Frank Hundley was born December 2, 1911 in Havre, Hill County, Montana to Frank Jesse and Edith Catherine (Holderbaum) Hundley. He was the oldest of the three children born to the couple. The family lived on their ranch in Blaine County, Montana. It was a difficult life. On January 16, 1929, Frank's father Frank Jesse Hundley died of pneumonia. Life then was more difficult for the family. On December 26, 1929, Frank's mother, Edith became ill and passed away.
Following her death, the two younger children were adopted by family members. However, Frank remained, at least for awhile, on the ranch. He then moved to Washington state, where he was a truck driver.
Frank Hundley enlisted in the Marine Corps from Highwood, Montana on Oct 6, 1937 and traveled to San Diego for boot camp. After completing his training, he was posted to the Marine barracks at Mare Island Navy Yard. The Corps put Hundley behind the wheel of a truck at Mare Island; he became a Specialist Fifth Class in late 1938. In March 1939, Hundley was transferred to Shanghai, China by way of the USS Chaumont and that June became a mechanic with the Motor Transport company of the Fourth Marines.
Hundley's abilities with vehicles did not go unnoticed. He was promoted to Private First Class on December 2, 1939 (rated a Specialist Third Class, Mechanic) and his continued solid service won him a second stripe in September, 1940. After reenlisting on October 6, 1941, Hundley was made NCO in charge of the regiment's repair and machine shops, but growing tensions with the Japanese meant he would have to leave the familiar sights of Shanghai.
In November 1941, the Fourth Marines were pulled out of China and sent to the Philippines, where they were to prepare the islands for defense against a Japanese invasion. Hundley was in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor; bombers were soon laying waste to bases, port facilities, barracks, and armament at the Cavite Navy Yard.
Corporal Hundley continued to serve as the regiment's top NCO for truck repairs, but as the Japanese continued to wear down the American and Filipino defenders, he found himself with fewer and fewer vehicles to service. The survivors of his regiment withdrew to Fort Mills - the island of Corregidor - and dug in for a siege that lasted over four months. In February or March, Hundley received his final promotion; he was appointed a sergeant.
The Japanese finally landed on Corregidor on the night of May 5, 1942. By the next day, the American and Filipino garrison had surrendered and were prisoners of war. When the time came to take stock of the survivors, Sergeant Frank Hundley was not among them. He was not entered on any list of prisoners, and was never seen again. After the war, it was determined that he had been killed in action on 06 May 1942.
Sergeant Frank William Hundley is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing – United States Marine Corps, Manila American Cemetery.
Following her death, the two younger children were adopted by family members. However, Frank remained, at least for awhile, on the ranch. He then moved to Washington state, where he was a truck driver.
Frank Hundley enlisted in the Marine Corps from Highwood, Montana on Oct 6, 1937 and traveled to San Diego for boot camp. After completing his training, he was posted to the Marine barracks at Mare Island Navy Yard. The Corps put Hundley behind the wheel of a truck at Mare Island; he became a Specialist Fifth Class in late 1938. In March 1939, Hundley was transferred to Shanghai, China by way of the USS Chaumont and that June became a mechanic with the Motor Transport company of the Fourth Marines.
Hundley's abilities with vehicles did not go unnoticed. He was promoted to Private First Class on December 2, 1939 (rated a Specialist Third Class, Mechanic) and his continued solid service won him a second stripe in September, 1940. After reenlisting on October 6, 1941, Hundley was made NCO in charge of the regiment's repair and machine shops, but growing tensions with the Japanese meant he would have to leave the familiar sights of Shanghai.
In November 1941, the Fourth Marines were pulled out of China and sent to the Philippines, where they were to prepare the islands for defense against a Japanese invasion. Hundley was in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor; bombers were soon laying waste to bases, port facilities, barracks, and armament at the Cavite Navy Yard.
Corporal Hundley continued to serve as the regiment's top NCO for truck repairs, but as the Japanese continued to wear down the American and Filipino defenders, he found himself with fewer and fewer vehicles to service. The survivors of his regiment withdrew to Fort Mills - the island of Corregidor - and dug in for a siege that lasted over four months. In February or March, Hundley received his final promotion; he was appointed a sergeant.
The Japanese finally landed on Corregidor on the night of May 5, 1942. By the next day, the American and Filipino garrison had surrendered and were prisoners of war. When the time came to take stock of the survivors, Sergeant Frank Hundley was not among them. He was not entered on any list of prisoners, and was never seen again. After the war, it was determined that he had been killed in action on 06 May 1942.
Sergeant Frank William Hundley is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing – United States Marine Corps, Manila American Cemetery.
