Frankville U.S. Military Collection

Collection

Identifier: MS-0111

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Frankville US Military Collection documents Dr. Dominick Frankville's career in the military and academia. The majority of the collection contains historical research pertaining to Frankville’s master's thesis, as well as materials from military classes he taught at DePaul University. The collection also includes materials from his military assignments. The majority of documents focus on US military history and Soviet relations after WWII. Highlights of the collection include several small publications about military history which relate to Frankville’s research. These materials include diaristic accounts of German and Russian officers during WWII, weapons profiles, field manuals, and detailed writings about battles fought in the Pacific and European theatres. Substantial parts of the collection concern the Cold War era, especially with regard to US and Russian foreign policy. Items of interest include materials regarding Soviet intelligence and foreign relations, Vietnamese policy, and international security in the nuclear age. Arranged chronologically, the collection is comprised of correspondence, pamphlets, reports, military documents, and books.

Dates

Creation: 1911-1984

Creator

Frankville, Dr. Dominick (Dominick Donati Frankville) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright interests in some or all of these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creator(s) of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of archival collections is such that multiple creators are often applicable and copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. In any case, the user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, obtaining publication rights and copyright infringement. When requesting images from Special Collections & University Archives for publication, we require a signed agreement waiving San Diego State University of any liability in the event of a copyright violation.

Biographical Note

Dr. Dominick Donati Frankville was an Army veteran, military historian, educator, and community organizer born on November 6, 1917 in Silvas, Illinois. He attended St. Ambrose College in 1938 and enlisted in the Army Reserve soon afterwards. Over the course of his twenty-five year military service, Frankville served in the Second World War and two tours in the Korean War, retiring in 1962. During his service, he earned a bachelor's degree in history from Colorado College and a Master's of Arts in history from DePaul University. Frankville's master's thesis, titled "The Lend-lease Program and US Aid to Russia from US Sources," focused on foreign relations between the United States and the USSR. From 1960 to 1962, Dr. Frankville taught military history at DePaul University and wrote a workbook/study guide for senior ROTC students. In 1969, he received a doctorate in educational leadership at the United States International University.

Later, Frankville settled in Point Loma and taught history at Dana Junior High School as well as several campuses in the San Diego Community College District. He went on to volunteer at the Veteran's Museum and Memorial Center in Balboa Park, where he became founding curator in 1991. Frankville later became the chairman of the Memorial Day Committee at Fort Rosecrans, where he planned Memorial Day ceremonies for more than a decade.

Frankville was designated San Diego County's Veteran of the Year in 1993, and also received the George Washington Medal of Honor from the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge. He continued to teach at Pacific Beach Middle School until his retirement. Frankville died on April 27, 2006.