William Joseph Franks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| William Joseph Franks | |
|---|---|
| born 1830 | |
| Place of birth | Pittsboro, North Carolina |
| Allegiance | United States Navy |
| Years of service | Enlisted 1863 |
| Rank | Acting Master’s Mate |
| Unit | USS Marmora |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
William Joseph Franks (born 1830, date of death unknown) was a United States Navy sailor who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the American Civil War.
Franks was born in Pittsboro, North Carolina in 1830. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 16, 1863.
Franks distinguished himself in action at Yazoo City, Mississippi on March 5, 1864 when he and his shipmates from the USS Marmora landed a 12-pound howitzer to defend the city, which was threatened by strong Confederate forces. He and his group were in the thickest of the fighting, but it was never enough to drive them from their cannon. The actions of Franks and his men came to play the most important role in maintaining the Union position. Franks was awarded the Medal of Honor and promoted to Acting Master’s Mate in recognition of his gallantry.
A Fletcher-class destroyer, USS Franks (DD-554), was named in his honor and launched on 7 December 1942.
[edit] References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
