On July 24, 1947, the Post’s name was changed to Turnbow–Higgs Post 240 to honor all local servicemen who gave their lives in World War II, and particularly John Fielding Higgs. Higgs was the son of Rufus F. Higgs, one of the Post’s founders and longtime publisher of The Empire‑Tribune. A graduate of Stephenville High School and Tarleton College, John Higgs was attending the University of Texas when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. As a B‑17 bomber pilot, Higgs was killed during a mission over Germany. He was initially buried in France, but his remains were later brought home to Stephenville and reinterred at West End Memorial Cemetery, beside his father. His courage, like that of Ammon Turnbow, became part of the enduring heritage of Post 240.
