FRAKES, Jerry Allan 1948 - 1969
FRAKES, TULLER, BARNETT, JOHNSON, PRATT, ANDERSON
Posted By: Richard K Thompson (email)
Date: 7/28/2011 at 19:07:51
Added by Admin, April 2022 --
"The Fairfield Ledger"
Monday, August 25, 1969
Front Page, Columns 5, 6, 7, and 8FRAKES Killed In S. Vietnam
Sp.4 Jerry A. FRAKES, 21, was killed Aug. 16 in South Vietnam, according to information received Saturday afternoon by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe A. FRAKES, 902 W. Grimes Ave.
He is the third Fairfield serviceman to lose his life in the Vietnam War (sic - Vietnam Conflict).
A Department of Defense message received by the family Sunday stated that Sp. 4 FRAKES was killed while a passenger in a motor vehicle on a military mission.
The message said the vehicle was involved in an accident, but it gave no further details of his death.
Sp.4 FRAKES was a member of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503 Infantry Division of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He was stationed near Qui Nhon about 300 miles north of Saigon.
The Fairfield serviceman had served in the U.S. Army two years. This was his second tour of duty in Vietnam.
Mr. and Mrs. FRAKES were first notified of their son's death by an Army non-commissioned officer stationed at Burlington who called at their home Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
A telegram received Sunday morning was signed by Maj. Gen. Kenneth G. Wideham on behalf of the Secretary of the Army. The message said there had been a delay in receiving word of the death from the Overseas Command.
Sp.4 FRAKES was born in Fairfield February 28, 1948, the son of Joe A. and Viola TULLER FRAKES. He attended Roosevelt Elementary School and graduated from Fairfield High School in 1967. He was a varsity football player.
He enlisted in the Army July 31, 1967, receiving basic training at Fort Campbell, Ky., and heavy mortar training at Fort Gordon, Ga. He graduated from the Army Paratroop School at Fort Benning, Ga., Jan. 31, 1968.
After arriving in Vietnam in March, 1968, he saw extensive combat duty with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in the An Khe region.
Sp.4 FRAKES volunteered for a six months extension of duty in Vietnam and returned to An Khe in January, 1969 after a 25-day leave in the United States.
He talked with his parents in a telephone call in July while on rest and recreation leave in Hong Kong. At that time he said he had been "riding shotgun" on trucks delivering supplies to brigade units in the Qui Nhon area.
Sp.4 FRAKES was a member of the Fairfield Foursquare Church. In addition to his parents, he is survived by the following brothers and sister: Roger FRAKES, Fairfield; Mrs. Robert B. BARNETT, Fairfield; and Harold FRAKES, Tucson, Ariz.
[Note: The photo that appears at the end of this posting was run with the above article, and added by the Admin.]
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"The Fairfield, Ia. Ledger"
Friday, August 29, 1969
Page 8, Column 1Jerry FRAKES Memorial Fund
A memorial fund for Sp.4 Jerry A. FRAKES has been established at the Iowa State Bank and Trust Co.
FRAKES, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. FRAKES, 902 W. Grimes, was killed Aug. 16 while serving with the 173rd Airborne Brigade near Qui Nhon in South Vietnam.
Members of the family said the memorial fund was set up after a number of gifts had been received. The money will be used for some appropriate memorial, possibly at Fairfield High School.
Sp.4 FRAKES was a 1967 graduate of Fairfield High School. The Department of Defense said he was a passenger in a vehicle on a military mission when the fatal accident occurred. No further details have been received.
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Saturday, August 30, 1969
Front Page, Column 3Military Rites On Tuesday For Jerry A. FRAKES
Last rites for Sp.4 Jerry A. FRAKES, 21, Fairfield serviceman, will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m at the Weston Behner Funeral Home.
FRAKES, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. FRAKES, 902 W. Grimes, was killed Aug. 16 when a military vehicle in which he was riding was involved in an accident near Qui Nhon, South Vietnam.
Services will be conducted by the Rev. Donald Hickman, Fairfield, and the Rev. J. Richards, Burlington. Military rites and burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
The body was flown from the West Coast to Omaha, Neb., Friday. It was then transported to Burlington by train, arriving there at 1:11 a.m. today. It was accompanied by a military escort, Sgt. Harry G. Brown, Oakland, Calif.
A detachment of Army men from Fort Leavenworth, Kan., will serve as pall-bearers and color guard at Tuesday's services.
Sp.4 FRAKES was a member of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Division of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. A two-year Army veteran, he was serving his second tour of duty in Vietnam.
In addition to his parents, FRAKES is survived by two brothers and a sister: Roger FRAKES, Fairfield; Mrs. Robert B. BARNETT, Fairfield; and Harold FRAKES, Tucson, Ariz. Three nieces also survive.
FRAKES was a 1967 graduate of Fairfield High School and a member of the local Foursquare Church.
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Original posting by Richard K Thompson --
Fairfield Ledger
Wednesday September 3, 1969Third To Die -
Final Tribute To Fairfield Soldier
For the third time in 22 months, Taps has sounded in final tribute to a Fairfield serviceman who died in the Vietnam War.
Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon for Sp.4 Jerry A. FRAKES, 21, who was killed Aug. 16 in an accident involving a military vehicle near Qui Nhon, South Vietnam.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. FRAKES, 902 W. Grimes, he was serving his second tour of duty in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
The Weston Behner Funeral Home was filled to capacity for the services conducted by the Rev. Donald Hickman, Fairfield, and the Rev. Jerry Richards, Burlington. Present were many members of FRAKES' Fairfield High School classmates who graduated in 1967.
Rev. Richards read the words of a popular folk song by Pete Seeger, "Last Night I Dreamed the Strangest Dream," which tells of the day when men agree to abolish war.
Citing the Biblical basis for the song, he read from Isiah: " . . . and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
Rev. Hickman termed Jerry a good soldier who believed in the cause for which he fought. "We enjoy all the freedoms we love so well because of young people like him who serve their country so well," he said.
Then he added: "He gave his life honorably; He gave it for America."
Military rites in Evergreen Cemetery were conducted by a 14-member detachment from Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., headed by Lieut. Trevor Williams.
Honorary pall-bearers, all friends of the deceased, were Michael Coop, Michael Simons, Curtis Nicola, Tom Simpson, Randall Winfrey and Randall Gray.
Staff Sergeants Levi Spradlin and Robert Herring held a large American flag over the coffin during the brief committal service. A five-man firing squad in charge of Staff Sgt. Robert Belz fired three volleys from a hillside above the grave and Taps was blown by Sp.4 Michael Smith.
The burial flag was folded and given to Lieut. Williams who in turn presented it to Mrs. FRAKES.
Marine Pfc. Dennis Odell was the first local serviceman to die in the Vietnam War. He was killed in action Nov. 11, 1967. The second was Cpl. James L. Miller who was fatally wounded Jan. 21, 1969.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes. I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.
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Added by Admin, April 2022 --
"The Fairfield, Ia. Ledger"
Tuesday, September 9, 1969
Page 3, Column 3Attend Funeral For Jerry FRAKES
Relatives and friends from out-of-town here to attend the funeral of Sp.4 Jerry A. FRAKES were: Mr. and Mrs. Harold FRAKES and Christal of Tucson, Ariz.; Mr. and Mrs,. Harry TULLER of Kansas City, Mo., Mr. and Mrs. O. E. TULLER of Des Moines, Mr. and Mrs. L. C. TULLER of Festus, Mo., Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth TULLER, Pat and Mike of Ottumwa, Mr. and Mrs. Courtney Shellman of Ottumwa, Mr. and Mrs. John Davis of Bladensburg, Verle Smith of Batavia,
Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Martin Jr., of Kirksville, Mo., Mr. and Mrs. Ralph JOHNSON, Susan, Alice and Harry of Bradford, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Charles PRATT o f (sic) Iowa City, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph PRATT of Washington, Mr. and Mrs. Don ANDERSON of Davenport, Mr. and Mrs. Gene Reese, Columbus Junction, Mr. and Mrs. Curt Nicola of Biloxi, Miss., Mr. and Mrs. George Stout Sr., and family of Ainsworth, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Calease of Cedar Falls and Mr. and Mrs. Dale Kinney of Eldon.
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"The Fairfield, Ia. Ledger"
Friday, September 12, 1969
Page 2, Column 2... Randy Winfrey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Winfrey, 803 E. Burlington, has returned to Albert Lea, Minn., where he is attending college after having been called to Fairfield to be honorary pallbearer for his close friend and classmate, Sp.4 Jerry A. FRAKES.
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"The Fairfield, Ia. Ledger"
Friday, September 12, 1969
Page 8, Columns 5 and 6Family Learns Details Of Jerry FRAKES Death
The first details of an accident which claimed the life of Sp. 4 Jerry A. FRAKES in South Vietnam have been received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph FRAKES, 902 W. Grimes.
Spr.4 FRAKES was serving with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry of the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
A letter from Jerry's company commander, Capt. Martin A. Hammer, said he died of internal injuries when a three-quarter ton vehicle in which he was riding accidentally overturned while returning on a re-supply mission from the field to the company base area near Bong Son, Republic of Vietnam.
The letter further stated:
"It may be of some comfort to know that death came quickly and he was not subjected to any prolonged suffering.
"As a member of this command, Jerry was a fine soldier and had established himself as a dedicated and sincere individual. He was well liked and respected by all who knew him. The death of your son in a loss not only to you but to all of us in this company. While there is little I can say to lessen your sorrow, I only hope you will find some comfort knowing that Jerry was a great credit to the uniform he wore and the country he served. A memorial service was held in the forward operational area in remembrance of Jerry.
"Once again, personally and for the officers and men of this command, please accept this letter as a symbol of our sympathy."
Mr. and Mrs. FRAKES also received a letter from Brig. Gen. H. S. Cunningham, commander of the 183rd Airborne Brigade.
The letter read in part:
"Your son was a dedicated soldier and a fine person. The men of his platoon respected and admired him greatly and you can be truly proud of his courage and devotion to duty. I hope that you can find some measure of consolation in the knowledge that he died bravely for the cause of freedom and human dignity. Thus he joins those of his and preceding generations of young Americans who have given their lives to make our great nation what it is today.
"Nothing I say can possibly alleviate your great personal loss, but please know that we Sky Soldiers who knew your son share intimately in your grief."
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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.RKT note: Son of Joseph Abram FRAKES and Viola May TULLER FRAKES. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, Iowa. 4th.223.
Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
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