Frank Harvey Blanck, Jr.

AVIATION MACHINIST'S MATE THIRD CLASS FRANK HARVEY BLANCK, JR ws the son of Frank and Sarah Blank. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on February 26, 1942 and was trained as an aerial gunner. He served in Florida and was later assigned to the NAS Seattle, where he was engaged in patrolling the Pacific Coast. 

On May 14, 1943 a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura, Bureau Number (BuNo) 33142, which operated out of NAS Seattle, crashed into Mount Rose, in the Olympic National Forest in Washington State, roughly 40 miles west of Seattle. All five crew were killed; Lt. Byron L. Lough, ACM3C Roy Winston McAllister, Lt. William S. Sledge, AMM3C Frank H. Blanck, and ARM3C Robert S. Youngblood, Jr.

Frank Blanck was 19 at the time of his death. He was survived by his parents, and two sisters. His body was returned to Berlin NJ, with a Guard of Honor, and was given a Naval funeral with a firing squad and bugler from the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Interment was made in the National Cemetery at Beverly NJ on June 8, 1943.  

Lockheed manufactured the first PV-1 Venturas in 1941 for use in England. By mid-1942, half a year after America entered the war, however, the U.S. Navy needed its own land-based heavy bomber capable of flying long distances with heavy ordnance loads. The Navy ordered the manufacture of its own PV-1 Venturas, which had a range of 1,360 miles and could carry 3,000 pounds of bombs or anti-submarine depth charges. The PV-1 bomber, which also bore four guns, flew successful missions throughout the war

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura light bombers on mission to Borneo

Thanks to David Wright of Oaklyn NJ for his help in researching this page.