Photo By Chief Petty Officer Stephen Oleksiak | Capt. Peter S. Frano, director of Staff for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces...... read more read more
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NAPLES, Italy – The director of Staff for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet retired concluding 30 years of naval service, May 20, on Naval Support Activity Naples.
Capt Peter S. Frano, native of Huntington, N.Y., retired during a ceremony held in the chapel on Capodichino and was attended by numerous shipmates, friends and family.
“I'm deeply honored to have been asked to participate in this most important ceremony for such a distinguished leader as Pete Frano,” said Vice Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander, U.S. 6th Fleet. “I can tell you that Pete is the epitome of all that we stand for in the Armed Forces. He is a man of character. He is a man of principle. And he is a man who loves both family and country without equivocation. I am honored to have worked with him, and I am honored to call him friend.”
Harris noted that while they were all there to mark Frano’s departure from active military service, he choose instead to emphasize the caliber of his service and that he did not do it alone.
“And lest anyone think that Pete did it alone, we know that’s just not so. When he was off flying, off adventuring, off saving America … Cindy was at home taking care of the kids and keeping Pete on course,” he said.
Harris thanked Mrs. Frano for all her years of dedication and support, then presented her with a letter of appreciation. Harris then presented Capt. Frano with the Legion of Merit before turning the floor over.
“The years have been good to me,” said Frano after thanking everyone for attending. “After all these years my flight suit still fits, and I still get pumped when I hear the theme song from Top Gun.” He continued speaking about his first deployment aboard USS John F. Kennedy, flying the A6 Intruder and how it set the tone for his service.
“We left on that cruise in early September [1983] and after a brief stop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we headed into the Mediterranean Sea. The Cold War was in full swing, and then on Oct. 23, 1983, Hezbollah blew up the marine barracks in Beirut and everything changed, and I mean everything. We were always on alert, we flew 12 on, 12 off for weeks and I experienced combat for the first time when I flew a mission into Lebanon.”
Frano continued saying that he had only been in the Navy two years and that it was an amazing way to start things out, “needless to say, I was hooked!”
“Where was my wife during this time? She was at home with our first born son, Peter, he was three months old,” said Frano “The best thing about that first cruise was when we pulled into Naples, Italy, and Cindy came on an Alitalia charter filled with air wing and ships company wives.”
Frano then added that he thought it was amazing how his career made a full circle from his first deployment where he pulled into Naples and then back again for his retirement. Then Frano thanked his wife for all her support and all his friends and shipmates for attending.
Frano was commissioned in the Navy in 1981 and was designated a naval aviator in July 1982. He has served on the "Sunday Punchers" of Attack Squadron 75 aboard USS John F. Kennedy, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and participated in the strike of December 4, 1983, in support of Multinational Peacekeeping Forces in Lebanon.
His awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (with Combat Distinguishing Device), Strike/Flight Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (with Combat Distinguishing Device) and various other service/campaign ribbons. He has also logged more than 3,400 total flight hours and is a veteran of over 700 carrier landings.
Frano is married to the former Cynthia A. Reuter and they have two grown sons, Peter and Matthew. Frano will retire to Pensacola, Fla., with his wife where they plan to enjoy spending time with family and friends.
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2011 11:41 |
| Story ID: | 70759 |
| Location: | NAPLES, IT |
| Web Views: | 680 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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