Levi Frank Caldwell
“When I was growing up my Dad would never talk to me about his war experiences, but when my son was working on a history class assignment to interview someone from WWII, I told my son to ask his grandfather and Dad agreed to share with my son for his project. This was the beginning of my Dad’s passion to share his stories and talk about the importance of freedom and what it means to our country.
Dad was one of the few WWII veterans willing to openly share his sometimes funny, painful, inspiring, sad and enlightening stories. He spoke to many schools, church and civic groups. Audiences were spellbound by his compelling stories. He was videotaped on several occasions and WTVI interviewed him.
After he turned 90, I talked him into speaking to a lunchtime Veterans Day ceremony at Duke Energy in Charlotte for over 250 employees. He was supposed to speak for only 45 minutes so employees could get back to work, but no one got up to leave until he finished after talking for over an hour. He got a standing ovation and there was not a dry eye in the room. I can’t forget how proud he looked standing in front of the room with my Mom standing beside him. What a great day for a great man! Dad died on April 2, 2016.”
– Bruce Caldwell ’70
Levi Frank Caldwell, remembered by his son, Bruce Caldwell
Frank Caldwell and six of his brothers served in WWII at the same time.
Frank Caldwell graduated from Maiden High School in 1940 and went to work at the Glen L. Martin Aircraft Factory in Baltimore, Md., building B-26 medium bombers for one year before he was inducted into the U.S. Army Air Corps on January 18, 1943. He and six of his brothers served in WWII at the same time.
He served with the 15th Air Force, 485th Heavy Bombardment Group as a Combat Crew Flight Engineer and completed 44 missions in a B-24 before being shot down over Budapest, Hungary, in 1944. He was captured and spent nearly 11 months as a prisoner of war before he was liberated by a British Tank Unit on May 2, 1945 after being marched 700 miles across Northern Germany in temperatures reaching -20 degrees Fahrenheit. He weighed 160 pounds when he enlisted but was only 80 pounds when released.
He was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Air Medal with two bronze stars, two European African Middle Easter Service Bars, the Good Conduct Medal and several battle and campaign ribbons.