World War II Honoree

Frank E. Angier

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Baltimore, Maryland

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A P-39 'AIRACOBRA' FIGHTER PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 39TH FIGHTER SQUADRON. IN THE SUMMER OF 1942, DURING A MISSION OVER NEW GUINEA, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN BY JAPANESE FIGHTER PLANES AND HE HAD TO BAIL OUT IN MIDAIR. HIS PARACHUTE DEPLOYED NORMALLY BUT AS HE DRIFTED DOWN, THE ENEMY PLANES MADE STRAFING RUNS TO TRY AND KILL HIM. HE OSCILLATED HIS CHUTE IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THEIR FIRE. FORTUNATELY, AN AMERICAN FIGHTER APPEARED AND DREW THE ENEMY PLANES AWAY AND HE WAS ABLE TO LAND SAFELY. HE WAS THEN ABLE TO RETURN TO HIS BASE AND RESUME HIS FLYING DUTIES. SOON THEREAFTER, DURING ANOTHER MISSION OVER NEW GUINEA, HIS AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE FAILED AND HE WAS FORCED TO BAIL OUT OVER MOUNTAINOUS JUNGLE TERRAIN. HE LANDED IN A TREE AND WAS SUSPENDED BELOW THE CANOPY OF HIS PARACHUTE WHEN HE WAS DISCOVERED BY NATIVES. THEY LATER HELPED HIM RETURN TO HIS BASE ON ANOTHER PART OF THE ISLAND. IN BOTH INSTANCES, HE WAS BRIEFLY LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. CONTINUED IN U.S. AIR FORCE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF COLONEL. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.