Veteran Frank Pool Is Neighborly, Recounts Service
Frank Pool was the speaker for the Veterans’ Day program at the Jasper County Senior Center Friday, so who better to be my neighbor on this week kicked off by Veterans’ Day.
Mr. Pool is a 10-year Army veteran beginning as an infantry officer at Ft. Benning. Specializing in Army aviation, Mr. Pool spent 16 months in Korea in 1960-61. He was then stationed at Ft. Rucker in Alabama where he was a flight instructor. In 1964, he moved to Ft. Benning to begin his entry career course. From there he went to Germany with a multi-engine division which flew the Czech border nightly.
After leaving Germany in 1965, he moved his family back to Georgia, then he went to Ft. Lewis in Washington State, where he oversaw a multi-engine company. The 244th deployed to Vietnam in 1967, and Mr. Pool was hit with a rocket on February 5, 1968.
He spent three days on a stretcher at a medical unit in Camp Zuma, Japan. He had a staph infection in his shoulder, and one doctor wanted to amputate, but he had a surgeon that kept working to fight the infection and let him keep his arm. So, Frank now has a hole in his shoulder/upper arm, but he has the arm…that’s a blessing. Finally he was evacuated to Ft. Gordon in Augusta where he spent 14 months healing and rehabbing the shoulder.
After that, he could have stayed in the Army, but he couldn’t fly, so he chose to leave. He moved to Monticello and bought the hardware store on the corner of Washington and Forsyth Streets, which he operated for two years before selling to Wayne McDonald.
Mr. Pool went to work for a chemical company in Atlanta, where he stayed until he retired in 2004. He had bought his farm in Monticello in 1970, although he did not live there at the time. He had a home on College Street. When he retired in 2004, he began cattle farming, having a commercial beef cow-calf operation, which he still does today.
He and his wife, Nancy, travel extensively. They recently bicycled from Bruggs, Belgiam to Amsterdam, a 148 mile trip over five days. When I asked him about training, he said they do the spin class at Bulldog Gym three days a week, but that was it. Asked what his favorite trip was, he said he really enjoyed Egypt because he has spent time there as a child. But he was really impressed with New Zealand, and loved Switzerland. They have also visited Japan and China.
He said he and Nancy started traveling about twice a year back in 2007. They really enjoy river cruises, and said they have fallen in love with Windstar cruises which average about 200 people as compared to big cruise ships with thousands of guests. Their next trip is to Germany later this year, and they will visit the Christmas markets in Italy, Austria and Germany.
Mr. Pool was born in Rome, Ga., but started school in Chile. He stayed there through third grade, then attended fourth grade in the states, and went to school in Egypt from fifth grade through graduation from Victoria High School. After that, he returned to the states, and attended Georgia Tech before joining the Army. His father was not in the military, but rather active in the diplomatic rounds.
Mr. Pool has two sons—David lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Scott and the Pool’s three grandchildren live in Charlotte, N.C.
Besides Mr. Pool speaking, the Veterans’ brunch at the senior center featured several other speakers including Juanita Davis who spoke about military service being her choice and how it helped her. She said she feels she has a divine purpose. Because of the realization that people suffer, our job is to help them move forward she said.
She went on to say our veterans deserve to be honored. Rev. Hammonds of St. John A.M.E. Church in Monticello blessed the food and praised the veterans as well.
County Commission Chair Carl Pennamon welcomed the grop after the American Legion Color Guard held a flag cermony, and Sgt. Les Steele played the national anthem.
Others in attendance included Commissioner Don Jernigan, and State Rep. Susan Holmes who spoke briefly.
Mr. Pool is a 10-year Army veteran beginning as an infantry officer at Ft. Benning. Specializing in Army aviation, Mr. Pool spent 16 months in Korea in 1960-61. He was then stationed at Ft. Rucker in Alabama where he was a flight instructor. In 1964, he moved to Ft. Benning to begin his entry career course. From there he went to Germany with a multi-engine division which flew the Czech border nightly.
After leaving Germany in 1965, he moved his family back to Georgia, then he went to Ft. Lewis in Washington State, where he oversaw a multi-engine company. The 244th deployed to Vietnam in 1967, and Mr. Pool was hit with a rocket on February 5, 1968.
He spent three days on a stretcher at a medical unit in Camp Zuma, Japan. He had a staph infection in his shoulder, and one doctor wanted to amputate, but he had a surgeon that kept working to fight the infection and let him keep his arm. So, Frank now has a hole in his shoulder/upper arm, but he has the arm…that’s a blessing. Finally he was evacuated to Ft. Gordon in Augusta where he spent 14 months healing and rehabbing the shoulder.
After that, he could have stayed in the Army, but he couldn’t fly, so he chose to leave. He moved to Monticello and bought the hardware store on the corner of Washington and Forsyth Streets, which he operated for two years before selling to Wayne McDonald.
Mr. Pool went to work for a chemical company in Atlanta, where he stayed until he retired in 2004. He had bought his farm in Monticello in 1970, although he did not live there at the time. He had a home on College Street. When he retired in 2004, he began cattle farming, having a commercial beef cow-calf operation, which he still does today.
He and his wife, Nancy, travel extensively. They recently bicycled from Bruggs, Belgiam to Amsterdam, a 148 mile trip over five days. When I asked him about training, he said they do the spin class at Bulldog Gym three days a week, but that was it. Asked what his favorite trip was, he said he really enjoyed Egypt because he has spent time there as a child. But he was really impressed with New Zealand, and loved Switzerland. They have also visited Japan and China.
He said he and Nancy started traveling about twice a year back in 2007. They really enjoy river cruises, and said they have fallen in love with Windstar cruises which average about 200 people as compared to big cruise ships with thousands of guests. Their next trip is to Germany later this year, and they will visit the Christmas markets in Italy, Austria and Germany.
Mr. Pool was born in Rome, Ga., but started school in Chile. He stayed there through third grade, then attended fourth grade in the states, and went to school in Egypt from fifth grade through graduation from Victoria High School. After that, he returned to the states, and attended Georgia Tech before joining the Army. His father was not in the military, but rather active in the diplomatic rounds.
Mr. Pool has two sons—David lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Scott and the Pool’s three grandchildren live in Charlotte, N.C.
Besides Mr. Pool speaking, the Veterans’ brunch at the senior center featured several other speakers including Juanita Davis who spoke about military service being her choice and how it helped her. She said she feels she has a divine purpose. Because of the realization that people suffer, our job is to help them move forward she said.
She went on to say our veterans deserve to be honored. Rev. Hammonds of St. John A.M.E. Church in Monticello blessed the food and praised the veterans as well.
County Commission Chair Carl Pennamon welcomed the grop after the American Legion Color Guard held a flag cermony, and Sgt. Les Steele played the national anthem.
Others in attendance included Commissioner Don Jernigan, and State Rep. Susan Holmes who spoke briefly.