BRANCHVILLE - Master Sgt. Leland Frazee (USAF, ret.) of Branchville says he's proud of his 36 years of service to his country, just as he is proud of those American men and women who are serving in the military today.

Frazee, 91, was once asked to present the story of his military history to the Library of Congress. He left home at the age of 17 to enter the service in 1938.

Born on December 2, 1917, in Hinsdale, Ill., he is the son of the late Harry Leland and Lilly Marie Slankard Frazee and the eldest of nine children. "Almost all of my brothers and sisters participated in the military," he said. "And, we are all proud to have served this country. The military provided many people with a good career and benefits they couldn't get anywhere else. It also taught the young people discipline and self-respect. In fact, five of us retired from the military."

Frazee entered service as a private at Chanute Field, Ill. After completing basic training, he was shipped to Panama, where he completed one tour of duty. Then, he was sent to Jackson Army Air Base in Mississippi.

"We had our squadron, the 405th, packed and all the boxes addressed to our next port in Biloxi when we received news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Well, I can tell you, none of us went to pieces. We went to the rail station and changed the address labels and shipped out to San Francisco, where we boarded the tanker H. Bliss for the 42-day trip following the convoy to Australia."

Many of the servicemen became seasick because the tanker had to zig-zag across the Pacific, he said. The latrines seemed to stay clogged, and fresh water was rationed, Frazee said.

"The Bliss was escorted by two Navy destroyers, and when we got close to the Australian shore, a Japanese submarine surfaced and was preparing to fire on us. I'll always be thankful for the great military training those sailors on the destroyers had. They just rolled around and dropped depth-charges," he said. "We weren't affected but we could see parts of the submarine that were blown to the surface."

Frazee met his first wife, the late Marie Hager, when he was tricked into going on a blind date by two of his tent mates while stationed in Australia.

"Marie was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I was (reassigned), but Marie and I corresponded. And on July 14, 1944, we were married in Melbourne, Australia," Frazee said. "We were married for 59 wonderful years before she passed away, and we have three children and ... 4 grandchildren."

Frazee was later stationed at Charters Towers, where his job was to help maintain the aircraft.

At Jackson Air Base, we had maintained B-26s. They had a structural defect involving the Hamilton props that resulted in crashes and poor take-offs. The B-25s we maintained at Charters Towers were much easier to keep up. The B-25s were 'Sun Setters' - medium bombers. I repaired the air frames, and I loved my job," he said.

From Charters Towers, Frazee again boarded a ship to New Guinea, where he was stationed some 65 miles behind Japanese lines.

"We traveled through swamps by barge to our new location. The mosquitoes were everywhere. Our tents and nettings were in the second barge, and it did not make it to us that first night. We slept on the ground using shelter halves for as much protection as possible against the mosquitoes, but with little success. Some men had to be led to breakfast the next morning because their faces were so swollen from the mosquito attacks that they were blinded."

Eventually, the outfit settled at Ward Strip, Frazee said, and was so organized that "we boasted we could load C-47s, move 200 miles, unload and be ready to operate in one day."

Later, he was transferred to the 400th Bomb Squadron, 90th Bomb Group, where they needed a sheet metal worker.

"I worked on B-24s, the 'Jolly Rogers' - heavy bombers. I did what was required to keep the bombers flying. That meant patching bullet and shrapnel holes as well as routine maintenance. After WWII, I attained the rank of master sergeant and received special training in aircraft radar and precision maintenance. It was a good career, and I am proud to have served."

Frazee said his first wife, Marie, helped him get through the war and recover after it.

"Everyone who goes into a war situation is affected by it. Those young servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan are already feeling the effects or will feel them one day. My brother, Earl, like so many others, suffered the effects of Agent Orange. Me? Well, my Marie was patient and understanding. She was always supportive and, even though it took a couple of years, she helped me get a handle on my war nerves. I'll be forever thankful and grateful to her."

Frazee retired from the Air Force after 36 years. He met Branchville native Margaret Garris of Branchville through his granddaughter, Jennifer Beatie Haworth who is married to Garris' grandson, Andrew Marian Haworth of Columbia. Frazee and Garris were married on June 18, 2006.

"I am a happy, happy man to have married her," Frazee said. "We have a great life together."

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