Frank W. King
Sergeant (Radioman)

Born: 1 October 1922; Port Huron, Michigan
Education: BA, Marylhurst University (1979); MA, University of Portland (1981)
Entered Marine Corps: 9 February 1942, Beaumont, California
Service #: 361150

Summary: Boot camp at San Diego, then a month of mess duty at North Island, before going to four months of airborne radio operators school at Texas A&M. Joined VMF-112 at Miramar in September 1942. Then shipped to New Caledonia. I was in the dispensary with the flu when the radio section was shipped to Cactus. Flew to Guadalcanal two days later on an R4D, got there on the 12th or 13th of November, during the battle. Most vivid memories are Christmas Eve, listening with our radios to our pilots in dogfights with Japanese, and laboring in the bellies of F4Fs fixing radios in sweltering heat.

On Christmas Eve it was raining, mud and water over our ankles in fox holes. We sang Christmas carols accompanied by bomb blasts and booming anti-aircraft fire. Made Sergeant on Guadalcanal. Sent back to the states in July from Espiritu Santa, and seven days later was in Long Beach Naval Hospital with malaria. Then to Miramar and to El Toro as a radio gunner in SBDs. Shipped over again in1945 to Pelilieu, then to Okinawa with VMSB-131 as a radio gunner in TBMs. Departed Okinawa 9Nov1945 and was discharged at Miramar 19Nov1945.

Personal military awards include: Expert Pistol badge, Presidential Unit Citation, Air Medal.

Following the war went to work for the US Civil Aeronautics Administration as a trainee aircraft communicator; 20 years as a communicator and airport traffic controller with the CAA/FAA; free-lance writer since 1960; public affairs officer with the FAA then US Army Corps of Engineers; retired1979 with 35.5 years of federal service. Director of Public Information University of Portland 1979-81; taught journalism at University of Portland and Portland Community College; correspondent for McGraw Hill World News and Salem (OR) Statesman Journal. Currently a columnist for the Oregon Coast Guide, editor of the Lincoln County Amateur Radio Club Newsletter, author of The Sweet Cherry Ranch, a memoir, published in May 2001.

Current address:

Frank W. King
310 N. Fawn Drive
Otis, OR 97368
(541) 994-3890
fking@oregonvos.net

Wife:
Carma S. King

Son:
Michael D. Sellers
278 N. Fawn Drive
Otis, OR 97368

Daughters:
Melanie TrompvanHolst
56858 McKennon Lane
Cove, OR 97824

Lisa June King
25 Whitman, No. 10
Walla Walla WA 99362

Jeanine Nell King (deceased)

Rosanne King (deceased)