World War II Honoree

Frank George Fahrion

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pickens, West Virginia

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, he lead a destroyer division guarding convoys to Iceland and to Mid-Atlantic rendezvous with British escorts. During the war, he was the Destroyer Screen Commander for the Yorktown carrier task force in the early Central Pacific raids on the Gilbert Islands. For service as Chief of Staff to Commander North Pacific Force, he was awarded the Legion of Merit. He earned a Gold Star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit for the skillful direction or research development and manufacturing phases of the successful torpedo program, while commanding the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island, February 1943-July 1944. The Bronze Star Medal for valor was won as Commanding Office of the battleship USS North Carolina (BB 55) during Fleet raids ranging from the Philippine Islands to Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was advanced to flag rank in January of 1945. In recognition of his skillful and intensive direct naval gunfire support missions while commanding Cruiser Division Four throughout the Okinawa Campaign, he received a Gold Star in lieu of a second Bronze Star Medal.