R C Franklin Jr
Military
Corrected serial number of aircraft. Data panel shows it to be a P-38J-15-LO whereas 42-68037 was a P-38J-10-LO.
Object Number - UPL 24002 - Maj. Rufus C 'R C' Franklin. 79th Fighter Squadron. P-38J 42-104086 MC-F "Strictly Stella’s Baby".
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited 3 kills, one third shared 1 x Me110, 1 x Me109, 1 x He111, 1/3 x He177, Squadron CO 79FS. Transferred to HQ Sqn, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Completed Tour of Duty (ETD).
Awards: DFC (OLC), LM (OLC), AM (6 OLC), Croix de Guerre, AFC, WWII Victory, EAME (5 stars), National Defense, UN and Korean medals.
Post war: Remained in USAF, serving in Korea and rising to the rank of Colonel, retired in 1969.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Nicknames: Strictly Stella's Baby Lucky Lady
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 370th Fighter Group 402nd Fighter Squadron 79th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Nicknames: Strictly Stella's Baby
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 495th Fighter Training Group 552nd Fighter Training Squadron 79th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Kingscliffe, Apethorpe
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Mojave, California | 19 June 1921 | Son of Rufus Clarence Snr and Willie F [Ross] Franklin. |
|
Enlisted |
Fort MacArthur, Meyler Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90731, USA | 27 December 1940 | Fort MacArthur San Pedro California |
|
Other Crashed |
Ajo, AZ 85321, USA | 27 March 1942 | Mid Air Collision Between Ajo & Luke Field, AZ Cat 3 damage R. C. Franklin Jr, 27-Mar-42. AT-6A 41-642 - 346SchSq |
|
Other Married |
Kern County, CA, USA | 1 October 1942 | Married Miss Stella T Actis. |
|
Died |
Midwest City, OK, USA | 13 July 1969 | |
|
Buried |
Sunny Lane Cemetery Del City Oklahoma County OK | 16 July 1969 | Sunny Lane Cemetery Del City Oklahoma County Oklahoma USA |
|
Other Transferred |
King's Cliffe, Peterborough PE8, UK | Transferred to HQ Sqn, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. | |
|
Based |
Kings Cliffe | Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. | |
| Oklahoma County, OK, USA | Oklahoma County Oklahoma, USA | ||
|
Other End Tour of Duty (ETD) |
England, UK | Completed Tour of Duty (ETD). | |
|
Other Promotion |
King's Cliffe, Peterborough PE8, UK | Promoted to Squadron CO. |
Revisions
Via his Niece - "Birth Certificate, Death Certificate and Social Security records all have him listed as RC Franklin, Jr. His fathers name was Rufus Clarence Franklin so most people just assumed it was his name as well. I am his Great Niece."
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76267460/rufus-clarence-franklin
Flagged as a "NAME_ISSUE" in the Nickname field so an Admin can check out this person.
From the personal collection of his Great niece Tami Ramsey
Birth Certificate, Death Certificate and Social Security records all have him listed as RC Franklin, Jr. His fathers name was Rufus Clarence Franklin so most people just assumed it was his name as well. I am his Great Niece.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / King's Cliffe Memorial Edition
