Joseph Frankie Jr
MilitaryRear L-R: Kelvin Perkins, Wes Rabadeaux, Harry Griswold, AJ Joly, Edmund Floyd, Emil DeQuardo
Front L-R: Edward Gates, Lauri Kivimaki, Charles Kirkham, Joseph Frankie.
Frankie volunteered for the Army Air Corps in 1943, trained as a Bombardier and was commissioned in March 1944. He went overseas to join 323 Squadron 91st Bomber Group at Bassingbourn and completed 32 missions from July 44 to March 1945, some as Lead Bombardier.
He was awarded the Air Medal for his part in knocking out the Hohenzollern Bridge at Cologne. After the war he worked in sales for various companies until 1966 when his parents retired and he took over the running of 'Frankie's Restaurant'. Frankie was also a Commander of his local VFW and a life Member of the American Legion. he died on November 13th 2003 and was survived by his wife Sharleen and a son and daughter.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Outhouse Mouse
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Enlisted |
Houston, TX | 21 May 1942 | Houston, Texas |
Died |
13 November 2003 | ||
Buried |
Mont Meta Memorial Park San Benito, Cameron County, TX | 14 November 2003 | Mont Meta Memorial Park San Benito, Cameron County, Texas |
Born |
|||
Based |
Bassingbourn | Assigned to 323BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. | |
Other Discharged USAAF |
Honourable discharge. |
Revisions
Biography completed by historian Helen Millgate. Information sourced from newsletters of the 91st Bomb Group related to the service of Joseph Frankie.