Frank A. Tucker was born and raised in Hugo, OK, to Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Tucker. Prior to entering the Marine Corps, he was employed by the Babcock Brothers Auto Store.
Tucker joined the USMC on January 2, 1942, in Dallas, TX. He attended boot camp at MCRD San Diego, and joined A Company, 24th Regiment, 4th Marine Division in 1943 at Camp Pendleton. Sergeant Tucker performed detached service in Hawthorne, NV, where he married Ailene Crews.
Sergeant Tucker was assigned to Lieutenant Phil Wood's Weapons platoon, on machine guns. He participated in Operation Flintlock and received the Navy Cross for actions at Roi-Namur, Kwajalein Atoll:
CITATION:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Frank A. Tucker (347996), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company A, First Battalion, Twenty- Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the invasion of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, on 1 February 1944. When the Forward Echelon of his company was pinned down by the cross fire of enemy machine guns, Sergeant Tucker fearlessly exposed himself to the withering hail which continued to cause heavy casualties among his comrades and, calmly opening fire with his rifle, directed a deadly fusillade against the enemy, killing numerous Japanese. Concerned only for the safety of his comrades, he remained steadfast in his dangerously vulnerable position until the wounded were pulled into nearby shell holes and an adequate defense had been established. By his great personal valor and unwavering devotion to duty throughout this critical engagement, Sergeant Tucker saved the lives of many of his comrades and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Lieutenant Wood noted:
"Only four of us got out of that trap whole – that any did was Sgt. Tucker's doing – seeing that they were being methodically slaughtered, he stood up and opened fire with his rifle. As each Jap arose out of the opposing trench to fire, Tucker carefully sighted in and shot him – often, as we found out later, right between the eyes. They think that he killed about 30 Japs that way – he put two enemy machine guns out of action, and gave the others a chance to pull the wounded into nearby shell holes – bullets creased his helmet, punctured his canteen, and cut off his rifle belt, but he didn't get down until the rest of them were safely in position."
Sergeant Tucker was subsequently made Platoon Sergeant.
Sergeant Tucker participated in the landing on Saipan, June 15, 1944. He was killed the night of June 17, while reporting to his company commander after nightfall. His captain recalled that Tucker was hit by a machine gun; the memory still haunted the captain in an interview nearly forty years later.
Sergeant Frank Tucker was re-buried in Hugo, OK, in June of 1948.
Tucker joined the USMC on January 2, 1942, in Dallas, TX. He attended boot camp at MCRD San Diego, and joined A Company, 24th Regiment, 4th Marine Division in 1943 at Camp Pendleton. Sergeant Tucker performed detached service in Hawthorne, NV, where he married Ailene Crews.
Sergeant Tucker was assigned to Lieutenant Phil Wood's Weapons platoon, on machine guns. He participated in Operation Flintlock and received the Navy Cross for actions at Roi-Namur, Kwajalein Atoll:
CITATION:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Frank A. Tucker (347996), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company A, First Battalion, Twenty- Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the invasion of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, on 1 February 1944. When the Forward Echelon of his company was pinned down by the cross fire of enemy machine guns, Sergeant Tucker fearlessly exposed himself to the withering hail which continued to cause heavy casualties among his comrades and, calmly opening fire with his rifle, directed a deadly fusillade against the enemy, killing numerous Japanese. Concerned only for the safety of his comrades, he remained steadfast in his dangerously vulnerable position until the wounded were pulled into nearby shell holes and an adequate defense had been established. By his great personal valor and unwavering devotion to duty throughout this critical engagement, Sergeant Tucker saved the lives of many of his comrades and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Lieutenant Wood noted:
"Only four of us got out of that trap whole – that any did was Sgt. Tucker's doing – seeing that they were being methodically slaughtered, he stood up and opened fire with his rifle. As each Jap arose out of the opposing trench to fire, Tucker carefully sighted in and shot him – often, as we found out later, right between the eyes. They think that he killed about 30 Japs that way – he put two enemy machine guns out of action, and gave the others a chance to pull the wounded into nearby shell holes – bullets creased his helmet, punctured his canteen, and cut off his rifle belt, but he didn't get down until the rest of them were safely in position."
Sergeant Tucker was subsequently made Platoon Sergeant.
Sergeant Tucker participated in the landing on Saipan, June 15, 1944. He was killed the night of June 17, while reporting to his company commander after nightfall. His captain recalled that Tucker was hit by a machine gun; the memory still haunted the captain in an interview nearly forty years later.
Sergeant Frank Tucker was re-buried in Hugo, OK, in June of 1948.
