101 Years of Valor: The Colonel Who Flew into History
By Nadia Vick
Frank Royal Sr. at the age of 101, Find a Grave Memorial.
Frank Royal Sr., Find a Grave.[11]
Frank pictured third from the left with the 39th Squadron assembled on the flight line at Selfridge Field, Michigan.[5]
Francis Robert “Frank” Royal Sr.
June 17, 1915 – November 19, 2016
Francis Robert "Frank" Royal Sr. was born on June 17, 1915, in the quiet town of Manzanola, Colorado—a place small in size but large in the shaping of a man who would grow to become one of America’s most decorated and enduring fighter pilots.[1] Raised on a ranch near Rocky Ford, Frank grew up learning discipline and hard work among the dusty plains of southeastern Colorado. He was one of three brothers, alongside William Chester “Bill” Royal and Elmer Norton Royal, raised by Francis Henry Royal and Rozella Norton Royal.[2] The values he learned on the ranch would carry him through the most dangerous skies of the 20th century.
Frank began his collegiate studies at the University of Colorado, but the clouds of war were forming across the globe. Before America entered World War II, Frank was a pre-medical student, preparing for a future in medicine. Yet, foreseeing the inevitable involvement of the United States in the conflict, he made the life-altering decision to walk away from his plans to become a doctor in order to enlist in the Army Air Corps.[3] In his grandson Ryan’s words, this decision exemplified the dedication to duty and country that defined his generation: a willingness to set aside personal dreams for the greater need of the nation.[4] By March 1940, he reported for training at Fort Logan, Colorado, and by 1942, he was a commissioned Second Lieutenant, soon leading men into the skies of the South Pacific during some of the earliest and fiercest air battles of the war.
As Commanding Officer of the 39th Fighter Squadron, known as the "Cobra in the Clouds," Royal played a pivotal role in the air defense of Port Moresby, New Guinea.[6] Flying the Bell P-39 Airacobra from 7 Mile and 14 Mile Dromes, he engaged in multiple air combats against Japanese A6M2 Zeros.[7] On June 16, 1942, he was intercepted by enemy aircraft and, in a daring maneuver, claimed an aerial victory against the enemy pilot Hidaka.[8] His plane was struck by a 20mm shell, one that could have ended his life, but miraculously, it passed through the propeller without exploding.[9] Despite flying aircraft that were slower and less maneuverable than their Japanese opponents, Frank and his fellow pilots never doubted their abilities. As he later recalled, “We were completely convinced that we were the best fighter pilots in all of the world, just show us the go button and we will take care of the rest.”[10]
It was during this first tour in the Pacific that Frank first piloted the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a twin-boomed aircraft so fearsome that the Germans dubbed it the "fork-tailed devil.”[12] Royal remembered the aircraft fondly. "It was a real godsend. From a pilot's standpoint it was great," he once said.[13] His leadership in transitioning the 39th Fighter Squadron to the P-38 culminated in a September 1942 ferry flight from Garbutt Field in Townsville to New Guinea.[14] Though he yearned to remain in combat, higher command had other plans—he was transferred to a staff position under Colonel Dick Legg, beginning a new chapter of strategic leadership during the war.[15]
Over nearly three decades in uniform, working as a Colonel after the war, he accumulated a staggering number of military awards. Among them: the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with multiple Oak Leaf Clusters.[16] He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Colonel in 1968.[17] Yet his accomplishments never made him boastful. Like many of his generation, Frank framed his achievements not in terms of “I” but “we,” crediting his squadron and his fellow pilots above himself.[18] He counted among his comrades men whose names became legends—Richard Bong, America’s “Ace of Aces,” and Tom Lynch, a decorated ace killed in action. According to his grandson, these friendships and Frank’s humility illustrated a powerful truth: respect and reliability meant more than accolades, and true leadership was measured in character.[19]
