Page 28 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017 - Online Magazine

Gold Star Wife and Widow
History of the Gold Star
The Gold Star Wives of America was
established by four young widows on
April 5, 1945 in New York City. When
President Franklin D. Roosevelt died a
week later, his widow Eleanor joined
the group. The GSWA formed to
“provide support for the spouses and
children of those who lost their lives
while serving in the Armed Forces of
the United States.” During WWII, each
family who had someone serving in
the military would place a flag with
a Blue Star in their windows. If the
family member was killed, they would
then place a flag with a Gold Star in the
window. The foundational premise was
that “Only a service spouse understands
the sorrow and problems of another
service spouse.” The congressionally
chartered organization has eight regions
in the country and approximately 10,000
members.
During WWII, 12% of
the population served
in the military. Today
that number is less than
1%. Blue and Gold Star
banners hung from
countless homes around
the country during
WWII. Everyone was
involved in supporting
the war effort.
Frances Pierce – the
early years
Verda Frances Pierce
(Turner) was born
September 14, 1921 to
Wheeler and Irene Turner
in Lakeview, Floyd
County, Texas. She went
to several “community
schools in Floyd County”
as her father was an itinerant farmer
and worked at various farms in the area.
She graduated from Floydada High
School in May 1939. It was here that
she met her future husband, Richard
Irvin Tubbs. She and Richard attended
Texas Tech, and married in December
1940. Richard volunteered for the
Army Air Corps in 1941 and received
his wings as part of the class of 43G in
Pampa, Texas. 2nd Lt. Richard I. Tubbs
was assigned to the 5th Air Force, 91st
Recon. 6th Photo Group, 20th Combat
Mapping unit. There he learned to
fly an F7-A and F7B aircraft which
were simply B-24 bombers converted
for aerial photographic work. After
stops in Guadalcanal, Australia and
New Guinea, his unit moved to Leyete,
Philippines. Starting in November
1944, they flew missions to Formosa
and China, engaged in mapping parts
of Luzon and Mindanao, and provided
intelligence for U.S. ground forces
concerning Japanese troop movements.
Frances was pregnant with their first
child when Richard left for the Pacific
in August of 1944. Laney Tubbs was
born on September 21, 1944. During
that fall, Richard went on numerous
reconnaissance missions. He was on his
next to last mission when his plane was