John Agosta
Bill Ales
Charles Ales
Frank Ales
Jim Ales
Tom Ales
John Alex
Joe Ambrozic
Chester Anastasi
Dom Apnar
Tony Apnar
George Leo Bazin
Joe Bazin, Jr.
Joe Bazin, Sr.
Lawrence Bazin
Joe Bell
John Bell
William Bell
Robert "Bob" Benard
Joe Benedict
Albert Biederman
John Biederman
James Blue
Emil Bogatay
Fred Bogatay
Martha Goodwin Browning
Joshua Burleson
Ernie Chaussard
John Chelesnik, Sr.
John Chelesnik, Jr.
Gerald Crucani
Harold Crucani
Don Cukjati
Joe Cukjati
Jim Davied
Teddy Davied
Frank Debelak
Frank Dernovsek
Bill Dobrauc
Frank Eichhorn

Bob Femec
Louis Femec
Chester "Clark" Fikes
Terry Fleury Eddie Gartner
Frank Gartner
Jack Gartner
Joe Gartner
Louis Gartner
Julian Gonko
Walter Gonko
Anton Govaker
Harold Goyette
Paul Herrell
Jack Herington
John Herington
Nathanial (Nate) Hopper
Anne (Ales) Irwin
Henry Jelochan
James Johnson
August Karlinger
Louis "Babe" Karlinger
Rudy Karlinger
Vern "Bub" Kennedy
Andy Kmetz
Frank Kmetz
John Kmetz
Paul Kmetz
Victor Kmetz Andrew Kobak
Lawrence Kobak
Leo Kobak
Pete Kobak
Roger Kobak
John Korach
John Kosir
August Kovacic
Bill Kovacic
Frank Kovacic
Henry Kovacic
John Kovacic

We Salute our Franklin Veterans

Photos of Franklin veterans are displayed at Miners Hall Museum in Franklin, KS along with a huge assortment of memorabilia which was donated by Franklin veterans including Tony Zemlock and Chester "Clark" Fikes who were POWs during WWII. They have all graciously donated the items to ensure that the items will be on display for generations to come. We are very grateful for their kind donations as well as their service to our country. Please help us update this page. If you or your family member have ever lived in Franklin and your information is not included or if you have info to add or need to make a correction, please send the info and a photo to franklinkansas@yahoo.com and it will be added.

Keep scrolling for photos. Photos are not in alphabetical order. We’re working on that issue. The link below will take you to stories about 3 amazing families and 15 servicemen. Two families have Franklin connections.

Johnnie Kranker
Leo Kranker
Rudy Kranker
Walter Krasovec
Jack Kynion
Lawrence Laird
Raymond Lakey
Joe LaSota
Tom LaSota
Frank Leber
Ludwig Lepoglow, Jr.
Antone "Tony" Lesjack
Joe Lipasek
John J. Lipasek
Frank Liposek
Philip Liposek
Matt Lipovsek
Fred Lowry John Lowry
Robert Luth Johnnie Malnar
Charles C. Marlier, Jr.
William "Bill" Marlier
Floyd Marshall
John Martin
Stuart “Butch” Maxwell
Ed McGuire
Richard Minelli
Ella (Ales) Modderman
James Mooney
Dean Morrison
Jim Morrison
Rudy Moutz
John J. Nepote
Charles Nocerini
Frank Nolimal
Joe OBlak
James Paffi
Anthony Panelsek
Joe Papez
Melvin Patrick

Veteran Stories

Bob Peternell
Floyd "Ike" Peternell
Americo Piccini
Nick Piccini
Parigi Piccini
Henry Pichler
Albert Pintar
Brandon Pitts
Jeremy Joseph Pitts
William J. "Johnnie" Podpechan
Frank Polchlopek
Frank Polsak, Jr.
Frank Polsak, Sr.
Jules Pommier
Louis Pommier
Leo Ponce (Killed in Action)
Edward Prysbala
Dave Pugh
George "Buck" Pugh
Jack Pugh
Andy Rezin
William Rezin
Jim Rheums
Jules Richard, Jr.
Tony Russell
Clarence Ryder David Sachett
Charles Saia
Ray Saia
Vincent Saia
William “Bill” Sarley
Henry Sarley
Ted Sarley
Clifford Scepansky
Joe Scepansky
Charles Scholes
Paul Schroeder
Lon Seglie
Ron Seglie

