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American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming

Mailing Address:
Dept. 3924
1000 E. University Avenue
Laramie, WY 82071
307.766.4114
ahc@uwyo.edu
 

For Home and Country Virtual Exhibit 
 

Ronald G. Franck

Ronald G. Franck enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1956. He participated in expeditionary tours in Beirut Lebanon, in 1958, and in Vientiane Laos, in 1960. He served five combat tours in Vietnam between 1963 and 1972 with both the 1st and 3rd Marine Divisions. His duties included assignments as reconnaissance scout, scout-sniper, rifle squad leader, rifle platoon sergeant and rifle platoon commander. During those tours he was wounded five times.

Franck was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement on May 8, 1969 while serving as a rifle platoon sergeant with the 7th Marine Regiment. It was only one of many awards he would receive throughout his career.

Upon his retirement from the Marine Corps in 1976 he returned to his hometown of Laramie, Wyoming where he resides to this day. Of his years in service he says "The deepest personal pride I have always felt as a U.S. Marine was not where, when, nor how I served, but with whom I served."

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Ken Jones

Ken Jones volunteered for the United States Army in December 1968 proceeding to Basic Combat Training Company (D-2-1) at Ft. Lewis, Washington for nine weeks. This was followed immediately by A.I.T. (Combat Engineering) for ten weeks, at Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri and then a three-week course involving special weapons training at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. 

After completion of training and a brief leave period, he received orders for Vietnam. He began his Vietnam tour in June 1969 assigned to D.Troop 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He rotated back to the United States in July 1970. After that he was assigned to Alaska where he served with the 172nd Infantry Brigade as a Combat Engineer with O Company Arctic Rangers and 562nd Engineering Company. After 21 months he was awarded an Honorable Discharge from the United States Army on May 12, 1972 as Specialist 4-E4.

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 Jack McCormick

Jack McCormick enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve and went on active duty in March 1942. He completed basic training at the U.S. Naval Training Station in San Diego, then graduated from Signal and Quartermaster School at the University of Illinois, Urbana. He stayed on as an instructor at Urbana and graduated three classes before being transferred to Farragut Idaho, also as an instructor in Signal and Quartermaster School.

In September 1943, he was transferred to Receiving Ship at Treasure Island, California and was assigned to Small Subchaser PCS 1444 as Signalman and Quartermaster. PCS 1444 was assigned to the West Coast Sound School for training sonar operators for a short time before going on anti-submarine patrol in the Pacific Theatre.

Jack McCormick was honorably discharged from the Navy on October 1, 1945 at Bremerton, WA.

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Robert C. Milliken

Robert C. Milliken joined the U.S. Army Air Force in June of 1942. After training he was assigned to fly P-38s for the 429th Fighter Squadron of the new 474th Fighter Group out of Warmwell England in late April of 1944.

Second Lieutenant Milliken flew his first combat mission on April 30, 1944. During his participation in D-Day operations, and thereafter, he flew a great variety of missions claiming his first of several victories when he shot down a German FW-190 in an air battle fought between Chateaudin and LeMans.

After having completed a tour of 69 missions by November 11th, 1944 he volunteered for two more missions during the Battle of the Bulge, and in a noontime dogfight shot down a German Me-109, a fifth victory which made him an ace.

He returned to the United States in July of 1945 and, after the end of the war, was relieved from active duty in December 1945. He was awarded a Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal (16 OLC) for his five victories and four damages against German forces.

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