Biography of Frank A. Andreas

Frank A. Andreas, the youngest child of JD Andreas and Emma Andreas, was born in Visalia, California on August 9, 1939. Raised on an 180-acre farm near Delano in Tulare county, California. Frank was active in the 4-H club for 11 years. He received state awards in leadership and citizenship, which led to his participation in the National 4-H Congress in Chicago in November 1957. He was a member of the Church of Our Saviour, Lutheran in Delano and served as president of the Walther League, a young people's association of the Lutheran church.

He attended Earlimart Elementary School before entering Delano Joint Union High School in 1953. At Delano High School, he played football, tennis, and basketball, and served as class representative. He was voted "Most Outstanding Senior" and elected student association president, graduating from Delano Joint Union High School in 1957.

Frank then attended Northrup Aeronautical Institute for two years before transferring to the California State Polytechnic College at San Luis Obispo. In 1962, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering. He entered the U.S. Naval School of Pre-Flight in Pensacola, Florida in November 1962 as an officer candidate. After placing highest in his class for combined scholastic, athletic, military, and leadership qualities, Frank was appointed to serve as regimental commander for the week of graduation and commissioning exercises, March 17-22, 1963. In his primary training at Pensacola and Meridian, Mississippi, he was selected for the all-jet syllabus. After choosing to focus on multi-engine aircraft, Frank was sent to Training Squadron VT-31 at Corpus Christi, Texas.

He married Sharon Kay Kreim of Delano on June 29, 1963.

Ensign Frank A. Andreas, USNR, died at age twenty-four in a single-plane accident on April 2, 1964, as he was completing advanced training in the Navy's flight program in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was posthumously awarded the naval aviator's "wings of gold" at a memorial ceremony with squadron fly-by at the Lemoore Naval Air Station in California.

Files coming soon.

Frank A Andreas Scholarship Foundation

Celebrating over 59 years of Service to Delano High School Graduates

Biography of Frank A. Andreas