Melvin R. Frantz
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Navy
Melvin R. Frantz entered the Naval Reserve in 1938 and made several Great Lakes cruises on the USS Paducah.
He said he was then activated for one year in 1940, which "lasted until ''45."
He served as a Boatswain's Mate 1st Class and deck supervisor in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.
He also served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown at the battles of Coral Sea and Midway. He survived the sinking of the Yorktown at Midway.He helped salvage the battleship USS West Virginia, which had been sunk at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. The crew returned the vessel to the United States for refitting. He was transferred to USS Kwajalein (CVE 98) to return to Pacific.
In his words: "I''m proud to have served the USA, despise the practice of burning our flag, desertion to Canada during the Vietnam era and the discredit to Vietnam vets."
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 83.
