Joseph Carl Frederick

JOSEPH CARL FREDERICK, SR. Master Sergeant, United States Army (Ret.) entered Fiddler’s Green* on June 9,2025, on route to the next phase of his life. Born on March 6, 1929, in Washington, DC to Ethel Ambrosia (Maddox) and Fred Douglas Frederick, both of St. Mary’s County, Maryland.  To relatives and most friends his second given name “Carl” was used. To his military comrades he was “Joe” or “Fred” and other sorted and tawdry names that must not be mentioned here today.

 Carl was baptized a Catholic at the usual early age. He attended the neighborhood schools in Southwest Washington, DC: Syphax Elementary School; St. Vincent DePaul and St. Cyprian Middle School, and Cardozo High School. While attending Cardozo, he played football and baseball and was an officer in the High School Cadet Corps and graduated in 1947. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 1948. After completing infantry basic training and a course in leadership at Fort Dix, NJ, he was assigned as a cadre in basic training at Fort Dix.

 One month after the death of his father in July 1949, he joined the Heavy Mortar Company 24th Infantry Regiment as part of the Army of Occupation in Gifu, Japan. Three weeks after the Korean War began in 1950, he deployed with the 25th Infantry Division and participated in combat and returned to the US in July 1951. Carl continued his military career and received many awards and medals including the Army Commendation and Good Conduct medals; Combat Infantry Badge; several campaign ribbons and certificates of achievement. His most notable military assignments were: Reserve Officers Training Corps Instructor (ROTC) at Howard University, Washington, DC ; Advisor to the Armed Forces of Liberia, West Africa; Logistical Command, Istanbul, Turkey; and, Plans and Training Division, 1st Army Headquarters , Ft. Meade, Maryland. He re tired as Master Sergeant with 20 years of service in August 1968.

 After military service, Carl’s civilian career began as Military Property Custodian, Army and Air Force ROTC Programs at Howard University; Procurement Departments at Howard University and Howard University Hospital. He accepted an early retirement from the university in 1986 and ended his working years as a li censed real estate agent and the administrator of Pinewood Hills Condominium Association in Fort Washing ton, MD for 10 years ending in 2004. 

Joseph Carl Frederick held life memberships in the American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Disabled American Veterans; Blinded American Veterans; Combat Infantrymen’s Association; 9th and 10th Calvary As sociation, and the 24th Infantry Association. He was a member of the Knights of St. Johns and was a notary public for the State of Maryland for 12 years until his resignation due to impaired vision. 

In preparing this obituary, Carl gave this self-description: “reliable, organized, great sense of humor and a good soldier.” He enjoyed music, reading, art, and military and family research. Before becoming visually impaired, he enjoyed playing golf—never becoming quite good enough to go on the PGA tour. In his later years of life, he began to finally follow his wife’s advice: “Don’t act or smell like a little old man!”

 Carl is survived by his wife, Florence Gant Frederick; son, Joseph Carl, Jr.; daughter, Cynthia Elaine Smith; 2 grandsons, 3 granddaughters, and 3 great granddaughters, great grandson, many relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his sister Frances Elaine (Sister Elaine of the Oblate Sisters of Providence), and son Marc Gant.