Frank David Bazell

Sergeant, U.S. Army

Frank David Bazell was born on 2 January 1943 in Los Angeles, CA.

Frank David Bazell, Van Nuys, CA, was one of the lucky 48 who survived the ditching of Flying Tiger Airlines Flight 923 the night of 23 September 1962. It was a military charter flight that was taking him to his next assignment in Germany. The crash occurred off the coast of Ireland in the Atlantic Ocean. Twenty-eight people perished at sea.

Frank made it out of the destroyed airplane, battled the frigid gale-driven waves of the North Atlantic, rode the upside-down and overcrowded life raft for nearly six hours, and was finally able to leave the rescue ship Celerina when it docked in Antwerp four days later. He then proceeded to serve his duty as a combat paratrooper in Germany.

On 1 March 1967, less than five years after the crash of Flying Tiger 923, SGT Frank Bazell died in the service of his country while serving with the Recon Platoon, Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division in Binh Dinh Province, South Vietnam. He was a victim of enemy small arms fire.

Medals and Badges

Silver Star Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Purple Heart
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Parachutist Badge

Honors

The name Frank D Bazell is inscribed on Panel 15E Line 124 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Death and Burial

Sergeant Bazell died on 1 March 1967 in Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam. He is buried in Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, Los Angeles County, CA.

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