Born in Guadalupe, California, May 4, 1920
Graduated from the Santa Maria, California High School June 1939
Attended the University of Santa Clara, 1939-40
Enrolled in the University of California, Davis, August 194 Plant Science Curriculum-Agronomy
Completed four semesters in residence and withdrew to enlist

Military Service

MILITARY HISTORY
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Military Training

Enrolled in the Enlisted Reserve Corps, 25 August 1942 while in student status at Davis, Appointed Aviation Cadet Army Afr Corps 13 February 1943; entered active duty 22 February 1943
Feb 1943 - Jun 1943, AF Classification Center (Primary), Santa Ana, Calif. Jun 1943 - July 1943, AAF Base (Basic), Las Vegas, Nevada.
July 1943 - Oct 1943, 668th Navigation Training Group (Advanced), Mather Field, Calif. Oct 1943 - Dec 1943, 668th Nav Tng Gp, Ellington Field, Texas.
Graduated from the AAF Cadet Training Program as Navigator, 3 December 1943 and honorably discharged.

COMMISSIONED Second Lieutenant AUS, 4 December 1943 COMMISSIONED First Lieutenant AUS, 22 September 1944

Active Service Assignments

Dec 1943 - Mar 1944, Navigator, 439 Bomb Sq (H), 382nd Bomb Gp, Muroc, Calif.
Apr 1944, Navigator, 460th AAF Base Unit, Hamilton Field, Calif.
May 1944 - Oct 1944, Navigator, 370 Bomb Sq, 307th Bomb Gp (H), 13th AAF, Pacific Area In Service 2 years, 1 month and 9 days.

Decorations and Awards

PURPLE HEART (Posthumous)
AIR MEDAL with Three Oak Leaf Clusters AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL for participation in the BISMARK ARCHIPELAGO, EASTERN MANDATES, NEW GUINEA, NORTHERN SOLOMONS AND WESTERN PACIFIC CAMPAIGNS.
WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL
DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION EMBLEM
AVIATION BADGE ‘NAVIGATOR’

Interment

Lieutenant Franklin was killed in action* 3 October 1944, over Balikpapan, Borneo.
*The B-24 carrying Lt. Franklin and other members of its crew to their death, was shot down over Borneo while he was on his 25 mission. His body was later exhumed, identified and sent home to Santa Maria, California for burial in October 1949.