Television Broadcast Journalist. Born in the upper Midwest, he was the co-anchor of the ABC Evening News with Howard K. Smith from 1968 to 1970. He attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, before leaving early to enlist in the United States Army. He served in the Second World War as a combat infantryman with George S. Patton's Third Army, advancing to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received during hand to hand combat with soldiers of the elite German SS. Following the war, he began his broadcast career with Chicago based WBBM-TV and WBKB-TV before joining the ABC News Division in 1965. He was reassigned as a network news correspondent in 1970, after being replaced as co-anchor of the ABC Evening News by Harry Reasoner. As ABC's chief network correspondent, he was responsible for reporting major political events and coverage of NASA's manned space flight missions. In 1978, he re-joined the news anchor desk as co-anchor of ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings and Max Robinson. Following the Iranian revolution and seizure of American diplomats in November 1979, he became the late night host of America Held Hostage, which eventually evolved into the long running late night series Nightline with Ted Koppel. He became visibly upset during live coverage of the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, when the three major broadcast networks erroneously reported that White House Press Secretary James Brady had died as a result of a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Faced with conflicting information on Brady's medical condition, Reynolds angrily admonished fellow staff members, saying "Let's get it nailed down… somebody… let's find out! Let's get it straight so we can report this thing accurately!" He was the recipient of the George Foster Peabody Award for excellence in broadcast journalism in 1979. In 1985, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his achievements in journalism by President Ronald Reagan. He died from complications of bone cancer and viral hepatitis at the age of 59.
Television Broadcast Journalist. Born in the upper Midwest, he was the co-anchor of the ABC Evening News with Howard K. Smith from 1968 to 1970. He attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, before leaving early to enlist in the United States Army. He served in the Second World War as a combat infantryman with George S. Patton's Third Army, advancing to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received during hand to hand combat with soldiers of the elite German SS. Following the war, he began his broadcast career with Chicago based WBBM-TV and WBKB-TV before joining the ABC News Division in 1965. He was reassigned as a network news correspondent in 1970, after being replaced as co-anchor of the ABC Evening News by Harry Reasoner. As ABC's chief network correspondent, he was responsible for reporting major political events and coverage of NASA's manned space flight missions. In 1978, he re-joined the news anchor desk as co-anchor of ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings and Max Robinson. Following the Iranian revolution and seizure of American diplomats in November 1979, he became the late night host of America Held Hostage, which eventually evolved into the long running late night series Nightline with Ted Koppel. He became visibly upset during live coverage of the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, when the three major broadcast networks erroneously reported that White House Press Secretary James Brady had died as a result of a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Faced with conflicting information on Brady's medical condition, Reynolds angrily admonished fellow staff members, saying "Let's get it nailed down… somebody… let's find out! Let's get it straight so we can report this thing accurately!" He was the recipient of the George Foster Peabody Award for excellence in broadcast journalism in 1979. In 1985, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his achievements in journalism by President Ronald Reagan. He died from complications of bone cancer and viral hepatitis at the age of 59.
Bio by: Nils M. Solsvik Jr.
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Frank Reynolds
Staff Sergeant, U. S. Army
Nov. 29, 1923 — July 20, 1983
A Man Who Cared
Beloved Husband and Father
Dedicated Journalist
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