Frank M. Andrews was born in Nashville, TN on February 3, 1884. He graduated from the Montgomery Bell Acedemy, Nashville, in 1901, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY in 1906. Upon commission as 2nd lieutenant, he served with the U.S. Cavalry until 1917 (promoted to captain 7/15/16), transferred to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps in late 1917 (promoted to major 8/5/17) and took up flying at Rockwell Field, San Diego, CA.

He married Jeannette Allen on March 16, 1914. Between 1927 and 1933 he attended and completed the Air Corps Tactical School, the Command & General Staff School and the Army War College. He was ordered to Selfridge Field, Detroit MI and remained in command there until October 10, 1934.

Andrews signed the Register three times. His first landing was logged Sunday January 31, 1926 at 12:45 PM. He was flying 25-429, a Douglas C-1 transport. He carried six passengers, including Capt. F.J. Eglin. Based at San Antonio, TX Kelly Field, they were westbound from El Paso, TX to San Diego, CA Rockwell Field.

From the context of the Register, this flight appears to be a movement of qualified pilots to California to take delivery of new Douglas O-2 aircraft in order to ferry them east from San Diego. Andrews' next entry in the Register is on Thursday February 4, 1926 12:10 PM. He is eastbound from Rockwell to San Antonio in Douglas O-2 25-351. Some of his passengers from his January 31st flight land with him, each flying an O-2.

His third landing is on October 14, 1931 at 1:45 PM. Based at Bolling Field, Washington, DC this time, he is eastbound in a Boeing P-12-E, 31-562. He noted in the Remarks column of the Register, "Ferry".

On March 1, 1935 he was appointed temporary Brigadier General and placed in command of the newly formed GHQ Air Force with headquarters at Langley Field, VA. He was appointed temporary Major General.

Below, Andrews, with his hand on a toy airplane, plans GHQ Air Force Maneuvers in May 1938. Left to right are Lt. Col. Walter G. Kilner (Register pilot), Col. Walter H. Frank, Andrews, and Col. James P. Hodges.

Maj. Gen. Frank M. Andrews (2nd from right), 1938, Mitchel Field, NY

On November 16, 1940 he was placed in commnd of the Panama Canal Department Air Force. As WWII approached, he was assigned to the Middle East, and then, with the outbreak of the war, he transferred to London and the European Theater.

Andrews was killed in an aircraft accident in Iceland on May 3,1943. He was age 59. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Andrews Air Force Base, Md., is named for Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews. An excellent formal portrait, as well as a biography is available at the link.

It is interesting, although not surprising, how Andrews' career very closely paralleled that of Lt. General George Brett.

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Dossier 2.2.16

UPLOADED: 02/08/08 REVISED: 06/30/11, 01/16/12