Palestine High School Alumni Association

01 – 02 – 1917  –  06 – 21 – 2007

In loving memory of Lt. Col. Frank Daly Tomkins and Phyllis Marjorie Tomkins
90 Gun Salute Birthday Party

Frank Tomkins passed away June 21 following a stroke and Phyllis joined him in death after a brief illness August 4, 2007.  Longtime residents of Arcadia, California, Frank was born in Palestine, Texas on January 2, 1917, graduated from Texas Wesleyan College and was accepted for flight training.

Frank received his wings from Brooks Field in San Antonio, Texas, May 29, 1941. He was given three choices for his first assignment. He wrote Hawaii and bought a front row seat at Japan’s devastating bombing. He was sent to Wheeler Field Hawaii, as part of the 46th Fighter Pursuit Squadron of the Army Air Corps. On December 7, 1941 he experienced, first hand, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Eventually Frank went to Australia to check out the new P-38. Even after his failure in the Philippines, Congress allowed General McArthur to form the 5th Air Force. He formed the 475th fighter group in New Guinea. The mission – to rid the Guineas of the Japanese. There were three squadrons and Frank was the first commanding officer of the 432nd. It was there that he earned the DFC.

Major Frank Tomkins became the Commanding Officer of the 432nd Squadron of the 475th Fighter Group, spending the remainder of the War in New Guinea, where his squadron was the first credited with 100 victories.

The 475th shot down 547 Japanese aircraft, losing 87 P-38 Lightnings. For his service, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal.

Frank and Phyllis met in the fall of 1944 after he returned. They had a ten-month courtship and were married the day they dropped the atomic bomb, August 6, 1945. He never forgot the date of his anniversary because the media helped him to remember.

He helped close Daggett Air Base and was off to March Field. From March Field they went to Colorado for training. Next to the University of Iowa in Iowa City as a professor of Air Science/Military Tactics. The next duty was Wayne University in Detroit, a professor again.

Next was Mitchell Field on Long Island and the Continental Air Command where he was director of manpower evaluation management. Frank served the rest of his military life as a reservist and retired in 1977.

In civilian life, he owned Cal-Oaks Liquor in Pasadena. Frank was a lifelong Mason, belonging to both the Palestine and Arcadia Lodges.

They had three children, a wonderful son-in-law, a beautiful daughter-in-law, and a great best friend. There are nine grandchildren, six of them married, and three great grandchildren.

Phyllis was born March 16, 1924 in Los Angeles, attended Dorsey High and UCLA. She and Frank were married on August 6, 1945 and moved to Arcadia in 1953. An interior designer, Phyllis owned Tomkins and Tompkins Interiors.

In 1987, she was the first woman to join the Arcadia Rotary Club, and served proudly, with perfect attendance, until her death. Her artistic talents were a considerable asset to her community volunteer activities.

Frank and Phyllis were preceded in death by their son, Kenneth Lee, and are survived by daughters Caroline Jo Pickett (John), Tammy Ranville, son Tom Tomkins (Suzanne), nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Frank was interred on August 28 at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, and his beloved Phyllis was laid to rest beside him.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 8, at Church of the Good Shepherd, 400 W. Duarte Rd, Arcadia at 10:30 a.m. Memorial gifts may be made to Arcadia Rotary Foundation, 501 S. First Ave Ste J, Arcadia CA 91006, or Church of the Good Shepherd.

Source: The Arcadia Weekly 09-21-2007