Francis “Frank” Harleston Ball was born on 15 September 1924 to Francis Harleston Ball and Mary Edna Owen.
He was Killed in Action 9 June 1945 on Mindanao, Philippines
Buried at Highland Memorial Cemetery, Knoxville, TN

Second Lieutenant
21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, Company E

The Knoxville News-Sentinel, 27 June 1945
Lt. Frank H. Ball Jr., only son of Mr. and Mrs. Ball of 21 Nokomis Circle, was killed in action on June 9 on Mindanao, according to a War Department message received by his parents last night. He was 20. Lt. Ball was a graduate of KHS and had served as a lieutenant in the ROTC.  At U-T, where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, he continued ROTC training. He was premedical student at U-T at the time he enlisted in the Army on Sept. 27, 1943. After preliminary training at Fort Benning he was assigned to the Rainbow Division and sent to an Oklahoma camp. There he was recommended for Officers Candidate School and returned to Fort Benning where he received his commission. He was then sent to Camp Hood, and, finally, to Camp Ord before being sent overseas on May 3, 1945. He was an active member of St. James Episcopal Church. In addition to his parents, Lt. Ball is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Mary Ball Friar, wife of Lt. (jg) George Edward Friar, who is now in California with anticipated duty in the Pacific area after  11 months of active service in the Atlantic theater; and Mrs. Frances Bull, wife of Lt. Col. Harcourt Bull Jr. of the Air Corps, stationed at Wright Field, Dayton.

Profile picture from the University of Tennessee, Sigma Chi fraternity, yearbook 1943.

  • Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Date of birth:
  • 15 September 1924
  • Date of death: 9 June 1945
  • County: Knox
  • Hometown: Knoxville
  • Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
  • Division/Assignment: 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division
  • Theater: Pacific
  • Conflict: World War II
  • Awards: Purple Heart
  • Burial/Memorial Location: Highland Memorial Cemetery, Knoxville, TN
  • Location In Memorial: Pillar VIII, Top Panel
  • Contact us to sponsor Frank H. Ball Jr.

Image Gallery

Click a thumbnail below to view at full size.


Submit more information on this veteran →