Tales of World War II Veteran, Sailor Include a Stowaway Kangaroo

Frank E. (Red) Kimmel of West View had many loves — his family, the sea, golf with his friends, baseball and especially his country. 

Kimmel, a World War II veteran, died peacefully Aug. 12, 2011, at the age of 89. 

Kimmel was born in Cleveland, OH, the son of a truck driver. The family moved several times before settling in Pittsburgh when Kimmel was a teenager. He met the love of his life, Ann Thomas, in high school, but that relationship, and his education, were put on hold in January 1942. 

Less than a month after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Kimmel joined the United States Navy.  

He served as a gunners mate 1st class aboard the USS Grayson (DD435). He saw action during the 'Doolittle strike on Tokyo,' at Guadalcanal, the Marshall Islands, Wake Island, Leyte Gulf and other engagements.

Frank William Kimmel Jr. recounts one of his grandfather’s favorite stories:

“After Guadalcanal, the entire fleet went to Melbourne, Australia, for some much deserved shore leave,” he said. “My grandfather and his buddies decided to look for souvenirs and settled on a kangaroo. They tried to sneak it back onto the ship in the middle of the night, but the kangaroo was too noisy, and they were quickly caught.”

He said his grandfather “got quite an earful from his commanding officer, while everyone else couldn’t stop laughing.”

After the war, Kimmel remained on active duty through 1947. His grandson said, “He was an outstanding baseball player for his navy team, batting .330 during the 1946 season.”

After active duty, Kimmel served in the Navy reserves until 1951.

In 1948, Kimmel and Ann married and settled on Pittsburgh’s North Side. The family quickly grew to include two sons, Frank and Kenneth.

They moved to Ross in 1960 where Kimmel worked as a repairman. 

“As a gunner’s mate, my grandfather learned how to fix a lot of things,” Kimmel Jr. recalled. “He often worked two or three jobs to support his family, but because he was so busy, he wasn’t around much. It was hard, but life brought him a lot of joy.”

One of those joyful moments came in April 2001, when Frank, his son and his grandson attended the inaugural game at PNC Park. “That’s one of my greatest memories, the three Franks together watching baseball,” Kimmel Jr. said. 

Kimmel’s beloved wife, Ann, died in 1975. After retirement, Kimmel engaged in another of his passions, golf, for as long as his health would allow, and he doted on his grandchildren.

“My grandfather would come to all of games and all of my sister’s dance recitals and other performances,” Kimmel Jr. said. “He was like a second father to us; it was great.”

Kimmel is survived by sons Frank (Diane) and Kenneth (Lexy) and grandchildren Frank Jr. and Meredythe. 

After a private family Christian prayer service, he will be buried at sea.