LT. JG. Frank Hass O-156975

Lieutenant Junior Grade Frank Murray Hass Jr. 0-156975. He was born on May 2, 1921 in Sunbury Pennsylvania. He was the son of Frank Murray Haas and Rachel Lillian Cornelius Haas, he was also the brother of Sgt Fred Hass. Lt. Frank Hass enlisted in the Navy on January 28, 1942 and became an Aviation cadet in February. After earning his wings, he was commissioned and joined Observation Scouting Squadrom 8 which was later attached to the USS Indiana (BB-58). On March 27, 1945, LTJG Haas, and ACMM Cirafice had a mission to rescue a downed carrier pilot flying a Hellcat, off the coast of Okinawa.  LTJG Haas landed his Kingfisher on the water so his crew ACMM Peter Cirafice, could rescue the crew of a downed US plane. Before he could, a wave crashed over one of the wings and capsized the plane. The last he was seen, he was floating on a pontoon. Unfortunately, by the time another rescue plane arrived, LTJG Haas couldn’t be located. He was listed as missing in action and later declared dead.

 

Distinguished Flying Cross

Division: U.S.S. Indiana
General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 345 (December 1945) Citation: (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant, Junior Grade Frank M. Haas, Jr. (NSN: 0-156975), United States Naval Reserve, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a seaplane embarked in U.S.S. INDIANA, during an air-sea rescue at Nansei Shoto on 27 March 1945.