Franklin KOONS

Franklin M. "Zip" Koons was born January 24, 1919 to Oliver and Lotte (Gettman) Koons in Harrison Township near Swea City, Iowa. He died Friday, October 6, 2006 at Fairmont Medical Center in Fairmont, Minnesota at the age of 87. Frank attended schools in Harrison and Grant Townships and graduated from Grant Consolidated High School in 1938. On May 6, 1941, Frank submitted to Selective Service for induction in the Army. He was sent to Camp Claiborne, LA for basic and continued training. On December 7, 1941, he was sent out to guard for Homeland Security with the start of WWII. On January 14, 1942, he was sent to European Theaters of Operation and assigned duty with the Navy to guard military installations. June 1, 1942 he volunteered for service with Special Forces. On June 6, he was accepted to try out and on June 19th became a member of the First Ranger Battalion. July 1, 1942 Frank began his training under the supervision of the British Commandos. August 1, 1942 he was assigned to the unit, British Commando #4 who were in the vicinity of Weymouth and Portland on the south coast of England. On August 18 and 19, 1942, #4 British Commandos under Canadian Command attacked the port city of Dieppe, France as part of a larger raiding force. Their actions ended up being the only successful operation of the raid. They were the first 50 US Army Rangers to engage the Germans. After the raid, Frank returned to his unit, Company D, First Ranger Battalion and on November 8, 1942 was part of the allied invasion of North Africa. In January of 1943 he fought in the Tunisian Campaign, July 10, 1943, the Sicilian Campaign and September 9, 1943, the Italian Campaign. On November 16, 1943 he was ordered to return to the United States, arriving in Swea City on January 1, 1944. On May 13, 1944 Frank was united in marriage to June Anderson at her family farm near East Chain, Minnesota. In January 1945 he returned to the European Theater of Operations and participated in the Central Europe Campaign until May 8, 1945. In August of 1945 he was sent to the Asiatic Theater of Operations. After the War ended, he returned to the United States and in February of 1946 he was discharged from active duty and entered the Army Reserves. In 1948, he joined the National Guard and transferred to the Artillery. On September 11, 1950 he was called back to active duty and sent to the Army of Occupation in Germany. On May 22, 1952 Franklin M Koons was discharged from the Army. Frank was awarded the following medals and awards for his service in the Army during WW II: the British Military Medal by King George VI of the United Kingdom; the Silver Star by General George S. Patton Jr; Bronze Star Medal by the Secretary of the Army; Canadian Dieppe Medal by the Dieppe Veterans and Prisoners of War Association; Letter of Commendation by Lt. Col Elmer P. Lindhart and direct commission to 2nd Lieutenant by Col. William O. Darby. He moved through the ranks from Private to 1st Sergeant, finishing his Army duty as a 1st Lieutenant. From 1952 to 1980 Frank farmed near Swea City, Iowa. It was during this time that he continued his education in accounting and business. In 1969, he was employed as a banker at First Trust and Savings Bank in Armstrong, eventually becoming a vice president. He continued to farm part time until 1980. He oversaw the development of the Suburban Estates Golf Course in Armstrong and owned it for 10 years until 1984. In 1993, Frank and June moved to Fairmont, MN. June passed away July 3, 2005. Frank was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Swea City where he was a choir member in the past and held various church offices. He also served on the Kossuth County Selective Service Board for 5 years during the Viet Nam Conflict. Frank is survived by one son, Michael Koons and his wife, Cathy of Fairmont; grandson, Jeffrey Koons and his wife, Tara of Maplewood, MN and granddaughter, Michelle Neuman and her husband, Bruce of Manitowoc, WI; 5 great grandchildren, Mitchell, Carter, Ciaradh, Niamh and Izabel. Also surviving are two brothers, James Koons and his wife, Iris of Swea City and Donald Koons and his wife Lorraine of Estherville, one sister, Dorothy Christ and her husband, Mike of Lakota and a number of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, parents and two sisters, Violet and Lois. INTERMENT Harrison Township Cemetery Swea City MILITARY RITES Iowa National Guard