Frank McAnally Wallace

The Wallaces lived their lives in the Irish communities of South Philadelphia. Frank was one of nine children, so living in a large group made it easy for him to join the military. He left school when he was 15 in the summer of 1917 to join Company C of the 1st Infantry Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

In this enlistment photo he certainly looks his age. Six weeks later Frank’s unit became part of the 109th Infantry where he started as a cook. and ended as a corporal in France. The Battle of Château-Thierry was fought on July 18, 1918 and was one of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Forces under General John J. Pershing.

In early September he was the victim of shell shock, which is today known as post-traumatic stress disorder. The unit was home by Christmas, however, his discharge was official a few weeks later.

Frank married Jeannette Robinson in August, 1921 and their daughter Jeanne Wallace was born in March 1923.  Unfortunately, the marriage did not last, so Frank went back to what he knew, serving in uniform.

First he rejoined the Pennsylvania National Guard, staying with it until it was federalized again in  1941. The job he loved came in 1926, starting as a police officer, rising in rank to captain in charge of 100 patrolmen. In the 1930s he was promoted to Inspector.

With the start of World War II, Frank was recalled to active duty. He served with the 103rd Engineers, then the 1327th Engineering Regiment in Claiborne, Louisiana as Executive Officer. In July, 1944 he was promoted to Lt. Colonel.

By then he also found his second wife, Olga Robison, but they never had any children. He and his battalion were shipped overseas to Burma in December, 1944, and they worked on the construction of the Burma Road.

Frank left active duty in November, 1945 but resumed “double duty,” as a Colonel in the National Guard and back with the police as an inspector. It was time to retire in 1956, but just two years later his dear Olga died. After battling emphysema and lung cancer for several years, he took his place here with his parents, Olga, and some of his siblings.