Tyndall recognizes 80th anniversary of Lt. Francis Tyndall's death

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Veronica McMahon
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The base American flag flew at half staff July 15 to honor the anniversary of 1st Lt. Francis Tyndall's death; the Airman Tyndall Air Force Base was named after in 1940.

The date July 15 marks 80 years since his passing, yet Tyndall still commemorates his legacy through its mission of training and world class air dominance.

"This day is very meaningful to me," said Mrs. Mary Tyndall Trough, Lieutenant Tyndall's daughter. "I sent out e-mails to all my family members to remind them of the day's significance."

Lieutenant Tyndall had many accomplishments in his lifetime, both during war time and during his service afterward.

"Lieutenant Frank Tyndall was a World War I aviator and hero, a true winner who shot down four, and who many of his colleagues said five, enemy planes in combat," said Mr. Ted Roberts, 325th Fighter Wing historian. "A recipient of the Silver Star, and Florida native, Lieutenant Tyndall was a solid choice by late-Congressman Bob Sikes to be the namesake for Tyndall Field, and now Tyndall AFB. He sacrificed much and lost his life, while serving his country, in a military aircraft accident in North Carolina on July 15th, 1930."

Lieutenant Tyndall was born Sept. 28, 1894, in Sewalls Point near Fort Pierce, Fla. He joined the 2nd Infantry, Florida National Guard, as an enlisted member June 5, 1916, where he served for nine months, obtaining the rank of corporal. In 1917, the lieutenant applied for Officer Training Camp and was ordered as a civilian candidate for the first officer training camp established at Fort McPherson, Ga. Following this training, he joined the Aviation Section, Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps as a private first class, gaining a commission with the Signal Officers Reserve Corps on active duty April 11, 1918. He was promoted to captain eleven months later with the Air Service. On Sept. 14, 1920, he vacated his commission to become a first lieutenant with the Air Service, Regular Army.

He departed the United States Oct. 10, 1917 where he was assigned flying duty with the 49th and 22nd Aero Squadrons in France. His last month of combat duty, he served as the squadron commander for the 22nd Aero Squadron, in France. He was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action near Conflans, France on Oct. 29, 1918, for pursuing an enemy Fokker far within the enemy's lines and bringing it down. He was officially credited with four victories over German flyers. His squadron mates claim he actually shot down five German planes, making him an "Ace."

In January 1928, Lieutenant Tyndall was assigned to the 2nd Bombardment Group, Langley Field, Va. as an operations officer until September 1929. He then attended the Air Corps Tactical School. While an inspection tour of Army Air Fields, Lieutenant Tyndall was killed instantly when his P-1, serial number 28-61, crashed 15 on July 1930, near Mooresville, N.C. Lieutenant Tyndall was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with military honors.

"I still have many war letters he wrote to his father during his time in service," Mrs. Tyndall Trough said. "I have these things and they are very meaningful. I also have four lovely old trunks full of my father's things which my mother gave me."

Mrs. Tyndall Trough was only seven months old when her mother received the word of her father's death, yet has cherished the accomplishments and many stories told about her father, and is very proud to bear the name Tyndall.

"It wasn't just that he was in the Air Corps during a time of war, but the time he stayed in afterwards," said Mrs. Tyndall Trough. "He was an Airman who stayed in and accomplished a lot; he was involved in testing planes for the country."

Ten years after the Lieutenant's death, late-Congressman Bob Sikes suggested naming the base after Lieutenant Tyndall and the War Department officially named the new installation Tyndall Field.

"I can remember when my mother got the letter at our summer home saying a field would be named after my father, I was about 11," Mrs. Tyndall Trough said. "That was an amazing thing and a very vivid memory to me. The letter came out of nowhere and it was wonderful for the field to be named after my father."

Today, Team Tyndall's mission is carried out daily and its Airmen work hard to fulfill his legacy.