Historical Series - A community bonds together during WWII

Danielle Arndt

Driving around 'Front Street' and 'Back Street' as a child, Rockford resident Dan Baker remembers 'all of the flags.'

American flags and special service flags were flown from the porches and hung in the windows of homes around town - homes waiting for loved ones to return from WWII.

'They were about the size of a single sheet of paper,' he said of the service flags, which were hung to indicate if a family member was fighting in Europe.

The flags were red with a blue star, or multiple blue stars if more than one person was away at war. And, if someone died, Baker said, the blue star was removed and replaced with a gold one."

Historical Series - A community bonds together during WWII: