SGT Frank Thomas Lyons

courtesy of Frogman

SGT Frank Thomas Lyons was born 18 Nov 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the only child of John Lawrence and Agnes (Phillips) Lyons.  His father worked in a shipyard but his parents separated soon after his birth. Then he lived with his mother and maternal grandmother, his mother supporting the family as a knitter in a factory.  In 1940, Frank was supporting his mother working in a carpet factory.  He reported $600 income for 1939, their rent was $18 a month or $216 for the year.

Frank was drafted in October 1941.  At the time he is single without dependents. It is probable that he was assigned to K Company 116th Infantry shortly thereafter and he trained with the unit at Camp Blanding, Florida and traveled with the unit to England. He trained there for the amphibious assault that took place on 6 Jun 1944.  He landed on Omaha beach with K Company but was transferred to A Company 116th Infantry on 11 Jun 1944 as the regiment struggled to bring that unit up to something approaching effective strength.  He was wounded and evacuated to hospital where he died of his wounds on 1 Jul 1944.

SGT Lyons was buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.