Frederick M. Franks Jr.
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Frederick M. Franks | |
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3rd Cavalry Regiment | |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War Gulf War |
Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) (2)Silver Star Legion of Merit (2) Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Medal (2) Purple Heart |
Other work | Board of Directors, Oshkosh Truck Corporation, author, consultant, public speaker |
Frederick Melvin Franks Jr. (born 1 November 1936) is a retired
Early life
Born in West Lawn, Pennsylvania, Fred Franks graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1959.[1] After attending the Armor Officer Basic Course, Airborne, and Ranger training, he joined the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Germany. This was followed by an assignment as an instructor at West Point in the 1960s.
Military career
Following his duty at West Point, Franks rejoined the
he was severely wounded, and after a series of unsuccessful surgeries, lost his left leg, which was amputated below the knee. Franks fought to remain in a combat unit, something not normally granted amputees, and was eventually permitted to remain in combat arms.Through the 1980s Franks served with the Army Staff in
Following promotion to brigadier general in 1984, Franks' flag-level assignments included Commanding General, Seventh Army Training Command, Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Command and General Staff College, and Director of Operational Plans and Interoperability (J-7), where he effectively integrated, for the first time, all joint staff operational planning, interoperability and warfighting functions within a single directorate of the Joint Staff, resulting in significant increases in the joint warfighting capabilities of the United States. In 1988, Franks again returned to Germany to command the 1st Armored Division, and a year later he assumed command of VII Corps.
Gulf War
In early November 1990, Franks was ordered to deploy VII Corps to Saudi Arabia to join the international coalition preparing to drive Iraqi forces from Kuwait; and on 24 February 1991, the
On the second day of the ground war, General
Franks is credited in United States Air Force history in bringing modern day ISR capabilities to the fight. After witnessing a demonstration of JSTARS in exercise Deep Strike in Germany, Franks' positive impression led to him raving about the capability to Schwarzkopf. JSTARS proved indispensable in providing the JFACC with real-time intelligence and targeting information on advancing and retreating Iraqi ground forces.[3]
Following the Gulf War, Franks was promoted to full general, and took over the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. He retired in 1994 after almost 35+1⁄2 years of active Army service.
Post-military
External videos | |
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Booknotes interview with Franks and Tom Clancy on Into the Storm, July 13, 1997, C-SPAN |
Franks now serves as chairman of the board of the VII Corps Desert Storm Veterans Association, which assists veterans and next of kin of those who served in VII Corps during Desert Storm. He also collaborated with
Franks also received the 2018 Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards given to leaders in disability sector.[4]
References
- ^ "2000 Distinguished Graduate Award Citation Gen Frederick M. Franks Jr". West Point Association of Graduates. Archived from the original on 2 December 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
- ^ The Generals by Thomas Ricks page 380
- ^ Lambeth, Benjamin S., The Transformation of Air Power, Vol 47, Chapter 1 Winter 2000, Cornell University Press and included (with permission) in Air Command and Staff College Material Version 5.2
- ^ "2018 Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards Announced". 4 December 2018. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
External links
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Frederick Franks at the Hall of Valor Project