Francis (Frank) D. McGinley (Maginley) was born on June 12, 1925 in Oneonta, New York. His parents were Sherman C. McGinley (1902-1966) and Mary Elizabeth (Ethel) Munson (1905-1982). His parents separated early in his life and he stayed with his mother in Oneonta. He had no siblings. His mother married John Delaney. Delaney had a son resulting in Frank having a step brother. Frank was a popular all around athlete at Oneonta High School. He was two-letter man in football and baseball. He was also on the basketball squad and an outstanding miler on the track  team. In his junior year he was undefeated in the mile event.

He entered the armed forces in October 1943 when he was a senior. He received his diploma in absentia.  Based on his World War Draft Card, Frank’s enlistment date was June 12 1943, his 18th birthday. He was 6' tall and weighed 142 pounds. He had brown eyes and brown hair.  Frank was sent to Camp Carson, Colorado where he was trained in mountain artillery warfare. From Colorado he was assigned to Burma and became a member of the MARS Task Force that assisted the Merrill’ Marauders in protecting the Burma Road into China.

Two years before Germany attacked Poland and four years before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, the Japanese started an eight-year land war in China. The war was initially concentrated in northern China but the Japanese expanded the war into Southeast Asia, mainly to cut off the supply route from India to southern China, known as the Burma Road. Japan’s main base and airfield in North Burma was at Myitkyina. This base had to be eliminated in order to allow the flow of military equipment from India to China. Fighter planes from this base harassed cargo flights. Also, a new road, called the Ledo Road, was being constructed to intersect with the old Burma Road and provide a better ground route to China from India. This new road had to pass through Myitkyina. To capture Myitkyina a fighting force of 3,000 men was formed and named the Merrill’s Marauders. Tracking through dense jungle and over difficult terrain the size of the force was significantly reduced due to exhaustion, malnutrition and disease. The Marauders defeated the Japanese with the help of two battalions of combat engineers working on the Ledo Road. These new replacements were named the MARS Task Force. Frank from his mountain training at Camp Carson, Colorado was a member of this task force. Later he was sent to Kunming, China to assist in training Chinese troops. In his last letter to his mother he stated that he was in Shanghai and “sleeping in a bed with sheets on it.” He added that he had dreamed about such a luxury during combat. He was with 612th Field Artillery Battalion/HQ Shanghai Base Command. On October 25, 1945, Frank was found dead in his bed from asphyxiation. World War II was already over. His serial number was 32944922. He was 20 years old.

He is buried in the Mt. Calvary cemetery in Oneonta, NY. 

If you notice anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact Jim Greenberg at nez13820@gmail.com. 

Sources:

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 55; Assembly District: 05; City: New York; County: Queens; Page: 46

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/21679482:2704?tid=&pid=&queryId=726618bcd7ffa3f49d0abb1aad9305f9&_phsrc=NtK17424&_phstart=successSource accessed December 29, 2022

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: 05882; Reel: 252

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 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/6958552:2238 accessed December 29, 2022

Year: 1940; Census Place: Oneonta, Otsego, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02717; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 39-34 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/6238199:2442?tid=&pid=&queryId=324b858bee0332400ac9d949931db8df&_phsrc=NtK17418&_phstart=successSource accessed December 29, 2022

Mother Hears Son Died in Shanghai of Asphyxiation. Oneonta Herald. December 7, 1945 p 3

Sgt. Francis D. McGinley, Former OHS Athlete, Dies In China, Mother Informed. Oneonta Herald. December 8, 1945 p 6

Troy J. Sacquety. Over the Hills and Far Away: The MARS Task Force, the Ultimate Model for Long Range Penetration Warfare Veritas Vol. 5, No. 4. 2009 https://arsof-history.org/articles/v5n4_over_the_hills_page_1.html accessed December 20, 2022

"U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; School Name: Oneonta Senior High School; Year: 1941 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/373449907:1265?tid=&pid=&queryId=47c154ac216d6f21f6886abf85ecc46d&_phsrc=NtK17416&_phstart=successSource accessed December 29, 2022

Find a Grave record for Francis McGinley accessed at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/136935599/francis-d-mcginley, January 3, 2023.

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