Frank A. Tucker was born and raised in Hugo, OK, to Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Tucker. Prior to entering the Marine Corps, he was employed by the Babcock Brothers Auto Store.
Tucker joined the USMC on January 2, 1942, in Dallas, TX. He attended boot camp at MCRD San Diego, and joined A Company, 24th Regiment, 4th Marine Division in 1943 at Camp Pendleton. Sergeant Tucker performed detached service in Hawthorne, NV, where he married Ailene Crews.
Sergeant Tucker was assigned to Lieutenant Phil Wood's Weapons platoon, on machine guns. He participated in Operation Flintlock and received the Navy Cross for actions at Roi-Namur, Kwajalein Atoll:
CITATION:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Frank A. Tucker (347996), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company A, First Battalion, Twenty- Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the invasion of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, on 1 February 1944. When the Forward Echelon of his company was pinned down by the cross fire of enemy machine guns, Sergeant Tucker fearlessly exposed himself to the withering hail which continued to cause heavy casualties among his comrades and, calmly opening fire with his rifle, directed a deadly fusillade against the enemy, killing numerous Japanese. Concerned only for the safety of his comrades, he remained steadfast in his dangerously vulnerable position until the wounded were pulled into nearby shell holes and an adequate defense had been established. By his great personal valor and unwavering devotion to duty throughout this critical engagement, Sergeant Tucker saved the lives of many of his comrades and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Lieutenant Wood noted:
"Only four of us got out of that trap whole – that any did was Sgt. Tucker's doing – seeing that they were being methodically slaughtered, he stood up and opened fire with his rifle. As each Jap arose out of the opposing trench to fire, Tucker carefully sighted in and shot him – often, as we found out later, right between the eyes. They think that he killed about 30 Japs that way – he put two enemy machine guns out of action, and gave the others a chance to pull the wounded into nearby shell holes – bullets creased his helmet, punctured his canteen, and cut off his rifle belt, but he didn't get down until the rest of them were safely in position."
Sergeant Tucker was subsequently made Platoon Sergeant.
Sergeant Tucker participated in the landing on Saipan, June 15, 1944. He was killed the night of June 17, while reporting to his company commander after nightfall. His captain recalled that Tucker was hit by a machine gun; the memory still haunted the captain in an interview nearly forty years later.
Sergeant Frank Tucker was re-buried in Hugo, OK, in June of 1948.
Tucker joined the USMC on January 2, 1942, in Dallas, TX. He attended boot camp at MCRD San Diego, and joined A Company, 24th Regiment, 4th Marine Division in 1943 at Camp Pendleton. Sergeant Tucker performed detached service in Hawthorne, NV, where he married Ailene Crews.
Sergeant Tucker was assigned to Lieutenant Phil Wood's Weapons platoon, on machine guns. He participated in Operation Flintlock and received the Navy Cross for actions at Roi-Namur, Kwajalein Atoll:
CITATION:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Frank A. Tucker (347996), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company A, First Battalion, Twenty- Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the invasion of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, on 1 February 1944. When the Forward Echelon of his company was pinned down by the cross fire of enemy machine guns, Sergeant Tucker fearlessly exposed himself to the withering hail which continued to cause heavy casualties among his comrades and, calmly opening fire with his rifle, directed a deadly fusillade against the enemy, killing numerous Japanese. Concerned only for the safety of his comrades, he remained steadfast in his dangerously vulnerable position until the wounded were pulled into nearby shell holes and an adequate defense had been established. By his great personal valor and unwavering devotion to duty throughout this critical engagement, Sergeant Tucker saved the lives of many of his comrades and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Lieutenant Wood noted:
"Only four of us got out of that trap whole – that any did was Sgt. Tucker's doing – seeing that they were being methodically slaughtered, he stood up and opened fire with his rifle. As each Jap arose out of the opposing trench to fire, Tucker carefully sighted in and shot him – often, as we found out later, right between the eyes. They think that he killed about 30 Japs that way – he put two enemy machine guns out of action, and gave the others a chance to pull the wounded into nearby shell holes – bullets creased his helmet, punctured his canteen, and cut off his rifle belt, but he didn't get down until the rest of them were safely in position."
Sergeant Tucker was subsequently made Platoon Sergeant.
Sergeant Tucker participated in the landing on Saipan, June 15, 1944. He was killed the night of June 17, while reporting to his company commander after nightfall. His captain recalled that Tucker was hit by a machine gun; the memory still haunted the captain in an interview nearly forty years later.
Sergeant Frank Tucker was re-buried in Hugo, OK, in June of 1948.
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