Paul Frank

Born to a Slovak family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1929, he lived his childhood years on a cobblestone street on the North Side near Horace Mann School. He shared his childhood joys with his older sister Connie and his twin sister Sylvia. He was always close to his family, yet his adventuresome spirit led him to join the Navy where he served his first duty with the Occupational Forces in Villa France at the end of World War II. He continued to serve with the Mediterranean fleet aboard the USS Northampton and the USS Newport News, both cruisers. During this time he met Alice Dorothy Mason and fell in love. They married and raised four children as they traveled from Navy town to Navy town; towns like, Boston, Norfolk, San Diego, Coronado and Mare Island. In each State that they laid roots they remarried and reaffirmed their dedication to each other. He was one of the few sailors in the Navy to have the privilege to serve aboard the USS Constitution now anchored in Boston Harbor. Paul was transferred to the Pacific Fleet where he served with the Amphibious Forces aboard the USS Alamo. Aboard this ship he was deployed for humanitarian duty during the Anchorage Earthquake and several Western Pacific deployments, including two tours in Vietnam. Back in the States Dad served with the Naval Inshore Operations Training Center at Mare Island teaching sailors how to survive in combat on the Mekong Delta in what was eventually to become known as the Brown Water Navy. Dad retired from the Navy with 23 years of active duty and 7 years of reserve duty, a sailor through and through. He received the several decorations and service medals that acknowledged his service, which included the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, WW II Occupational Medal, Southeast Asia Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and others.

In civilian life Dad worked for Rohr Aerospace Industries in Chula Vista where he work on the Titan III Project for 25 years. The Titan III Project built the motor casings that are the rockets housings attached to both sides of the Space Shuttle. He watched every shuttle launch with excitement, as if he was along for the ride.

Dad was constantly going to Ships Reunions with Alice (Trudy) faithfully by his side. You just could not wash the salt out of his veins; he was a true sailor that loved his ships and his shipmates. He was active with the Fraternal Order of the Eagles and with the Genealogy Society. He loved working with wood and built his own Christmas Decorations to display in his yard. When in the yard, the plants usually trembled, as Dad was not one of the finest gardeners, for when he pruned a plant it usually ended up looking like a stem. This most likely explains why his front yard is gravel and not lawn.

Dad was “Dad” to a lot of people throughout his life. He had a gentle spirit and cared about the well being of those around him; always wanting to make sure they had the things in life they needed to succeed. He loved his children, even those who were tragically separated from us for a while. This reunion freed a weight from his heart that he bore for a long time. He loved the visits with his Grandchildren and Great Grandchild they always lifted his heart. Obviously, as we all know, his greatest love in life was Alice (Trudy). Through the distant separation of military service, through illness and through the simple challenges of life they never left each other’s side. Every morning when he awoke he left the house to go get her donut and coffee, a ritual that lasted decades. After she passed that ritual faded and a longing set in that no one could cure. The enduring love that they shared is sadly unusual today, but it is a lesson for us all, for it is dedication to someone special that will see us through anything; Paul and Trudy a had tenacious dedication and love for each other.

Our country has been blessed with many fine leaders throughout our history, Statesmen, Military Leaders, Civil Rights Leaders and Business Leaders. They became great leaders and accomplished great deeds, because of the men and women that served under them. The men and women who dedicated themselves to service, who persisted against obstacles and whose acts of valor inspired others to succeed. They all had dreams, they all had families and they all chose service as a way of life. These are the true heroes of America, the “Common Man”, yet in reality, none of them are can be called common. They are the true America heroes you see around you everyday and Paul Frank was one of them.