Joe Septak
Rudy Septak
Charles "Bud" Shoemaker
Charles Smardo
Paul Smardo
Richard Spann
Stanley Spann
Mollie Stefancic
Dom Stermlon
Donald Stone
Marvin Stone
Ray Stone
Vernon Stone
Bill Strukel
Harry Strukel
Jack Strukel
Joe Strukel
John Strukel
Clarence Sullivan
Corrado Taroli
Joe Tersina
John Tersina
Jack Toschi
Bill Trentle
Rudy Trybalski
Stanley Trybalski
Albert Vignatelli
Leopold Paul Volk
Joe Weytkow (Killed in Action)
Stanley Weytkow
Craig White
George White
Harold White
Charles “Butch” Widmar
Rose Yanish
Joe Youvan
Frank Zaccarello
Anton "Tony" Zemlock

Franklin Veterans

Anne (Ales) Irwin

World War II
WAC (Women's Army Corps)
Army Air Force
440th Air Force Base Unit
Bill Ales

Army
Embassy Work in Cambodia
1968-1971
Charles "Chuck" Ales

1954-1956
Battalion Vehicle Inspector
40th AAA Gun Battalion
Germany
Eleanor (Ales) Modderman

WW II
WAC (Women's Army Corps)
432nd Army Air Force
1943-1945
Frank Ales, Jr.

WWII
Army
Sergeant Major in Post Headquarters
Jim Ales

Army
Gun Commander
1954
Tom Ales

Army
Ft. Richardson, Alaska
1954-1956
John Alex
Joseph Bell
John Bell
John Biederman
Joshua Burleson

Air Force
Jim Davied

US Army
PFC
Korean War
Louis Femec

WWII
MP
Louis Gartner

WWII - NAVY
1st Invasion of Phillipines
Iwomega - Okinawa
Minesweepers
Martha Goodwin-Browning

Army 1975-1978 Army Reserves 1979-80 Navy 1980-1988 Guam, Okinawa & Adak, Alaska
Harold Goyette
James Johnson

WWII
U.S. Marine
Andy Kmetz

WWII
Frank Kmetz
John Kmetz

WWII
Paul Kmetz
Andrew Kobak

WWII
Lawrence Kobak

WWII
Leo Kobak

WW II
US Navy
1942-1945
Pete Kobak

WW II
Wounded at Anizo, Italy
Roger Kobak

US Army
1966-1968
Sergeant ES
Vietnam
Rudy Kranker
Walter Krasovec

Tech 5 - US Army
1943-1945
Company C, 96th Signal Battalion
China, Central Burma, India Burma
Major battles: China Offensive
Significant Accomplishments: Heavy Truck Driver; WW II Victory Ribbon; Good Conduct Medal; 3 Bronze Service Stars, Meritorious Service Unit Award
Raymond Lakey
Ludwig Lepoglow Jr

Army - Army Reserves
1952-1960
Korean War
Antone "Tony" Lesjack

WWII
Joe Lipasek

WWII
John J. Lipasek

WWII
US Army
Matt Lipovsek

WWII
Frank Liposek

WWII
Philip Liposek

WWII
635 Tank Destroyer Batallion
European African Middle East Theater
Normandy, Omaha Beach
Battle of the Bulge
Fred Lowry

WWII
Robert Luth
John Malnar
Charles C. Marlier, Jr.

WWII
US Army
403rd Bomb Squadron
Master Sergeant
1942-1945
William B. "Bill" Marlier
Stuart "Butch" Maxwell

Korean War
U.S. Marine
James Mooney

WWII
U.S. Marine
Rudy Moutz
John J. Nepote

Korean War
1953-1955
U.S. Army
Joe Oblak

US Air Force
Korean War
Anthony Panalsek

US Army
Korean War
Joe Papez

US Army
WWII
Received special training with the amphibious operations with the U.S. Marine Corp.
Bob Peternell
William J. "Johnnie" Podpechan

US Army Air Force
371st Engineering Squadron
337 Service Group
Pacific Theater of War
Iowa Jima & Aleution Islands
Frank Polhlopek

WWII
Frank "Pokey" Polsak, Sr.

