Franklin A. Tomenendale was born on August 7, 1919 in Illinois. He resided in Vilas County, Wisconsin prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on February 28, 1942 in Wausau, Wisconsin. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Actor and also as Single, without dependents. Franklin served as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on B-24J #44-40831, 375th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

Franklin was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-24, being badly damaged and returning from a mission to bomb enemy ships in Takao Harbor off Takao (Kaohsiung) on Formosa (Taiwan), crashed into Mount Arisan in China during the war on August 31, 1944. Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until March 20, 1946. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

Franklin's remains were recovered in the late 1990's and he was interred with his crew at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia on August 21, 2000. A "Rosette" was placed in front of his name on the tablets at Manila to signify his remains were recovered.

2Lt Tomenendale was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov