Francis Leroy Ankenbrandt – Major General, United States Air Force

Courtesy of the United States Air Force

MAJOR GENERAL FRANCIS L. ANKENBRANDT
Retired, Died December 1, 1976

Francis Leroy Ankenbrandt was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1904. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy June 12, 1926, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Signal Corps. The following year he was a student at the Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University, where he received a master of science Degree in 1927.

Reporting to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, in June 1927, General Ankenbrandt was personnel adjutant of the Civilian Military Training Camp and later became company commander in the 51st Signal Battalion. Beginning the company officers’ course at the Signal School there in September 1928, he graduated a year later. He was then assigned at the U.S. Military Academy as an instructor in the department of chemistry and electricity.

Going to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, in August 1934, General Ankenbrandt served in various capacities for two years, and then became assistant chief of the Air Navigation Unit of the Aircraft Radio Laboratory at Wright Field, Ohio. He went to Langley Field, Virginia, in July 1940 as signal officer at General Headquarters Air Force and
Air Force Combat Command, with additional duty as commanding officer of the 303rd Signal Company, later moving to Bolling Field, Washington D.C., with the organization, and in March 1942 he was assigned to Air Corps Headquarters.

That July General Akenbrandt was appointed theater signal officer for U.S. Army Forces in the South Pacific, with station at New Caledonia. Two years later he returned to Hawaii as director of communications for the Air Forces in the Pacific Ocean Area, moving to Guam in that capacity in January 1945. That August he was appointed air communications officer of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces at Guam.

Transferred to Air Corps headquarters in that capacity in October 1945, in December 1947 General Ankanbrandt was designated chief of the Air Communications Group in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, becoming director of communications the following February. Ordered to France in September 1951, he was assistant chief of staff for communications of the Allied Air Forces in Central Europe, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers in Europe, becoming Chief of Communications, SHAPE, in October 1952.

Joining the Military Air Transport Service September 1, 1954, General Ankenbrandt assumed command of the Airways and Air Communications Service at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The following August 1, he was named director of communications-electronics, the Joint Staff, in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.

His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal and Bronze Star.

PROMOTIONS:

He was promoted to first lieutenant Sept. 3, 1931; to captain June 12, 1936; to major (temporary) Jan. 31, 1941; to lieutenant colonel (temporary) Feb. 1, 1942; to colonel (temporary) July 11, 1942; to major (permanent) June 12, 1943; to brigadier general (temporary) Jan. 17, 1945; to major general (temporary) Oct. 26, 1947; to colonel (permanent) April 2, 1948 to brigadier general (permanent) Jan. 27, 1950; to major general (permanent) Oct. 9, 1951.

General Ankenbrandt was buried with full military honors in Section 34 of Arlington National Cemetery.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard