Frank Richard Famous Jr. was born on June 18, 1923 to Frank and Mary who resided in Broomall, Pennsylvania.  Frank was the oldest of three children: Frank Edith and Ethel.   

Frank moved to West Chester in 1939 to live with his grandmother, Mrs Caroline Dickinson who lived at 224 N. Church St. He continued his membership in the Marple Presbyterian Church on Sproul Rd. in Broomall. Frank attended West Chester High school, was known as easy going and a good mixer. He enjoyed swimming, dancing and bowling. He graduated in 1942.

After graduation, Frank obtained employment at the Montgomery Ward Department Store on the 200 block of West Gay Street, working in the Shoe Department. 

Frank dated is high school sweetheart, Jane Logue, who lived across the street.  They met during a summer neighborhood game of hide and seek, when he moved here in 1939, - and it was love at first sight.  They had similar backgrounds, were madly in love, but yet seemed complete opposites. Frank was happy go lucky, fun loving, outgoing, and Jane was quiet and reserved.  Jane says “There’s never been much joy in my life”…  “And he was the greatest joy I’ve had”.[1] Jane a year older, graduated before Frank and worked at Hoffman Shoe store at the corner of Gay and High Streets (she worked there for two decades).

Frank received a draft notice and was inducted into the Army Air Corps on February 8, 1943.  He received training at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado, Drewfield, Tampa, Florida,  and Peterson Field, Colorado Springs Colorado. Frank was attached to the 32^nd Photographic Squadron, 5^th Reconnaissance Group.  In October, he returned home on leave to marry his sweetheart, Jane.  They were married in a small ceremony at St. Agnes Church in West Chester on October 19^th.  They obtained at apartment above Benson’s Department Store at 109 W Gay St.

Frank was sent to Hampton Roads, Virginia where he embarked with his unit on the SS Paul Hamilton, a Liberty ship . The ship was loaded with high explosives and bombs, as well as embarking 500 Army Air Force personal.  The Hamilton sailed on April 3, 1944 in a convoy for Italy via Bizerte, Tunisia, in Convoy UGS-38.

S.S. Paul Hamilton

Actual photo of the Hamilton exploding after a torpedo hit. Click to enlarge.

On April 20^th, off the coast of Algiers, the convoy was attacked by 27 German torpedo and dive bombers.  A JU-88 German bomber came in low to attack the Hamilton, gunners on the British tanker Athelchie hit it and the enemy plane caught fire.  But it was too late; the bomber launched its torpedo less then 150 feet from the Paul Hamilton.  When the torpedo hit, there was a tremendous explosion, flames reached almost a 1,000 feet in the air. The remnants of the ship sank in thirty seconds. Hero John Pulinka, a Merchant Marine crewmember, also perished. There were no survivors.  580 men lost their lives, the worst Liberty Ship disaster during the war.

Private First Class Frank R. Famous died on April 20, 1944. Jane received a telegraph dated April 30^th that he was Missing In Action. A second telegram dated May 16^th notified that her husband was Killed In Action.  Jane received a sympathy card (left) from Chief of Staff of the Army, General George C. Marshall, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania."

Frank is honored on the Tablets of the Missing at the North Africa American Cemetery in Carthage, Tunisia. A memorial service was held at the Marple Presbyterian Church on September 30^th, 1945 to honor Frank and 3 other members who gave their lives in the War.

His wife Jane resides in West Chester. She still remembers the only 12 days they were together as husband and wife, on Frank’s leave in October 1943.

Frank's father spent most of his time in the Coatesville Veteran’s Hospital due to injures received during World War I. When Frank received his draft notice, he was greatly distraught, and cried on Jane’s shoulders because he did not want to go to war. He wanted to serve his country, but he was so afraid of returning a broken man like his father.  But despite his fears, he did not shriek his responsibility.  He did not return a broken man; he gave his life for his Country.

[1]Quoted from ‘The Loss of Frank Famous’, Wallingford, John,  The West Chester Paper, June 3-9, 1994.