Frank Anthony Assaro was born August 6, 1924 in Utica, NY to Nicholas Assaro (1894-1957) and Josephine Sciortino (1904-1986). His parents were married in 1923. He was the oldest of their 3 sons which included Dominick (1926-1980) and John (1928-1991). The 1940 US Census recorded that his dad was from Italy and was an undertaker. The family lived on Bleecker St. in Utica. Frank graduated from Proctor High School in 1942. He was a member of St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Church and worked for Savage Arms in Utica, NY. Savage Arms was expanding in the early 1940s to support the war effort.

Frank registered for the draft the winter after he graduated, on December 11, 1942 in Utica, NY. He was 5'-6" tall and weighed 128 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was drafted into the service on January 27, 1943 through Utica, NY with service number 32745168. He did his basic training at St. Petersburg, Florida then at the Army Airdome, Glendale, California. In November 1943 he was promoted to corporal and sent to Flexible Training School in Las Vegas, Nevada. In January 1944, having finished his training in Las Vegas, he was transferred to Columbia, South Carolina to await further assignment. Columbia was a replacement depot. From there he was immediately sent to the 411th Bomb Group in Florence, South Carolina. In March 1944 he was sent to Myrtle Beach for three days gunnery training. He was assigned to the 650th Bombardment Squadron at that time. In April 1944, now a Sgt., he was sent to New York's point of embarkation from Hunter Field, Georgia to await dispatch overseas. In May 1944 he was overseas awaiting orders to his final destination. June 17, 1944 Morning Reports for the 643rd Bomb Squadron (L) showed him at Little Walden, Essex, England where the 643rd flew missions from in support of Allied operations in France.

On July 9, 1944 he was the Armorer Gunner aboard #43-9889 an A-20G-35 (Havoc Bomber) out of Little Walden on a combat mission to Rennes, France. Their Missing Air Crew Report noted they were likely shotdown by enemy anti-aircraft fire. All three of the crew were lost. Piloting that day was 2nd Lt. Richard E. Armstrong (O-750302). His body is returned home in October 1948 during the government's body recovery program and he is laid to rest in the Calvary Cemetery, Utica, NY. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91359629/frank_a-assaro: accessed September 22, 2025), memorial page for SGT Frank A. Assaro (6 Aug 1924–9 Jul 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 91359629, citing Calvary Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by DBT (contributor 46622280).

"Frank Assaro Gets Promotion", Utica Observer-Dispatch, November 14, 1943, pg. 8.

"Missing Flyer Reported Dead", Utica Daily Press, September 11, 1944, pg. 7

National Archives, Record Group 92: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General: Series: Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs), number 6650, NAID: 91016642.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 05582; Reel: 222

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02861; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 67-35

Supporting Documents

The first series of documents are the 21 pages of the Missing Air Crew Report