Frank Monroe Upton was born on 29 April 1896 in Loveland, Colorado. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy from that state and served as a Quartermaster on the destroyer Stewart during World War I. On 17 April 1918, while his ship was serving on escort duty in Quiberon Bay, France, the nearby American steamship Florence H suffered an internal explosion. Though the sea in the vicinity was covered by exploding boxes of smokeless powder, Upton dove into the water and rescued an exhausted survivor. For his "extraordinary heroism" on this occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
In December 1918, Upton was commissioned as an Ensign in the Naval Auxiliary Reserve Force. Upon completion of his military service, Upton became an officer in the U.S. Merchant Marine. In January 1926, while serving as a Fourth Mate of the U.S. passenger liner President Roosevelt, he participated in the rescue of the crew of the British freighter Antinoe, which was breaking up in the North Atlantic. Upton, along with the others involved, were awarded the King George V Gallantry at Sea Medal by the British Government and were given a ticker-tape parade in New York City. During World War II, as master of a merchant ship, he voyaged to Murmansk, Russia, the Persian Gulf, and West Europe, and took part in the 6 June 1944 D-Day Landings at Normandy. After his Merchant Marine service, he relocated to Boulder, Colorado and operated a motel. Frank M. Upton died on 25 June 1962 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
This page features selected views concerning Frank M. Upton.
For a presentation on another USS Stewart Sailor who also received the Medal of Honor for rescuing survivors of the S.S. Florence H., see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 79447 Quartermaster Frank M. Upton, USN Halftone reproduction of a photograph, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 126. Quartermaster Upton, of USS Stewart, received the Medal of Honor for "extraordinary heroism" on 17 April 1918 when he risked his life while rescuing an exhausted survivor of the explosion of the American S.S. Florence H. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 74KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105342 U.S. Navy Medal Of Honor Obverse of a Medal of Honor awarded to Quartermaster Frank M. Upton, of USS Stewart, for "extraordinary heroism" when he risked his life while rescuing an exhausted survivor of the explosion of the American S.S. Florence H on 17 April 1918. See Photo # NH 105343 for a view of the reverse of this medal. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 585 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105343 U.S. Navy Medal Of Honor Reverse of a Medal of Honor awarded to Quartermaster Frank M. Upton, of USS Stewart, for "extraordinary heroism" when he risked his life while rescuing an exhausted survivor of the explosion of the American S.S. Florence H on 17 April 1918. See Photo # NH 105342 for a view of the obverse of this medal. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 150KB; 740 x 585 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105344 King George V Gallantry at Sea Medal Obverse of a Gallantry at Sea Medal awarded by the British Government to Frank M. Upton, of SS President Roosevelt, in recognition of his role in the rescue of crew members of the British Freighter Antinoe while it was breaking up in the North Atlantic on 26 January 1926. See Photo # NH 105345 for a view of the reverse of this medal. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 118KB; 580 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105345 King George V Gallantry at Sea Medal Reverse of a Gallantry at Sea Medal awarded by the British Government to Frank M. Upton, of SS President Roosevelt, in recognition of his role in the rescue of crew members of the British Freighter Antinoe while it was breaking up in the North Atlantic on 26 January 1926. See Photo # NH 105344 for a view of the obverse of this medal. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 147KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Medal of Honor citation of Quartermaster Frank Monroe Upton, USN (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 126): |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 3 December 2007
Text and photo captions revised 31 May 2008