Sometimes you have to write from the heart …
Admittedly, just like so many other “worker bees” I am enjoying this three-day respite from the regular routine, but it is always good to take a few moments to reflect on the real reason why we have this respite a/k/a the Memorial Day holiday.
So I decided to write about Sergeant Craig Frank, a young military man who hailed from Lincoln Park, a war hero who lost his life in 2004. Craig Frank was the only soldier from the City of Lincoln Park killed in Iraq.
I’ve written about Sergeant Frank in the past, but before I knew most of you. Last year I read in the local newspaper (The News Herald) that on October 15, 2022, a portion of M-85, a main highway in this City, would be renamed “Sergeant Craig S. Frank Memorial Highway” after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed such legislation (House Bill 5712 – 2022).
The highway street sign was paid for by “Running to Honor” which is a non-profit group dedicated to keeping the memory of fallen soldiers and veterans alive. Their 5K runs/walks raise funds for various veteran-related causes. They have an annual 5K that takes place at Heritage Park.
Here is a photo of Craig Frank in military gear and the street sign which appeared in The News Herald.
A little background.
Our City’s Memorial Park has an old cannon, a pavilion with park benches donated on behalf of various pillars of the community and a huge cement monument lists the City’s war heroes from World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Most of the names, like from the two world wars and the Korean conflict were engraved right into the stone. A few more casualties from the Vietnam War have been added using individual plaques affixed to the monument.
But Sergeant Craig Frank stands out from the rest … he has his own monument that honors a life cut short way too soon.
This memorial statue is a tribute to Sergeant Frank, a member of the Army National Guard’s 1775th Military Police Company out of Pontiac, Michigan. It is found next to the monument that commemorates all the City’s war dead. Craig Frank was elevated to Sergeant four days following his death on July 17, 2004 from injuries sustained from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) that struck him from behind while he was providing armed protection for an American military convoy north of Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sergeant Frank’s Fallen Heroes Memorial is a concrete pillar where a likeness of the 24-year-old’s boots, firearm and helmet have been cast in bronze and sit atop the pillar.
You can read about Sergeant Craig at this Fallen Heroes Memorial site.
This is not the original memorial. I went to see the original memorial after reading an article in the local newspaper, but not long after the dedication, metal scrappers dismantled the statue. There was outrage and money was raised to replace it and since then, Sergeant Frank’s memorial statue has remained intact, silently honoring him, year after year and season after season.
Because I knew I would once again spotlight Sergeant Frank, I made multiple meanders over to the veterans tribute pavilion at Memorial Park to take pictures of the statue honoring this young man’s valor. I’d already taken photos in the Fall for a prior post, so I will include a few here. This year, on a snowy Winter day, I made a brief foray to the memorial, then in early Spring and my most-recent visit was to see/photograph the flags placed in advance for the Memorial Day ceremony held May 21st.
Memorial Park meanders in various seasons.
In Autumn, the golden glow of leaves littering the ground made it very picturesque – the ambiance was peaceful.
On one Summer visit l noticed a flag had been entwined with the boots and gun and secured with a plastic poppy.
When I visited Sergeant Frank’s memorial in the Winter, there was something new added – a baseball cap from a Vietnam vet.
When I returned in early Spring, I was pleased to see the cap was still there, although it was hanging off a different boot.
The cap remained in place just prior to the Memorial Day parade.
Our new mayor, Mike Higgins, was Craig Frank’s swimming coach, so he knew him as a high school athlete – had he lived, what would Craig Frank be doing now at 43 years old?
Have a safe Memorial Day.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
This is a thoughtful and well-expressed post that serves to honour his memory. So many of our historical plaques have been removed and gravestones desecrated by people collecting ‘scrap’ metal that we have become used to such vandalism. I am astounded to read of it happening there too!
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Thank you Anne … I don’t personally know anyone who had a casualty in their family for any of the wars but the story about this tragic loss of life has always made me sad. I am glad the City has found a way to keep honoring him. People were horrified and outraged when the original memorial was desecrated. I am glad no one else has tampered with it since it was dedicated again. I am surprised to hear that this happens in your part of the world. So sad.
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This is a lovely and thought provoking tribute, Linda. Our memorial park has items named in honor of one of our young men who died in Afghanistan. It’s such a shame that after two world wars, we still have young men dying. Honoring them is appropriate.
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Thank you Dan – the tragedy of lives lost during wartime is very sad and even though I’ve never known anyone personally who has suffered such a loss, since 2004 I have followed this young man’s story and heartbreak for his family and those who knew him locally. I am glad, like your park, there are memorials which can help to honor these service personnel for their bravery.
