Frank Fritz

Table of Contents

A Brief History

Frank Fritz was born on May 31, 1917 in Jugrun Ohio to John Fritz (1882-Unknown) and Mary “Luitz” Fritz (1878-1930’s). Frank lived with his mother and father in their small home in Warren, Ohio along with his four siblings: John Fritz (1907-Unknown), Mary Fritz (1913-Unknown), Mike Fritz (1915-Unknown), and Joseph Fritz (1915-Unknown). By 1930 the family moved to their small home in Cleveland’s 29th Ward on 121st Street. Growing up in Cleveland, Frank met his future wife Gertrude Tschinkel (1917-1979) while attending high school from where he graduated in 1935. By 1940 had moved to 11717 on Honeydale Avenue in Cleveland. In his free time, Frank was an avid baseball player and by the late 1930’s got the opportunity to try-out for the Detroit Tigers. In preparation for his try-out Frank picked up a job at the Connerberry Country Club in Shaker Heights, Ohio however unfortunately while employed there he would be hit in the head by a stray golf ball permanently destroying his vision and ending all hopes of entering major league baseball. As a result, Frank entered employment with the Civilian Conservation Corps, a program of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Plan, where he was sent to the Oregon Forest Nursery at Camp Arboretum in Corvallis, Oregon. On October 16, 1940, Frank registered with his local selective service board at a height of 5'11 and weight of approximately 179 pounds.

Frank enlisted in the US army on February 14, 1942 and entered basic training. Following the completion of basic training, Frank was assigned to the Headquarters Company of the 34th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division. Frank then entered training as a tank driver at numerous locations around the United States. Predicting that he would be going overseas, Frank married Gertrude on June 26, 1943 while on temporary leave.

On February 11, 1944, Frank left the United States for the European Theater arriving in theater on February 24, 1944 where he landed in England. Not long after, Frank would enter combat with the 5th Armored Division in Normandy landing at Utah Beach on July 24, 1944 leading the allied breakout from Normandy into France. The 5th Armored division would see heavy combat for the entirety of the war taking part in the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central European Campaigns and would become known as the “Victory” division as they sprang the Falaise Gap, was the first to reach the Eure, Seine and Our rivers, and the first to enter Germany being one of the most effective United States military units of WWII.

Following the conclusion of the war in Europe with the defeat of the Third Reich, Frank and his unit would be transferred to occupation duty for a short time where Frank picked up several souvenirs from his time in Germany as seen in the case below. After spending 4 months in Germany, Frank was shipped home on September 30, 1945 and arrived home on October 7, 1945. He was later discharged from military service on October 14, 1945 at the rank of Technician 4th Grade.

For his service Frank received the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 5 campaign stars, and the WWII Victory Medal.

Following his military service, Frank remained in Cleveland where he saw the birth of his son Frank Jr. (1948-Unknown) who later entered the Marine Corps and served in Vietnam. Later, Frank and his family moved to Brunswick in the 1950’s where he worked for Eberhard Manufacturing Company as a drill press operator for 39 years and saw the birth of his daughter Lynda “Richardson” (1953-Present). Around 1973 Frank and his family moved to Parma. In his free time Frank was very involved in the VFW in Parma where he would always volunteer for duty on their honor guard, be an active member in the 5th Armored Division Association, was an avid bowler and golfer, and was an active member with the St. Margaret of Hungary Church where he often attended with his family. Frank lived out the rest of his life in Parma, Ohio until passing away on January 31, 1997 at the age of 79 years old and was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Brook Park, Ohio where he remains today alongside his wife.

Image Source: Cnn.com