The city of Mount Vernon made history Wednesday after ground was broken for a memorial that will honor mothers whose children made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.The monument will be located in the plaza outside Mount Vernon City Hall and will honor Gold Star Mothers, like Carmen Palmer. Palmer's son, Corporal Bernard Gooden died in Iraq in 2003 just a few days after the war began. At first she was refused membership into the national organization because she wasn't a U.S. citizen. The city stepped in and now Palmer is not only a member, but also a citizen.

The memorial, which will honor the three Gold Star Mothers from Mount Vernon, sits among several others in the plaza. There is one honoring the Marines from World War II, which is also important to Carmen Palmer since her son was in the Marines. Other local communities with Gold Star Memorials include Yonkers, Eastchester and Somers.

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