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I like that they have our memorial (one of them) in the park because it means more people will see it, especially young people. It’s sad, but when they honor a person who is part of the generation using the park, I think it sends a louder message.
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I agree with you Dan. It is good to remind people about these men and women who lost their lives and why. We have another park in a nearby city which I’ve been to a few times, the last was when the traveling Vietnam Wall was in town and set up in Young Patriots Park. It was moving to see the Wall, the personal items of some of the service personnel who died and the big boards with statistics about those war dead. Especially sad was to see former soldiers, arm in arm, openly weeping as they pointed out lost comrades on the Wall. I have not seen the original Wall in Washington.
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I saw the moving wall in a nearby town before seen the original. Both are impressive and poignant.
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I’d like to see the original wall one day. I visited Washington, D.C. in 1977 before it was built. It was very sad to see those men crying and people doing etchings of their loved one’s name.
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Lovely tribute. War is so wasteful, driven by greed and power. I don’t think people will ever learn from it.
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Thank you Kate. I agree with you and while it is sad enough when those men and women lost their lives during conscription in earlier wars/conflicts, it is sadder still when they volunteer for military duty or are in the National Guard like Craig Frank was. They are never out of harm’s way.
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This made me tear up, Linda, especially the very last words–what would he be doing at 43. A wonderful yet sad tribute to a fallen, young hero who gave his life for our country. You have a beautiful park area in which to memorialize our fallen servicemen and women. We have servicemen in our family and we spent the day with both my hubby’s brothers who both served. We give thanks to all.
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Terri -I have never known anyone personally who has lost a family member due to conflict, but I have followed this sad story of Craig Frank since he lost his life. He looks so young in the newspaper photos. Our new mayor was quite moved that the street was named for Craig Frank and reminisced about him a little when the sign went up. This park was here when we moved here in 1966; the pavilion area is fairly new and every few years we have the “Field of Flags” which includes flags with cards with info about the service person’s name, rank, date and place of death and what branch of the service they served. It is very moving to see that tribute. The Exchange Club puts these flags up each year. Thank you for saying this touched you and yes I wonder how Craig would have lived his life. The comments on the link I provided are very sad to read.
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thanks for sharing Linda and the link
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You’re welcome Andy. Like your posts about the poppies along the wall and other posts that are war-related, it is good to reflect on war dead. Though I’ve never known anyone who lost a family member in a war or other conflict, I have followed this young man’s story since his tragic death nearly 20 years ago. Today for us is a day to reflect, but the solemnity of the occasion is sadly lost for the most part due to the “holiday” atmosphere and kickoff to the Summer season.
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So sad as he was so young, so many have died in wars. That memorial is beautiful.
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Yes, it makes me sad when I see the memorial Susan – he was so young and looks like a kid in the two newspaper photos. The memorial is beautiful and it is nice that people have paid their respects by leaving the flag and hat as a tribute.
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A very nice tribute, Linda! Your seasonal photos are touching. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you Rebecca. I am glad you enjoyed this tribute. I thought it would be nice to show this young man’s memorial in all seasons, especially in the starkness of Winter. I like going over to this park, including to the volunteer flower gardens that are near the pavilion and memorial area.
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Thank you for sharing the tribute on Memorial Day – such a nice reminder of why we celebrate and give gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives for us to be free. You used perfect photos for the post as well, nice job, Linda!
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Thanks Shelley – I am glad you enjoyed this post. As soon as I heard about the highway and collected some info and pics about it, I decided it would be nice to write about Craig Frank again – it had been a while. He is the second deceased serviceman I have written about. Another young military man finished his tour of duty and was living in Texas, I believe. He was hit and killed by a drunk driver. I thought it would be nice to intersperse the pics from different seasons of the memorial area.
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🥰🤗😊
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Miss Linda………………………….you are such a good writer……………………….thank you for telling the story of Sgt. Frank who died serving our country………I enjoyed learning about his journey………………………………….
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Thank you Ann Marie. I wanted to tell Sgt. Frank’s story again plus show his memorial and the highway sign for the portion of Fort Street dedicated in his name. Perhaps you remember this young man’s story and the original memorial from when you still lived here in Lincoln Park?
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Thank you for your moving tribute to this young soldier. Like you, I didn’t personally know anyone who died in these recent wars. It is good to know this young man’s story.
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Thank you JP. I feel for this soldier who lost his life at such a young age, just days before he would finish his tour. I just watched a 79th anniversary D-Day tribute before coming here … mass sadness.
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