Rank and Name, Aviation Ordnance man Second Class Frank Eugene Atkins.
Unit/Placed in, Patrol Squadron 51 (VP-51), United States Navy.
Frank served as an Aviation Ordnance man Second Class on a PB4Y-1 Liberator, U.S. Navy during World War II. The PB4Y-1 Liberator was the Navy’s version of the Army Air Force B-24. Frank was part of a bombing mission that included 9 PB4Y-1 Liberator’s, 10 P-38 Lightnings, and twelve F4U Corsairs. The entire group was attacked by 30 Japanese A6M Zeros & about 15 A6M2-N floatplanes. Two of the 9 PB4Y-1 Liberator’s, 4 P-38G’s, and 2 F4U-1 Corsair’s were lost in this mission. This mission became known as the “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre” since a total of 26 Navy and Air Force servicemen were lost.
Frank is born approx. on 1923 in South Carolina.
Father, Eward Atkins.
Mother, Etta Atkins.
Sister(s), Ruth, Alice and Annie May Atkins.
Brother(s), Carl, Harold and Edward Atkins Jr.
Frank enlisted the service in South Carolina with service number # 2627848.
Frank‘s Crew-members on-board the plane a PB4Y-1 were,
Lt. Jay D. Bacon Jr. Pilot
Ensign Edmund J. Kolazyk Co Pilot
Aom2. Frank E. Atkins
Arm2. William Barber
Arm1. Frank L. Betz Jr.
Amm1 Jessie L. Henderson
Amm2. Norman L. North
Amm2. John M. Walker
Amm2. Oscar K. Ward
Amm3. Roy R. Wells
Aom3. Joseph H. Zattera
Frank was KIA near Kahili when they were attacked and shot by the Japanese on 14 Feb. 1943, he is honored with a Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Expeditionary Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy & Marine Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.
Frank is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.
Walls of the missing.
Thanks to, https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/pb4y-1/bacon.html
Jean Louis Vijgen, WW2-Pacific Website.
Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.
ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov
Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org
POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.
Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org
Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker
Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/
Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org
Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/
Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com
