Obit: Frank, William J. (1917 – 1945)
Poster: Stan
Email: posted4u@charter.net

Surnames: Frank, Cummins, Stephens, Stockton

Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 04/26/1945

Frank, William J. (22 FEB 1917 – 30 MAR 1945)

Second Lieut. William J. Frank, husband of Barbara Cummins Frank of Anaheim, Calif., was killed in the South Pacific, March 30th, 1945.

Lieut. Frank will be remembered as one of Fullerton’s top tennis players both in high school and junior college meets. He entered the service on Feb. 15, 1943 and received his commission and silver wings on March 11, 1944 at the AAF pilot school, Ft. Summer, N.M., June 3, 1944 he completed his four-engine pilot transition course at Hobbs Field, N.M. and qualified as a pilot on a B-17 F. He was later sent to Lincoln, Neb. For training on a B-29 and from there to McCook, Neb. From Herrington, Kan., on Jan. 25, he was assigned to overseas duty.

In his last letter to his wife he told of his three missions over Tokyo with his plane, also holding the record in their outfit for nine consecutive missions. From March 4 to the 27th the crew had flown 115 hours, with 107 ½ of them in combat, to the Empire of Japan. Up to the time of his death he had achieved approximately half of his required missions.

He was born in the village of Thorp, Clark Co., Wis., Feb. 22, 1917 and is the son of Dr. and Mrs. W.J. Frank of Fullerton. Besides his wife and two sons, Billy and woody, left to mourn his gallant death are four sisters, Mrs. Maxine Stephens of Riverside, Miss Kathro Frank of Auburn, Calif.; Mrs. Jane Stockton, Burbank, Miss Barbara Ann Frank, University of California at Berkley.