Charles Ray Frame was born in 1924 in the state of Tennessee. He was the son of William M. and Lillie Mae Frame who moved to Center in the late 1920's to build a bottling plant. He had two brothers, John Bill and Gladney who also served in World War II. Charles graduated from Center High School in 1942 and enlisted in the US Army Air Forces on October 6, 1942 at the age of 18. After gunnery training Charles was assigned to the 485th Bomb Group as a tail gunner on B-24 Bombers. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and his unit was moved to Italy. On the morning of January 8th, 1945 at 0809 hours he was aboard a B-24 Bomber (#95460) with nine other crew members that took off to bomb a primary target in Austria. As the bombers in his group assembled over the home base at 3,300 feet his aircraft went into a dive that the pilot could not correct. The bail-out signal was given by the pilot and six of the crew parachuted to safety. Staff Sergeant Charles R. Frame was one of the four that died on that cold January day before his 21st birthday. At the time of his death he was engaged to be married to Miss. Carrie Lucas of Center, Texas. His family chose not to bring his remains home but to have Charles buried with his comrades and buddies. He is buried in the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Plot D, Row 13, Grave 12. His awards include the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart. Charles Frame has one surviving relative, a nephew Gary Frame of Center, Texas. The sister of his fiancée, Mrs. Ben Samford also lives in Center, Texas.

Larry Hume, Organization