| Col. Frank Kurtz United States Army Air Corps |
|
|---|---|
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army Air Corps |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Diving | ||
| Bronze | 1932 Los Angeles | 10 metre platform |
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 Crosses, 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.[1]
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.[2] 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.