Let us Never Forget - PFC Lloyd E Frandsen

As I thought about Veteran's Day today my mind didn't focus on the recent military efforts but those of my own family.  My family doesn't have a long pedigree of military service.  I have an uncle that served in Vietnam, but I've really never talked to him about his service.

My grandfather served shortly at the end of World War II.  As I understand it, he was sent over just as things were wrapping up and mostly avoided any serious conflicts.  He told me about breaking rifles in half on a ship and throwing the barrells over one side and the stocks over the other in a harbor somewhere near Japan.

My grandpa's older brother however did serve and die in World War II.  His name was Lloyd Elwood Frandsen.  My grandfather and he were quite close and my grandpa has told me a few stories about the two of them growing up in central Utah.  My father Lloyd was named after his uncle, my middle name is Lloyd, and my oldest son Connor's middle name is Lloyd as well.

I'm proud that I'm able in some small part to keep the memory of my great uncle alive.  I know he was special to my grandfather and I'm sad that the only stories I know of him are of his childhood and not of him as an adult.

As his grave marker indicates above, he was killed on March 11, 1944 on Bougainville Island which is part of the Solomon Islands.  I did a little bit of research on the WWII Pacific Theatre today and was surprised to find this little bit of black and white war footage taken from Bougainville on, of all days, March 11, 1944.

Bougainville, March 11, 1944 war footage.

There is no sound and it's hard to see the context of the footage, but it does in some way bring me a bit closer to my great-uncle Lloyd.  I also better appreciate the final moments of his life and what his surroundings were at that time. I never met Lloyd E Frandsen, but I'm proud to be his great-nephew and hope that I can always respect his sacrifice and service.

You can read more about the Bougainville campaign here.