stood in loco parentis.
The Gold Star Lapel Button was established by Act of Congress (Public Law 80-306) August 1, 1947, in order to provide an appropriate identification for widows, widowers, parents and next of kin of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who lost their lives during World War I, 6 April 1917 to 3 March 1921; World War II, 8 September 1939 to 25 July 1947; any subsequent period of armed hostilities in which the United States was engaged before 1 July 1958 (United Nations action in Korea, 27 June 1950 to 27 July 1954); or who lost their lives after 30 June 1958, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent party against an opposing Armed Force; or who lost or lose their lives after March 28, 1973, as a result of an international terrorist attack against the United States or a foreign nation friendly to the United States, recognized as such an attack by the Secretary of Defense; or while serving in a military operation outside the United States (including the commonwealths, territories, and possessions of the United States) as part of a peacekeeping force.