Frank D. McGee was born on September 6, 1889, in South Dakota. He graduated from West Point as part of the renowned Class of 1915, alongside Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley, placing 113th out of 164 in the General Order of Merit. Commissioned into the Cavalry, he first served with the 6th Cavalry and took part in General Pershing’s Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa before World War I. During the war, he commanded a company of the 126th Infantry, 32nd Division, was promoted to major, and was wounded at Chateau Thierry, France. Disabled from those wounds in 1922, he returned to active duty in 1942 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

LTC McGee was sent to the Philippines, where he led forces in the Mindanao Guerrillas (107th Division, Philippine Army) in cooperation with the U.S. 24th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action on August 7, 1945, in Davao, Philippines. He is now buried in the Groton Cemetery, Groton, Brown County, South Dakota, USA.

Silver Star Citation:
(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) Frank D. McGee, United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 106th Philippine Division (Mindanao Guerrillas), operating with the 24th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy in the Philippine Islands, in 1945. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Lieutenant Colonel McGee, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, valor.militarytimes.com