World War II Honoree

Frank Albert Heilman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Banner Elk, North Carolina

Honored By

Son

HE ENTERED THE ARMY AT FT. BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA ON DECEMBER 5, 1942. HE WAS SENT TO THE FIELD ARTILLERY OF THE 92ND INFANTRY DIVISION AT CAMP PHILLIPS, KANSAS. IN APRIL, 1943, HE WAS SELECTED FOR TRAINING UNDER THE ARMY SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM TO CONTINUE HIS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY. DURING A CHRISTMAS LEAVE HE WAS MARRIED. HE AND HIS UNIT GRADUATED IN FEBRUARY, 1944, AND HE WAS SENT TO THE SIGNAL CORP AT CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI. IN NOVEMBER HIS COMPANY WAS SENT TO CAMP KOHLER, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, TO WORK AT THE SIGNAL DEPOT THERE. IN FEBRUARY 1945, HE WAS SENT BACK TO CAMP SHELBY AND THEN SENT TO PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA, FOR TRANSFER TO THE PACIFIC THEATER. IN THE FALL OF 1944, HE WAS SENT TO QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES, WHERE HE BECAME A WAREHOUSE FOREMAN. AFTER THE JAPANESE SURRENDER WAS SIGNED ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, COMMUNIST GUERILLA ACTIVITY BY THE HUKBALIHOP REBELS INCREASED. TRUCK CONVOYS WERE ATTACKED REGULARLY UNTIL ARMED WITH MACHINE GUNS. IN DECEMBER, 1945, THE DAY AFTER DETECTING NERVE GAS THAT HAD BEEN SET OFF, HE WAS PROMOTED TO TECHNICAL SERGEANT. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE 214TH SIGNAL DEPOT COMPANY ON FEBRUARY 23, 1946, AT FT. BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA. HE COMPLETED HIS B.S. DEGREE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY IN 1947 UNDER THE G.I. BILL.