Joseph Ross Franklin (1928 - 2012)

Born 11 Jul 1928 in Honolulu, Oahu, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Ancestors

Died 18 Jul 2012 at age 84 in Pensacola, Escambia, Florida, United States

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Biography

Joseph Franklin was awarded the Legion of Merit.

Joseph Franklin was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Joseph Franklin was awarded the Silver Star Medal.

Colonel Joseph Franklin was Wounded in Action in Vietnam x 2 during The Vietnam War.

Colonel Joseph Franklin served in the United States Army in the Vietnam War
Service started: 1950
Unit(s):
Service ended: Nov 8, 1974

Joseph Ross Franklin was born 11 Jul 1928 in Honolulu, Oaho, Hawaii^[1] to Daniel Franklin and Frances Gertrude Ross.^[2][3][4][5]

Colonel Joseph Ross Franklin (ASN: 0-62893), United States Army, was awarded several awards after graduating from West Point in 1950. During his US Army career he received 13 individual valor awards from the US Army and 5 from the government of Vietnam. He is the most decorated officer in his West Point class of 1950. Franklin commanded every unit from a Ranger platoon of 25 men to an airborne brigade of 7,000 men in 48 months of combat in two wars. He was wounded twice. In Vietnam, Colonel Franklin served as Battalion Commander of the 1/505 PIR 82nd Airborne Division, followed by assignments as 173rd Airborne Brigade Deputy Commander and SOG Deputy Chief. He is airborne and ranger qualified, as well as being a rated Army aviator. He was the deputy of the Peers Commission who investigated the My Lai massacre and was responsible for writing the report that went to the President of the United States and senior officials. After retiring from the U. S. Army following thirty years of service. Col. Franklin received a Ph.D. in Foreign Relations from the American University.^[6]

Regarding Franklin's awards: SILVER STAR: On May 25, 1972, when a rocket exploded during a North Vietnamese Attack, Col. Franklin tried to load a stretcher bearing a wounded soldier onto the helicopter while it was ascending. As the aircraft rose from the landing zone, the helpless, wounded ARVN soldier fell from the helicopter and would have been re-injured but Colonel Franklin caught him, breaking his fall. ONE LEGION OF MERIT award was for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Army Attaché to the Congo from 1964 to 1966. Another LEGION OF MERIT was given the Colonel for his service during peace time as Deputy Commander of Fort Benning, GA from 1975 to 1980. TWO LEGION OF MERIT awards were for exceptionally meritorious service from 1968 to 1969 as Battalion Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, then as Deputy Commanding Officer of the 173d Airborne Brigade, in action against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam.^[6]

His DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS was for exceptional heroism in the vicinity of Sangwan-ni, Korea, on 6 July 1952. Lt. Franklin led a bayonet charge against hostile troops. When the automatic rifle used by one of his men refused to function, he gave his carbine to the automatic rifleman, continuing to engage in the struggle with his pistol and grenades. As he led his men against the enemy, a hostile grenade hit him in the shoulder. Before the missile exploded, he pushed two comrades to the ground, enabling them to escape injury or death. When the first two friendly counterattacks failed to dislodge the foe, Lieutenant Franklin organized and led a third charge. Even after the ammunition for his pistol had been expended, he killed three of the enemy with accurately hurled grenades. Under his leadership, his men succeeded in driving the hostile troops from the outpost and retained control of a tactically important position.^[6] The above doesn't cover all of Joseph Franklin's awards but it certainly describes what a remarkable soldier and leader he was throughout his career.

Joseph died 18 Jul 2012 in Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ The Hall of Valor Project Joseph Ross Franklin.
2. ↑ "California, San Francisco Passenger Lists, 1893-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXHM-7KB : 12 March 2018), Joseph Ross Franklin, 1929; citing San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1410 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 2,381,035.
3. ↑ "United States, California, List of United States Citizens Arriving at San Francisco, 1930-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WBY4-X2PZ : 19 November 2019), Ross Franklin, 1939.
4. ↑ "United States, California, List of United States Citizens Arriving at San Francisco, 1930-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WY8J-5L2M : 19 November 2019), Ross Franklin, 1936.
5. ↑ "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHNY-68Y : 4 April 2020), Elizabeth Ross Franklin, 12 Mar 1931; citing , El Paso, Texas, United States, certificate 22041, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,281,365.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} USMA Class of 1950. Joseph Ross Franklin. NO. 17656 • 11 July 1928 – 18 July 2012