Frank Hundley was born December 2, 1911 in Havre, Hill County, Montana to Frank Jesse and Edith Catherine (Holderbaum) Hundley. He was the oldest of the three children born to the couple. The family lived on their ranch in Blaine County, Montana. It was a difficult life. On January 16, 1929, Frank's father Frank Jesse Hundley died of pneumonia. Life then was more difficult for the family. On December 26, 1929, Frank's mother, Edith became ill and passed away.
Following her death, the two younger children were adopted by family members. However, Frank remained, at least for awhile, on the ranch. He then moved to Washington state, where he was a truck driver.
Frank Hundley enlisted in the Marine Corps from Highwood, Montana on Oct 6, 1937 and traveled to San Diego for boot camp. After completing his training, he was posted to the Marine barracks at Mare Island Navy Yard. The Corps put Hundley behind the wheel of a truck at Mare Island; he became a Specialist Fifth Class in late 1938. In March 1939, Hundley was transferred to Shanghai, China by way of the USS Chaumont and that June became a mechanic with the Motor Transport company of the Fourth Marines.
Hundley's abilities with vehicles did not go unnoticed. He was promoted to Private First Class on December 2, 1939 (rated a Specialist Third Class, Mechanic) and his continued solid service won him a second stripe in September, 1940. After reenlisting on October 6, 1941, Hundley was made NCO in charge of the regiment's repair and machine shops, but growing tensions with the Japanese meant he would have to leave the familiar sights of Shanghai.
In November 1941, the Fourth Marines were pulled out of China and sent to the Philippines, where they were to prepare the islands for defense against a Japanese invasion. Hundley was in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor; bombers were soon laying waste to bases, port facilities, barracks, and armament at the Cavite Navy Yard.
Corporal Hundley continued to serve as the regiment's top NCO for truck repairs, but as the Japanese continued to wear down the American and Filipino defenders, he found himself with fewer and fewer vehicles to service. The survivors of his regiment withdrew to Fort Mills - the island of Corregidor - and dug in for a siege that lasted over four months. In February or March, Hundley received his final promotion; he was appointed a sergeant.
The Japanese finally landed on Corregidor on the night of May 5, 1942. By the next day, the American and Filipino garrison had surrendered and were prisoners of war. When the time came to take stock of the survivors, Sergeant Frank Hundley was not among them. He was not entered on any list of prisoners, and was never seen again. After the war, it was determined that he had been killed in action on 06 May 1942.
Sergeant Frank William Hundley is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing – United States Marine Corps, Manila American Cemetery.
Following her death, the two younger children were adopted by family members. However, Frank remained, at least for awhile, on the ranch. He then moved to Washington state, where he was a truck driver.
Frank Hundley enlisted in the Marine Corps from Highwood, Montana on Oct 6, 1937 and traveled to San Diego for boot camp. After completing his training, he was posted to the Marine barracks at Mare Island Navy Yard. The Corps put Hundley behind the wheel of a truck at Mare Island; he became a Specialist Fifth Class in late 1938. In March 1939, Hundley was transferred to Shanghai, China by way of the USS Chaumont and that June became a mechanic with the Motor Transport company of the Fourth Marines.
Hundley's abilities with vehicles did not go unnoticed. He was promoted to Private First Class on December 2, 1939 (rated a Specialist Third Class, Mechanic) and his continued solid service won him a second stripe in September, 1940. After reenlisting on October 6, 1941, Hundley was made NCO in charge of the regiment's repair and machine shops, but growing tensions with the Japanese meant he would have to leave the familiar sights of Shanghai.
In November 1941, the Fourth Marines were pulled out of China and sent to the Philippines, where they were to prepare the islands for defense against a Japanese invasion. Hundley was in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor; bombers were soon laying waste to bases, port facilities, barracks, and armament at the Cavite Navy Yard.
Corporal Hundley continued to serve as the regiment's top NCO for truck repairs, but as the Japanese continued to wear down the American and Filipino defenders, he found himself with fewer and fewer vehicles to service. The survivors of his regiment withdrew to Fort Mills - the island of Corregidor - and dug in for a siege that lasted over four months. In February or March, Hundley received his final promotion; he was appointed a sergeant.
The Japanese finally landed on Corregidor on the night of May 5, 1942. By the next day, the American and Filipino garrison had surrendered and were prisoners of war. When the time came to take stock of the survivors, Sergeant Frank Hundley was not among them. He was not entered on any list of prisoners, and was never seen again. After the war, it was determined that he had been killed in action on 06 May 1942.
Sergeant Frank William Hundley is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing – United States Marine Corps, Manila American Cemetery.
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Entered the service from Montana.
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