Frank Kurtz
Encyclopedia
Col. Frank Allen Kurtz (September 9, 1911 – October 31, 1996) is known as an Olympic
diver
, as an aviator, the United States Army Air Force being awarded the Croix de Guerre
, 3 Distinguished Flying Cross
es, 3 Silver Stars, 3 Air Medals, 5 Presidential Citations. He is also known as the father of the actress Swoosie Kurtz
.
Kurtz became interested in flying at age 16, and in 1935 he flew an open cockpit plane, setting a speed flight from Los Angeles
to Mexico City
to Washington D.C. and back to Los Angeles.
Kurtz's swimming abilities impressed Olympic champion swimmer Johnny Weissmuller
who encouraged him to train with famous diving coach Clyde Swendsen. Kurtz graduated at Hollywood High School and went on to the University of Southern California
especially to join the diving team. Kurtz won a Bronze medal in 10 metre platform diving at the 1932 Summer Olympics
and was ranked 5th in this event at the 1936 Summer Olympics
.
He was Commander of the 463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 15th Air Force, Celone Airfield, Foggia, Italy
(1944–45), and survivor of an air attack at Clark Field in the Philippines
2 days after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In Australia
he salvaged and helped rebuild a B-17D Flying Fortress bomber with a combination a parts from other wrecked B-17s. At that time the repaired B-17 was nicknamed "The Swoose", by 19th Bomb Group pilot Captain Weldon Smith, after the tail of 40-3091 was grafted onto 40-3097, resulting in an aircraft that was "half swan and half goose". Later it was listed to be scrapped and smelted down for its aluminium
content, until Kurtz convinced the City of Los Angeles to retrieve the bomber for use as a war memorial. The Swoose is the only "D model" B-17 still in existence. It was the only B-17 that flew from the beginning of World War II
until the end. It is now housed in-doors at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum
, awaiting restoration.
After 24 years in the services of the United States Armed Forces he retired and became a top executive of the William May Garland development firm.
Kurtz was the 3rd child of Frank Kurtz, Sr. and wife Dora, and was born in Davenport
, Iowa
U.S.A. The actress Swoosie Kurtz
(b 1944) is the only child of Kurtz, and his wife, author Margo Kurtz. The unique first name "Swoosie" (rhymes with Lucy, rather than woozy) is derived from the B-17s named "The Swoose" and "Swoose II", which Kurtz piloted during World War II
with the 19th and 463rd Bomb Groups. Kurtz died in 1996 from complications following a fall.
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
diver
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, as an aviator, the United States Army Air Force being awarded the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, 3 Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
es, 3 Silver Stars, 3 Air Medals, 5 Presidential Citations. He is also known as the father of the actress Swoosie Kurtz
Swoosie Kurtz
Swoosie Kurtz is an American actress. She began her career in theater during the 1970s and shortly thereafter began a career in television, garnering ten nominations and winning one Emmy Award. Her most famous television project was her role on the 1990s NBC drama Sisters...
.
Kurtz became interested in flying at age 16, and in 1935 he flew an open cockpit plane, setting a speed flight from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to Washington D.C. and back to Los Angeles.
Kurtz's swimming abilities impressed Olympic champion swimmer Johnny Weissmuller
Johnny Weissmuller
Johnny Weissmuller was an Austro-Hungarian-born American swimmer and actor best known for playing Tarzan in movies. Weissmuller was one of the world's best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. He won fifty-two US National Championships and set sixty-seven...
who encouraged him to train with famous diving coach Clyde Swendsen. Kurtz graduated at Hollywood High School and went on to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
especially to join the diving team. Kurtz won a Bronze medal in 10 metre platform diving at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Diving at the 1932 Summer Olympics - Men's 10 metre platform
The men's 10 metre platform, also reported as high diving, was one of four diving events on the diving at the 1932 Summer Olympics programme. The competition was actually held from both 10 metre and 5 metre platforms...
and was ranked 5th in this event at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Diving at the 1936 Summer Olympics - Men's 10 metre platform
The men's 10 metre platform, also reported as high diving, was one of four diving events on the diving at the 1936 Summer Olympics programme...
.
He was Commander of the 463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 15th Air Force, Celone Airfield, Foggia, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1944–45), and survivor of an air attack at Clark Field in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
2 days after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
he salvaged and helped rebuild a B-17D Flying Fortress bomber with a combination a parts from other wrecked B-17s. At that time the repaired B-17 was nicknamed "The Swoose", by 19th Bomb Group pilot Captain Weldon Smith, after the tail of 40-3091 was grafted onto 40-3097, resulting in an aircraft that was "half swan and half goose". Later it was listed to be scrapped and smelted down for its aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
content, until Kurtz convinced the City of Los Angeles to retrieve the bomber for use as a war memorial. The Swoose is the only "D model" B-17 still in existence. It was the only B-17 that flew from the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
until the end. It is now housed in-doors at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
, awaiting restoration.
After 24 years in the services of the United States Armed Forces he retired and became a top executive of the William May Garland development firm.
Kurtz was the 3rd child of Frank Kurtz, Sr. and wife Dora, and was born in Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
U.S.A. The actress Swoosie Kurtz
Swoosie Kurtz
Swoosie Kurtz is an American actress. She began her career in theater during the 1970s and shortly thereafter began a career in television, garnering ten nominations and winning one Emmy Award. Her most famous television project was her role on the 1990s NBC drama Sisters...
(b 1944) is the only child of Kurtz, and his wife, author Margo Kurtz. The unique first name "Swoosie" (rhymes with Lucy, rather than woozy) is derived from the B-17s named "The Swoose" and "Swoose II", which Kurtz piloted during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the 19th and 463rd Bomb Groups. Kurtz died in 1996 from complications following a fall.