Frank James Rinehart

A WWII Hero. Frank James Rinehart was born in Wichita Falls, Tex. After graduation from junior college at age 18, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. After 18 months as a weather man, he was accepted into the pilot training program. He attended primary training in Santa Maria, Calif., where he flew Stearman biplanes. Then on to basic flight training at Moffett Field, Calif., and Mather AFB in Sacramento, Calif., to fly the T-6 Harvard Trainer. He graduated from flight school on December 12, 1941, just five days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

After graduation he was selected to attend a special instrument flying school conducted by United Airlines in Reno, Nev. Then on to Barksdale, LA to fly B-24's, the newest, most advanced heavy bomber in the Army Air Corps. His group became known as "Ted's Traveling Circus," after their group commander. For the next seven months he trained in the new aircraft and was selected as pilot/aircraft commander. During this time he assembled a crew of nine other young men to fill positions as copilot, navigator, bombardier, radio operator, flight engineer, tail-gunner, two waist gunners, and a bottom gunner.

In September 1942, they picked up a brand new plane of their own in Manchester, N.H., and named it the Eager Beaver. The crew was now ready for combat. Frank was only 21 years old when they left for Alconbury, England. They flew several missions against German positions in northern France including heavily reinforced concrete submarine pens. That winter, the group established a base in North Africa and bombed Rommel's Tank Corps in Tripoli and enemy positions in Naples and Messina. After returning to England in the spring, they completed a total of 29 missions and were sent home for a rest.

Frank then upgraded to the B-29. By the end of the war he had been promoted to major and was the commander of the 459th Bombardment Squadron in Guam. For his valor he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters. He was 24 years old.

These guys saved the world! Frank would never have seen it that way and would never have said it if he had. He was always understated about his participation in this magnificent effort, characterizing it as "a job." But to everyone who came after, it was a valiant and successful campaign to defend our country against the worst tyranny the world has known. We are all forever indebted.

It was a Fine Romance! Frank met his future bride, Lucille Carey, at a dance in Mountain View, Calif., in September 1941, while he was at basic flying school. It was a whirlwind romance, as many were in those days - married today, off to war tomorrow! Frank and Lou were married just four months later, on January 15, 1942, by Monsignor Patrick J. Connors at St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral in Reno. Miss Lou, as she later became known, was 17 years old and a senior in high school. Frank was 21. They were married for 67 years and had two sons, Jim and Rick.

After the War. Frank remained in the Air Corps and in 1948 was assigned as an advisor to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's Air Force. Frank and Lou, and their two young sons, lived in Hangchow, China, which, for hundreds of years, has been considered the garden spot of China. After just nine months, they left in haste as the Communist Revolution overran North China and approached the gates of Frank's airbase near Shanghai. Chairman Mao Tse-Tung would soon be the new leader.

From China, the family moved to Itazuke AFB, Japan, then to Mather AFB, Sacramento, Loring AFB in northern Maine, and finally to Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico. Frank retired from the USAF in 1961.

As a civilian, Frank built a second career with the California Nursing Home Association and then with the American Nursing Home Association in Washington, D.C., where Frank was the executive director. In 1981, Frank and Lou moved to Farmington, N.M. Frank had a third career with Century-21 real estate. The 25 years they spent in Farmington was the longest they had ever spent in one place. When their son Rick retired and moved to Reno, Frank and Lou followed shortly in 2006.

Frank's hobbies included SCUBA diving. He was president of the base diving club in Puerto Rico. He also enjoyed rock-hounding and was a member of the San Juan County Mineral Society. He was also a member of the Totah Amateur Radio Club. Frank was an early member of the Military Officers Association of America and a summa cum laude graduate of Sacramento State College.

The activity Frank enjoyed most was getting together with his original Eager Beaver flight crew. These men and their wives were like well-loved family and reunited for many years. With Frank's passing there remains only one surviving crew member, Bill Gros, the radio operator.

Frank survived his parents, Florian Arnold (Pop) Rinehart and Mabel (Mimi) Chapman Rinehart, his brother Jack, and sister Betty. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Lucille Rinehart and two sons, Jim Rinehart and wife Carol of San Francisco, Rick Rinehart and wife Vicki of Reno, and two grandchildren, Mark Rinehart of Los Angeles and Rebecca of San Francisco, all of whom will miss him. A family dinner was held in his honor.