Frank Clifford Green Jr. was born on June 5, 1935, in Waskom, Texas, to Frank and Mary Green. His father served in the Army during World War II. The younger Green attended Waskom High School and graduated from the University of Texas before joining the Navy. He married Marlene Bonilla, who hailed from Nicaragua, in 1958, and the couple had two children.
In the waning years of American involvement in Vietnam, Green had attained the rank of Commander and was a pilot assigned to Attack Squadron 212 aboard the USS HANCOCK (CVA 19). On July 10, 1972, he flew an A4F Skyhawk on a night reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. He and his wingman sighted vehicle lights nearby and flew in to engage, but were shot down shortly after the attack. Search and rescue efforts failed; Green was never heard from again.
Green was officially placed on Missing in Action status until his remains were identified in 2010. His name can be found on Panel W1, Line 55 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and he now rests in Section 7, Site 263 of Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, California. Honor his service at his Veterans Legacy Memorial page.
This #VeteranOfTheDay is from the Veterans Legacy Program. To learn more about the VLP, our partnerships and how we share the stories of Veterans in our national cemeteries, please visit the VLP webpage.
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