New state license plates that honor families of fallen service members recognizes the pain families have gone through and the ultimate sacrifice of their loved one.

"When I see a vehicle that has this license plate on it, my heart and prayers go out to that family because that means they lost a loved one," said Mary Jo Brostrom, whose son, 1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom, 24, was killed in an attack in July 2008.

The Gold Star Family license plates were issued to families for the first time Monday. Lawmakers approved a military appreciation package during this year’s legislative session that included the special plates to honor families statewide. So far, five families in Honolulu have been issued the license plates. At Kakaako Waterfront Park’s parking lot Monday, the plates were attached to the cars belonging to Brostrom and Adele Hoe, mother of 1st Lt. Nainoa K. Hoe, 27, who was killed in Iraq in January 2005.

Both women’s husbands — retired Army Col. David Brostrom and Allen Hoe — worked with state Rep. K. Mark Takai for a year ago to push for the special license plates. Hawaii is now one of 49 states plus Guam that offer them. Maine is the only state that doesn’t have them.

While both Hoe and David Brostrom both served in Army, it was their mothers, Hoe said, who raised them to become strong platoon leaders. The patriarchs both agreed the plates would go on their wives’ cars. "This is for Mary Jo and for Adele," said Hoe as tears welled up in his eyes.

Nainoa Hoe and Jonathan Brostrom, who were laid to rest a few feet from each other at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, were friends and Hawaii Army ROTC honor graduates.

The plates were attached to Mary Jo Brostrom’s dark gray 2010 Mercedes yesterday. Her husband purchased the car last October in honor of Jonathan — the car he told his parents he planned to buy for himself one day. In addition to the license plate on Hoe’s wife’s gray 2010 Camaro, Hoe said he plans to pick up another license plate soon for his son’s blue Chevrolet S10 pickup truck with the number 026, Nainoa’s call sign.

Hoe, of Kailua, was killed by a sniper in Iraq on Jan. 22, 2005. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis.

Brostrom, 24, of Aiea was killed on July 13, 2008, in an attack in Afghanistan. He was a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team’s 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment.

Both Mary Jo Brostrom and Allen Hoe said the pain of their sons’ deaths is still raw. The pain never goes away, said Brostrom. Hoe said his son’s death becomes increasingly magnified when he watches Nainoa’s cousins, friends and peers grow, make progress in their military careers and have children. Though he still grieves, Hoe said they are proud of his son, who died doing what he loved: serving his country.

Both parents continue to wear black bands on their right wrists inscribed with their son’s name. Yesterday, Brostrom’s mother also wore her son’s dog tags. "When I feel I really need to be close to him, I always wear this because he gives me courage," she said.

The necessary forms for the Gold Star Family license plates are available at county motor vehicle registration sites. Call Takai at 586-8455 or email reptakai@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Hawaii News Now video: Gold Star license plates honor fallen service members