Tribute to Franklin R. Long

Branch of Service:  US Army Air Corps

    Franklin R. Long was born January 29, 1926 in Norman, Oklahoma.  He attended high school there before he entered the Army Air Forces in 1944.  He served as a Staff Sergeant through 1948.  Frank was stationed in Johnson Island, Middle Pacific.  He also was stationed at Presque Isle, Maine, Robbins AFB, Georgia, Carswell AFB, Ft Worth, Texas, Fairfield-Suisun AAB, San Francisco, California. He spent his R&R somewhere in Australia.  As a little girl I loved to hear the stories about his time there.

    He was proud to be a senior cryptographer with the 105^th and the 145^th Army Airways Communication System Squadron.  His decorations included Good Conduct Medal, Victory Ribbon and Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal.

Medals earned pictured below in order:

Army Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal

     After he left the service he earned his Bachelors of Science at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma.  There he met and married Lola Mae Allison in 1951.  He remained with the Reserves through 1952.

    He began his thirty-eight year teaching career in Oswego, Kansas.  He also taught in Cedar Vale, Augusta, Santana, Sublette and Ashland.

    He earned two Masters Degrees, one in teaching at Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia and the other in Psychology at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas.

    He and Lola raised three children, who then gave them five grand children.

    Franklin died November 22, 1996 in Liberal, Kansas after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Submitted by Beth Morrow (daughter)

For more photos and information about Franklin Long's family history, click here.  (provided by Beth Morrow)

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