YOUNGSTOWN Retired lieutenant colonel wins award for service

The military can't succeed in its role without support of the citizenry, said a top-ranking military officer.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Retired Army Lt. Col. Melvin Frank, former Salem and Niles schoolteacher, is the 2001 recipient of the Mahoning County Reserve Officers Association's Col. L.R. Boals Award for outstanding military and community service.
Frank, 86, was one of several award recipients at Thursday's Youngstown Air Reserve Station/Base-Community Council 50th annual Armed Forces Recognition Luncheon at ITAM Post 3.
Frank was born in Youngstown in 1915, attended Youngstown schools and Youngstown State University and received a bachelor's degree from Ohio University and a master's degree in education from Kent State University.
Military career: He was inducted into the Army in January 1942 and later served with Gen. George Patton's 2nd Corps and was at the surrender of Germany's Africa Corps.
He was then assigned to the 5th Army and served in France and Germany and was in Innsbruck, Austria, on V-E Day. He joined the Ohio National Guard in 1951 as a major and after 27 years of military life, retired as a lieutenant colonel.
Frank thanked the association for allowing him to be a member of "this select group."
Reserve's role: Maj. Gen. John H. Smith, Ohio adjutant general, main speaker for the event, described reserve soldiers as the link between the citizenry and the military challenges of the future.
He noted that if the people don't understand and support the military, it won't succeed in its mission.
John P. Brown III of Youngstown, second vice commander AMVETS Department of Ohio, was master of ceremonies.