Franklin Franz was born in 1918. Little is known of his early life.

Franklin made his home with the Albert Raichle family in Kimberton from 1936 until he entered the military.  He was reportedly well known among Kimberton residents. Franklin was employed by the Weiland Meat Packing Plant on the 500 block of West Bridge Street.  Weiland slaughtered and processed pork, as much as 3 million pounds a year, producing sausage, hot dogs, bolognas, bacon and lard.

Franklin enlisted in the Army before Pearl Harbor.  After basic training, he was assigned to serve with the 107^th Field Artillery Battalion of Pennsylvania’s 28^th National Guard Infantry Division. Ordered into Federal Service in February 1941, the 28th was known as the “Keystone Division”, and nicknamed by the Germans the “Bloody Bucket” division because of the red Keystone Division patch (pictured at right), and their vicious fighting.

Hero Joseph Kacanda of Phoenixville also served with the 107^th, and heroes Morton Talley and Robert Emerson served in the 28^th Division.

 

Joseph’s Division deployed to the European Theater of Operations in October 1943 for more training in preparation for the liberation of France. On July 22nd, his division landed at Normandy on Omaha Beach - some 46 days after the June 6th D-Day invasion.

 PFC Franklin Franz Died Of Wounds received in combat on August 2, 1944, in France.

 The Raichle’s were notified that Franklin was wounded on August 1^st, and later notified of his death.

 Franklin is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, France.