Ted Budd: “I rise today to remember the life of Harold Lee Frank and to recognize his dedication to family, freedom, and service.…”

“I rise today to remember the life of Harold Lee Frank and to recognize his dedication to family, freedom, and service. Born in 1924 in Davidson County, NC, Harold Frank came of age during the Great Depression. When his country needed him, he answered the call to serve during the Second World War. Assigned to the U.S. Army's 90th Infantry Division, he landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944: D-day. After receiving a gunshot wound to his shoulder, he was captured by German troops on July 8, 1944, and held as a prisoner of war by the Nazis. As a prisoner, his wound was treated for infection by a fellow American medic POW, and the bullet was eventually removed on October 13, 1944. PFC Frank was actually allowed to keep the German bullet that was extracted from his shoulder. On July 5, 1945, he was released from prison and was found by an American Army unit. After the war, PFC Frank was awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He was also knighted by the French Ambassador to the United States and awarded the French Medal of Honor for his courage and for his valor. Once home, he married the love of his life: Reba Mae McDaniel Frank. They were married for 68 years, until her passing in 2016. Harold continued to give back to his community as a county commissioner and a special deputy sheriff. He also assisted in organizing the Cornatzer-Dulin Volunteer Fire Department.…”