Photos of Frank with RVAH-14
L to R: ADCS Frank "Mad Dog" Madigan, AEC Sam "Shakey" Smith, OSC Bob "Nasty" Stockton
Bob Stockton has reported the passing of Senior Chief Frank Madigan.
Bob says:
Senior Chief Aviation Machinists Mate Frank Madigan died last night. Frank had been an inpatient in an assisted living care facility in Daytona suffering from end stage 4 lung cancer and had lost more than100 pounds. Evelyn, his wife of 41 years had dementia and shared his room in a secure wing of the facility, until passing away several months before Frank.
Frank was my shipmate, friend, counselor, road running buddy and much more. I never knew him to have a down moment or to have a less than enthusiastic greeting when he came upon his shipmates.
Frank was what the Navy likes to call a warrior. He made several combat deployments to Vietnam and was part of an aircraft detachment in Da Nang. He also made several deployments to the Mediterranean with his reconnaissance squadrons during the course of his 20-plus years of Naval service to his country.
I first met Frank in the summer of 1965. We were both decorating the bar at a beachside watering hole in New Smyrna Beach. He had recently returned from a combat cruise to Vietnam. I was bringing Frank up to speed on the local myths, rumors, and legends when I happened to make an offhand remark about two female barflies who had a less than stellar reputation.
“I know, Frank replied, I’m married to one of them.”
After I removed my shoe from my mouth Frank assured me that no offense had occurred; that he was in the process of divorcing her.
This first meeting was the beginning of a lifelong friendship that was to last well beyond our Navy careers and spanned countless reconnaissance reunions. Frank’s last reunion was last Saturday when his daughter arranged a video link to our annual reunion in Sanford.
A great deal of Frank’s post Navy career was spent advocating for veterans; in 2009 he gave me valuable counsel when the VA was stalling my Agent Orange disability claim.
That was Frank in a nutshell, always willing to help veterans and shipmates.
Fair winds and following seas, shipmate.
Rgards,
Bob Stockton, Chief Operations Specialist, U.S. Navy, retired.
This post will be updated if we receive more information.
Bob Stockton, Chief Operations Specialist, U.S. Navy, retired.
This post will be updated if we receive more information.
Replies
His Obituary can be found here: Franklin Douglas Madigan July 19, 1942 – June 30, 2022