A Responsibility to the Living: Frances Turley and American Gold Star Mothers

By Carlyn Swaim, History Associates

“How has my life been affected by the Vietnam Era? In many ways I am sure. With the loss of my son in that conflict, even now many do not call it a war, yet he served with pride and honor when his country called.”

In late October of 1969, Mrs. Frances Turley learned of her son’s death in Vietnam.

 Sergeant Francis E. Cortor died on October 21 when his unit came under enemy mortar fire. With several other men from his company, Sgt. Cortor had volunteered to recover the bodies of men killed from an earlier mortar attack. During each recovery attempt, fire rained down on the men and Cortor and three others were mortally wounded.

Mrs. Turley’s son had just returned to Vietnam in June. His first tour had ended only a month before in May and Sergeant Cortor had only a month of leave. He spent some of this time visiting his family in Missouri before returning for his second, fatal tour. Devastated by the loss of her son, Mrs. Turley later reflected that “because he believed in service to his God and his country, his brothers and others did not grow up knowing his love and concern for them- our family was no longer whole.” In response, Turley explained, her priorities changed. She spent increasingly less time with her Garden Club and instead realized her desire to help returning veterans, and the nation, heal. Turley soon became active with the American Gold Star Mothers (AGSM).

The American Gold Star Mothers have a nearly century old history of support for mothers who have lost their children during service in the Armed Forces.  Throughout World War I, mothers hung blue star service flags in their windows for each child in the service. Upon learning of a son’s death, grieving families exchanged blue stars for gold. Recognizable by their white dress and gold star-adorned black arm bands, the American Gold Star Mothers are meant to represent not only sacrifice, but also support, service, and decency. It is an organization whose membership eligibility is unanimously unwanted, but it encourages mothers to redirect their grief towards assistance of servicemen, servicewomen, and veterans.

After joining the organization, Mrs. Turley became active in veterans appreciation and support groups. Since the inception of the Homeless Veterans Burial Program in Missouri, Turley has attended every service. As a registered nurse, she also worked at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center for over 20 years. In 1996, her peers elected her the National President of the AGSM for the year. She continues to attend AGSM conferences and works with veteran’s programs to ensure that no deceased veterans are forgotten.

During a Memorial Day service this year, Frances Turley told a crowd in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, that the death of her son encouraged her to do more for those veterans who are not killed. “We have a responsibility to the living,” Turley said.