Person of Interst

Current residence: Naples and Alexandria, Va.

Occupation: Retired after 35 years of military service, Franks is now chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission, the organization charged with honoring armed forces that have served overseas. He’s also chairman of the VII Corps Desert Storm Veterans Association and president of the Amputee Board of Advisors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

What he’s working on now: A visitors’ center at the Normandy American Cemetery. “We’ll dedicate it on June 6 this year, the 63rd anniversary of D-Day,” he says. The center overlooks the beach and will tell the story of the war through photos, videos and artifacts.

Lesser-known sites: The ABMC also operates in the Philippines, Central America and North Africa. “Our oldest cemetery is in Mexico City, and it goes all the way back to the war between Mexico and the United States,” says Franks.

War stories: He collaborated with Tom Clancy on the writing of Into the Storm, a Study in Command.

On writing with Tom Clancy: “Tom befriended a boy who had serious bone cancer and had his leg amputated,” Franks says. “Someone told Tom about me, that I had had my leg amputated and was commanding [in Operation Desert Storm].” At Clancy’s request, Franks corresponded with the young man until he passed away. Afterward, Franks and Clancy remained friends. “He said, ‘When you retire, you ought to write a book about your experiences.’ So we did.”

Franks wants you: “I would encourage anyone to go visit one of these places … to be able to honor the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for our own freedom—which I believe to be the noblest mission.”