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PFC James E. Franklin (Slim)
to remember
Marine LtGen Frank Tharin.
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Contact Info
Last Address Washington, DC
Date of Passing Mar 21, 1990
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1946 about Frank C Tharin Name: Frank C Tharin Residence State: District of Columbia
Report Date: 23 Dec 1941 Latest Report Date: 16 Oct 1945
Grade: Captain or Asst. superintendent of nurses or Asst. director of nurses or Chief dietitian or Chief physical therapy aide Grade Notes: Captain or Lieutenant Service Branch: Marine Arm or Service: United States Marine Corps Arm or Service Code: United States Marine Corps Area Served: Pacific Theatre_Guam: Wake Island Detaining Country: Japan Camp: Shanghai War Prisoners Camp - Kiawgwan Shanghai 31-121 STATUS: Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated Report Source: Individual has been reported through sources considered official.
Other Comments:
Published: April 6, 1990
LEAD: Frank Tharin, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general who as a pilot was a hero of the battle of Wake Island in 1941, died on March 21 in San Rafael, where he had been hospitalized for eight months. He was 79 years old and lived in Laguna Beach.
Frank Tharin, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general who as a pilot was a hero of the battle of Wake Island in 1941, died on March 21 in San Rafael, where he had been hospitalized for eight months. He was 79 years old and lived in Laguna Beach.
In the 17-day fight for Wake Island that followed the attack on Pearl Harbor, Lieutenant Tharin won the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Air Medals and a Purple Heart for helping to sink a Japanese cruiser and downing Japanese fighters.
Wake Island fell to the Japanese on Dec. 23, 1941 and Lieutenant Tharin was captured and held prisoner in Hokkaido, Japan, until the war ended.
He later served as commanding general of the Eastern and Western region Marine Corps air bases, and of all three active-duty Marine aircraft wings, in Iwakuni, Japan; Cherry Point, N.C., and El Toro, Calif. He retired in 1970.
Central Pacific Campaign (1941-43)/Battle of Wake Island
From Month/Year
December / 1941
To Month/Year
December / 1941
Description The Battle of Wake Island began simultaneously with the Attack on Pearl Harbor and ended on 23 December 1941, with the surrender of the American forces to the Empire of Japan. It was fought on and around the atoll formed by Wake Island and its islets of Peale and Wilkes Islands by the air, land and naval forces of the Empire of Japan against those of the U.S., with Marines playing a prominent role on both sides.
The island was held by the Japanese for the duration of the Pacific War; the remaining Japanese garrison on the island surrendered to a detachment of United States Marines on 4 September 1945.
