MARION COUNTY, Fla. – The Defense POW/MIA accounting agency announced a U.S Army Air Force Staff Sergeant from Leesburg who died while serving during World War II has been finally been accounted for.
Staff Sgt. Franklin P. Hall was just 21 years old when he died.
According to a release from the agency, in January 1944, Hall was assigned to the 66th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in the European Theatre.
On Jan. 21, Hall was a left waist gunner on board a bB-24D Liberator when it was attacked by German air forces.
After 80 years of waiting, Hall’s nephew, Jeffery Hester, now has answers about his uncle’s passing. Hall’s remains were identified by the agency on July 13, 2023.
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Hester’s family meticulously kept documents related to his uncle from over the years, including his diploma from Leesburg High School, his original Purple Heart certificate and the original Western Union telegraph sent to his mother notifying her of the crash and his being missing in action.
“It got more and more and more important, too,” Hester said. “It’s not just a little bit of history, it’s a repatriation of a veteran. OK. This just man gave his life at 20 years old.”
Hester said that back in 2017, the Army reached out to him and his brother for DNA samples. He said he figured something would come from that phone call. Scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis to identify Hall’s remains.
“Well, I knew science was pretty, pretty, pretty good, pretty strong,” Hester said. “So I didn’t doubt it.”
Hester said he immediately thought of his uncle.
“The guy, I didn’t even know him,” Hester said. “Trying to stay somewhat focused because you think about your mother who never really knew, and it’s just like, wow — so here we go.”
Hester told News 6 that he wishes he could tell his mom and wife the news.
“I just wanna go shake my mom’s grave and tell her,” Hester said. “That would be the great part... My wife was really into it, too, and she passed, and I have two grave markers to shake. It’s good. It’s a good story. It is full circle and also, I think if it’s right, the Jan. 21 burial will be 80 years on the dot to when his plane went down.”
Hester said his experience with the Army explaining how they found his uncle was incredible.
“It’s a big job for them,” Hester said. “It’s got to be very thorough. It’s got to be very, very intense for them to make sure everything is perfectly lined up and everything.
Hester tells us his uncle is expected to return home to Orlando in December. He will have a Welcome Home Hero’s Highway procession from the airport to Beyers Funeral Home in Lady Lake, Florida. A Full Army Military Honors service will take place in Leesburg as well.
Hall’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Ardennes American Cemetery, France, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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