World War II Honoree

Frank Winkler

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Multnomah County, Oregon

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

HE WAS A PASSENGER IN A B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ BOMBER, WHO WAS KILLED JANUARY 2, 1944 ALONG WITH TEN OTHER PASSENGERS, THE PILOT AND COPILOT DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY ADMINISTRATIVE FLIGHT. THE BOMBER HAD ENCOUNTERED ADVERSE WEATHER WITH SEVERE ICING CONDITIONS AND SUFFERED A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF BOTH WINGS OUTSIDE OF THE OUTBOARD ENGINES AND EXPLODED IN MID-AIR DUE TO DAMAGED FUEL LINES. THE MISSION HAD ORIGINATED AT MCCHORD FIELD, TACOMA, WASHINGTON AND WAS DESTINED FOR LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED NEAR MCCLELLAN FIELD, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.