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NavSource Online: Army Ship Photo Archive

Lost to enemy action, 28 January 1942


USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank


Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive 28 January 1942)- American Defense Service Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - World War I Victory Medal - World War II Victory Medal

Individual Awards

Purple Heart (24-KIA/WIA 28 January 1942)

Mine Planter:
  • Built in 1907-08 for the U.S. Army Quartermaster Department at New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.
  • Launched, 20 October 1908
  • Named in honor of Brig. Gen. Royal Thaxter Frank, Civil War veteran and commandant of the Artillery School 1888–1898
  • Accepted for service by the Quartermaster Department, 3 June 1909, Commissioned USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank
  • In January 1919 USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank was assigned to the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps, Mine Planter Service, North Atlantic Coast Artillery District and stationed at Boston, MA.
  • 9 November 1920 she was further assigned to the Coast Defenses of Boston
  • Though assigned to the Coast Defenses of Boston, USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank also serviced the Coast Defenses of Portsmouth and Narragansett Bay
  • Decommissioned, 30 September 1922, and placed in reserve at the R. T. Greene Shipyard, Chelsea, MA.
  • Recommissioned, 22 April 1929, in the Harbor Boat Service, reconditioned at Brooklyn, N.Y., and ordered to report to the Quartermaster for the Hawaiian Department
  • USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank arrived at Honolulu, T.H., 7 June 1929 where she was used by the Hawaiian Department as an inter-island transport in the Hawaiian Islands
  • USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank was at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941
  • Final Disposition, torpedoed by Japanese Imperial Navy submarine IJN I-71 30 miles North of Upolu Point, Alenuihaha Channel, Hawaii 28 January 1942
  • USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 621 t. gross
    Length 165'
    Beam 32'
    Draft 17'
    Speed unknown
    Armament unknown
    Complement
    Propulsion
    two reciprocating steam engines
    two shafts, 900shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    Gen Royal T. Frank 107k USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank under way, date and location unknown US National Archives photo, a US Army Signal Corps photo
    Gen Royal T. Frank 159k USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank conducting mine planting operations near Fort Pickens, FL., date unknown US National Archives photo, a US Army Signal Corps photo
    Gen Royal T. Frank
    30110603
    48k USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank moored pierside at Hilo, T.H., circa 1930s. David Wright
    Gen Royal T. Frank
    30110604
    140k USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank alongside a pier, probably at Honolulu, T.H., cica 1930. Jeffrey Baird

    The history for USAMP Gen. Royal T. Frank is from US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 Vol. 2
    Commanding Officers
    01Maj. James H. Johnson, USA6 December 1919 - 26 February 1922
    02Capt. Joseph W. Barker, USA 26 February 1922 – 22 April 1922
    03Capt. Ernest C. Bomar, USA 22 April 1922 – 30 September 1922
    04Capt. Walter C. Wiechert, USA - 28 January 1942 KIA 28 January 1942
    US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 Vol. 2

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The Mystery of the sinking of the Royal T. Frank
    USAT Royal T. Frank Torpedoed in Hawaiian Waters
    United States Harbor Defenses - USCG Cable Ship Pequot - Sister Ships - Mills, Frank, Schofield, and Graham
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The US Army Ship Index Back To The US Army Mine Planter Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 12 January 2024