His daughter
Jean wrote: "He was a "Good Time Charlie" in
every respect - lost stripes on at least one
occasion as a result! He loved to dance, had a
pleasing
singing voice and enjoyed fishing and hunting. I
doubt that he would have been drafted given his
occupation, age and having two children, but he
enlisted out of patriotism and his sense of
adventure. He was well liked by his fellow
soldiers
in spite of the age difference and was referred
to as Pop."
In 1943 the
squadron was transferred to the 11th Cavalry
Group and re-designated the 44th Cavalry
Mechanized Recon Squadron.
He was assigned to C Troop of the 44th and
remained there until his death. The Group was
deployed to Europe in 1944, where they joined
9th Army's XIIIth Corps. On April 17th, 1945 in
Salzwedel, Germany, he was in a jeep en route to
a guard post when he was killed by a sniper's
bullet. He had been awarded the Purple Heart on
April 13th for injuries received on the 10th of
April. He mailed the medal to my mother and
enclosed a note dated April 16th which read:
"Hi
One and Only! Just a word or two to say I'm OK
and still love you. Just a little remembrance or
souvenir for my Honey. Please excuse the
scribble. Love to all, COF. PS - Will meet you
again in the spring."
He was killed the next
day.
Private
Charles Frinks
is buried at Margraten American Military
Cemetery, Plot E Row 2 Grave 14.