After returning stateside from World War II, Frank married the love of his life, Mayme Norene “Renee” Beatty, on September 20, 1943.[20] The two would remain inseparable for more than six decades. Frank completed his interrupted studies, receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado in 1947.[21] They later settled in Monument, Colorado, where Frank became a cornerstone of his community. He served on the D-38 school board and the El Paso County Planning Commission and actively supported the Pikes Peak Council of the Boy Scouts.[22] He and Renee were also deeply involved in Young Life and various charitable and church organizations.[23]
In 2008, the couple celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary, surrounded by a large and loving family that would grow to include five children and 14 grandchildren.[24] By 2013, Frank had been recognized as one of the inaugural inductees into the Lewis-Palmer School District's Hall of Fame—a testament to his civic as well as his military legacy.[25]
One final dream remained for Frank: to see White 33, the P-38 Lightning he had flown in combat, take to the skies once more. Decades after WWII, the very same aircraft—recovered from the jungles of New Guinea and painstakingly restored by Westpac Restorations—was brought back to life.[26] On October 17, 2016, at the age of 101, Frank climbed aboard a chase plane and flew in formation beside White 33 and a B-25 bomber, just as they had done in the skies of the Pacific so many years before.[27] "It was quite a thrill," he said with a smile. His only regret? "That I wasn’t flying it myself."[28]
Just weeks later, Frank would enter hospice care. "I'm going on my last flight," he said after the ride, knowing that his final mission on Earth was nearly complete.[29] On November 19, 2016, with his son, Randy, holding his hand, Colonel Frank Royal slipped "the surly bonds of earth" one last time.[30] "He's back there with all his old pilot buddies swapping stories and talking about lost times," Randy said.[31] He was 101 years, 5 months, and 2 days old.[32]
Colonel Francis R. Royal was laid to rest with full honors, leaving behind a legacy of valor, humility, and love of country that spanned more than a century. His life, lived with courage and conviction, serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by the “Greatest Generation”—and the quiet dignity with which they carried those sacrifices home.
Footnotes ↓
[1] Find a Grave. “Francis Robert ‘Frank’ Royal Sr. (1915–2016).” Find a Grave Memorial. Published information on the date of death November 19, 2016 (Colorado Springs, Colorado); accessed July 26, 2025.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ryan Royal, “To Be a Fraction of This Man,” Irons and Ladders (blog), July 29, 2012, accessed August 24, 2025, https://ironsandladders.com/2012/07/29/to-be-a-fraction-of-this-man/.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Find a Grave, “Francis Robert ‘Frank’ Royal Sr. (1915–2016).”
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Royal, “To Be a Fraction of This Man.”
[11] Find a Grave, “Francis Robert ‘Frank’ Royal Sr. (1915–2016).”
[12] FOX 13 Seattle. “101-Year-Old WWII Fighter Pilot Flies One Last Mission with His Original Plane.” Fox 13 Seattle, published November 24, 2016. Accessed August 1, 2025. https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/101-year-old-wwii-fighter-pilot-flies-one-last-mission-with-his-original-plane.
[13] Ibid.
14] Pacific Wrecks, "Francis ‘Frank’ R. Royal—from the 5th Air Force, 35th Fighter Group, 39th Fighter Squadron." Accessed August 1, 2025. https://pacificwrecks.com/people/veterans/royal/index.html
[15] Ibid.
[16] Find a Grave, “Francis Robert ‘Frank’ Royal Sr. (1915–2016).”
[17] Ibid.
[18] Royal, “To Be a Fraction of This Man.”
[19] Ibid.
[20] Find a Grave, “Francis Robert ‘Frank’ Royal Sr. (1915–2016).”
[21] Ibid.
[22] Ibid.
[23] Ibid.
[24] Ibid.
[25] Ibid.
[26] FOX 13 Seattle, “101-Year-Old WWII Fighter Pilot Flies One Last Mission with His Original Plane.”
[27] Ibid.
[28] Ibid.
[29] Ibid.
[30] Ibid.
[31] Ibid.
[32] Find a Grave, “Francis Robert ‘Frank’ Royal Sr. (1915–2016).”
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