During World War II (1939-1945) banners like this one could be seen in the windows of homes. This one was owned by Polish immigrants John (Jan) and Antonina (Osmola) Sojka of Turners Falls, Massachusetts. The song, “God Bless America” by Kate Smith became very popular during the war.
All six of their sons served in the war and two received Purple Heart awards – Anthony and Edward.

Antonina (Osmola) Sojka (1889-1974) was born in Poland and immigrated to the United States in 1905, and her husband, Jan Sojka (1877-1958), was born in Poland and immigrated to the US in 1904. They both went to Turners Falls, where they married in 1907 and had nine children: Anna Sojka, (1909-1987); Anthony Joseph Sojka, (1912-1986); Blanche Agnes Sojka, (1914-2000); Edward Joseph Sojka, (1916-1996); Casimir Frank Sojka, (1917-2003); Stanislaus Joseph Sojka, (1919-2003); John Frank Sojka, (1921-2020); Andrew Frank Sojka, (1923-1968); and Florence Cecelia Sojka, (1925-2007).