Frank E. Bond Jr. was born on December 18, 1921 in Otego, Otsego, New York to Frank E. Bond (1870-1959) and Anna B. Place (1884-1958). His parents were married on September 8, 1902 in Hamden, NY. His father was a stonemason from Walton, NY and later did carpentry. The 1920 U.S. Census recorded the family lived in Oneonta, NY just one year before Frank Jr. was born. The 1930 U.S. Census recorded he lived on Briar Creek Road in Otego, NY with his younger brother Roger and his two older brothers, Stephen A. and William F. He also had two older sisters, Isabella and Mary. By 1940, the US Census recorded that Frank Jr. had moved to Buffalo to live with his older sister Mary. He recorded working for the Buffalo Arms Corporation on his draft registration card (see below). His parents were still living in Otego, NY at this time. He had completed two years of High School in Otego before taking a job as a Polisher in a garage.

He registered for the draft on February 14, 1942 in Buffalo, NY and was drafted Sept. 12, 1942 with service number 32478327. He was a big man for his time standing at 6' and weighing 195 lbs. He had blue eyes and brown hair. He was single at the time he was drafted. He gets engaged to Florence Staats of Brantford, Ontario, Canada in October 1942 and assigned to Fort Bragg, NC for training. While on leave from training he married Florence in August 1943 before being sent overseas that same month. He was assigned to the 401st Glider Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.

According to the history of the 401st Glider Infantry, on the morning of June 8th, 1944, just two days after D-Day, the 401st moved inland from Utah Beach. They helped capture St-Côme-du-Mont and then captured Carentan. Pfc. Bond was killed during this action but, as of this writing, it is not known for certain the specifics of his death. We do know from Hospital Admission records that he was “killed in action.” on June 11, 1944. He was buried in the Normandy American Cemetery, Plot F, Row 23, Grave 43.  Of  the 20,000 American fatalities during D-Day, 9,385 would eventually lie in just one graveyard, near the village of Collevill-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach.  In a chapel at the center of the cemetery, the foll9owing words would be enscribed: "Think not only upon their passing.  Remember the glory of their spirit."  Pfc Bond received the Purple Heart posthumously.

If you notice any errors or omissions in this story please contact me at nez13820 at gmail dot com.

Sources:

401st Glider Infantry Regiment Facebook Page,https://www.facebook.com/401stGIR,accessed Feb. 9, 2022.

American Battle Monuments Commission,https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/bond%3Dfrank,accessed Feb. 9, 2022.

Ancestry.com.1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census.Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56642497/frank-e-bond: accessed 02 March 2023), memorial page for Pfc. Frank E. Bond Jr. (1921–11 Jun 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56642497, citing Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France; Maintained by Russ Pickett (contributor 46575736).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123115259/annabelle-bond: accessed 05 July 2023), memorial page for Annabelle Place Bond (1884–26 Oct 1958), Find a Grave Memorial ID 123115259, citing Walton Cemetery, Walton, Delaware County, New York, USA; Maintained by Mookie (contributor 47515129).

New York State Archives, Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., State Census, 1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/discoveryui-content/view/20305073:2704accessed Sept 8, 2022

The Buffalo News, July 22, 1944, Buffalo, NY., pg. 6.

The Brantford Expositor, Oct. 14, 1942, Brantford, Ontario, Canada.

The Wartime Memories Project website at, 101st Airborne Division, US Army in the Second World War 1939-1945 - The Wartime Memories Project -, accessed Feb. 9, 2022.

United States of America, Bureau of the Census.Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, Bond, Frank E., Fold3.com; accessed at https://www.fold3.com/record/704801820/bond-frank-e-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954,Sept. 8, 2022.

"World War II Army Enlistment Records" database with images Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/831/wwii-army-enlistment-records: accessed Feb. 9, 2022).

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