WWII
Dave Pugh

WWII
1942-1945
Jules J. Richard, Jr.

WW II
Korea
1942-1945
173rd Combat Engineers
Company C - Corporal
Invasions: Leyte, Okinawa
Clarence Ryder

U.S. Army
1943-1946
Port Battalion, Company D
Aleutian Islands
Bombed at Amchitka 8 times in 13 days (Lost 600 men)
David J Sackett

U.S. Army
WWII
William "Bill" Sarley
Henry Sarley
Ted Sarley
Clifford Scepansky

WWII
Joe Scepansky

WWII
Charles Scholes

1950-1953
Unit: Division of Naval Gunfire
Location: Korea
Duties: Radio Operator
Joe Septak
Rudy Septak
Charles "Bud" Shoemaker
Donald Stone

Navy
Marvin Stone
Ray Stone

US Army
WWII
Wounded in Action
Awards: Purple Heart
Vernon Stone

US Navy
Retired Senior Chief Petty Officer
with over 20 years service
William "Bill" Strukel

WW II
Staff Sergeant
Harry Strukel

Korean Conflict
SCARWAF
(Special Components of the Army with the Air Force)
1952-1954
Jack Strukel

WW II
Staff Sergeant
Joe Strukel

WWII
Infantry - Corporal
John Strukel

WWII
US Army - Corporal
22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
Awards: Purple Heart
Killed in Battle of the Bulge
Corrado Tarolil

Pvt US Army Air Force
WWII 1942-1946
Unite 3806h Bomber Wing
Australia, Philippines, South Pacific
Loaded bombs into planes and traveled throughout the Pacific.
Pacific Service Medal; World War II Victory Medal
Joe Tersina

WWII
PFC John C. Tersina

Engineer Corp WWII
126th Mt. Engineer Bn. Co. A
Jack Toschi
CPT Craig White

Combat Operations Analyst
George White

Army
WWII
Charles "Butch" Widmar

1967-1970, Sgt E-5
4th Infantry Division, Plaku, Vietnam
Rose Yanish

WWII WAC (Women's Army Corps)
Corporal Antone "Tony" Zemlock

Former POW (Captured in Battle of Bulge)
U.S. Army
1942-1945
WW II
H.Q. 707 Tk Bn
4 Bronze Stars
European Theater of Operations in France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg
Joe Ambrozic

WWII
U.S. Coast Guard
Dom Apnar
Emil Bogatay

WWII
United States Coast Guard
February 1942 - July 1945
Fred Bogatay

Command Sergeant Major (Retired)
Kansas Army National Guard/US Army Reserves (1969-2006)
Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service Medal w/2nd Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation Medal w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Achievement Medal w/2nd Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal w/7th Oak Leave Cluster; National Defense Service Medal w/2nd Battle Star; Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/Gold Hourglass; Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon w/Numeral 4: Army Service Ribbon; M16 Rifle Expert Rifleman Badge
John Chelesnik, Sr.

WW II
John Chelesnik, Jr.

Vietnam
Frank Dernosek, Jr.

Korea 1952-1954
21st Inf. Regt.
24th Division US Army
Frank Eichhorn

WWII
Chester Clark Fikes

Former P.O.W.
Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal (04/27/1944 - May 3, 1945) France
Distinguished Flying Cross; Air Medal with oak Clusters (3); Purple Heart; POW Medal; Good Conduct Medal; American Campaign Medal; WWII Victory Medal; Army Occupation Medal; Berlin Airlift Medal; American Defense Service Medal
Eddie Gartner
Frank Gartner
Jack Gartner

Seaman 1st Class
WWII
USS Foote - Destroyer Squadron
1943-1946
William Bell
Sgt. Brandon Pitts

U.S. Army
Unit 41BCT 1-4 Cav
Wartime Locations: Baghdad, Iraq Service began July, 2003
Specialist Jeremy Joseph PItts

U.S. Army- 101st Airborne
Wartime Locations: Baghdad, Iraq
Service began April, 2004
John Agosta
Julian Gonko

Killed in Action
Parigi Piccini

Killed in Action
Leo Ponce

Killed in Action
Joe Weytkow

Killed in Action
Victor Kmetz

WWII
Henry Pichler

WWII
Piatowski
Stanley Weytkow
Joe Youvan