Frank Anderson was born on 18 October 1919.  He was the son of Peter James Anderson and Lilian Maud (McDonald) Anderson.  He was married to Alma E. Anderson and they had a daughter named Lynne Carol.  When Frank entered the service on 5 August 1942, the family was living in Los Angeles County and he was working as a photographic processor.  Frank was assigned to the 726 Bomber Squadron of the 451st Bomber Group.  He was the left waist gunner on a B-24 Liberator with serial number 42-51941.  On 17 December 1944, the Squadron was on a mission to bomb the Odertal oil refinery in what is today Rzymkowice, Poland.  The following is an eyewitness account of what happened:

"I, Staff sergeant Kenje Ogata, 16037445, was ball turret gunner on an airplane in the same flight as first Lieutenant Theodore C. King, flying aircraft number 42-51941. On 17 December 1944, Lieutenant King was flying number two position, deputy flight leader, on a mission over the Odertal oil plant in Germany. Shortly after passing over the target the lead airplane seemed to be pulling out of the formation and lieutenant King, in the deputy lead position, moved to take over the lead. As Lieutenant King let down his tail hit the number one propeller of the lead ship, as it was coming back into its former position. I saw Lieutenant King’s airplane spiral down and go in a flat spin. The tail of Lieutenants King’s aircraft was sheared off. The weather was clear and just before the plane hit and burst in to flame I saw one parachute open. This was at about 1255 hours at approximately 50 28N, 18 04E, in Germany." 

The plane that they collided with carried the serial number of 42-52045. Only one crew member, Joseph Weisler (photographer) survived and he was taken prisoner. The other crew members are also commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery.  They are:  Theodore C. King (Pilot), Bernard W. Schams (Copilot), Sidney S. Grapey (Navigagtor), William G. Navins (Bombadier), Paul P.C. Banis (Top Turret Gunner), James N. Wood (Lower Turret Gunner),  Linn S. Arbogast (Right Waist Gunner); William D. Fry (Tail Gunner), Howard G. Miller (nose gunner)

Information from Roger Zoontjens and MACR 10682