Page 46 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2022 - Online Magazine

Exceptional

SENIORS

Alice Starnes

Embracing Life

Century
FOR OVER A

by Jane Bromley

he lovely Alice Starnes attended boot camp at Hunter Naval Outlying Landing Field Berin
looks decades younger than College in New York City where her in Foley, AL. When the war ended,
Ther 100 years. Maybe it most vivid memory was a weekend she celebrated with her compatriots
has something to do with “good visit from Frank Sinatra, who was in New York City. “We marched
stock.” Her parents, Jack and Mary supporting the war effort with free down 5th Avenue for miles and
Dvirnak, emigrated to the US from concerts. Alice was transferred to miles,” Alice remembered. She had
the Ukraine (Jack in 1908 and Mary Naval Air Station Atlanta where served over two years with the
in 1909) and Alice was born in Dunn she learned to operate the Link WAVES and achieved the rank of
County, North Dakota in 1922—the Trainer (“the blue box,”—aviation's Specialist Teacher Second Class.
sixth of eight children. The family first flight simulator.) The Link
had running water, but no electricity was crucial to training thousands The biggest benefit of her military
until her father bought a ranch of Navy pilots needed to help win career was a person—Charles
when she was six years old. She WWII. She transferred once more to “Newton” Starnes, who was
attended a one-room schoolhouse
and graduated from Killdeer High
School in 1939. “I played basketball,
but I wasn’t very good,” the
petite centenarian admitted. After
receiving a degree and a teaching
certificate from Dickinson State
College in 1941, Alice taught school
for one year. It was during that
school year that Japan attacked Pearl
Harbor.
The WAVES (the Navy's female
corps) was established by President
Roosevelt in July 1942 to free
up more men for sea duty. Alice Beth, Charles Jr., Alice and Mary
enlisted in 1943. “Everyone wanted
to do something,” she said. She

46 Lubbock Senior Link