40 May 16 • 2019
jn
soul
of blessed memory
Bond of Brothers
ALAN MUSKOVITZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
D
etroit brothers and WWII
veterans, Frank and Jerry
Manchel, 95- and 94-years-
old respectively, said goodbye to each
other in a Baltimore hotel room on
Sunday, May 5. The brothers were
wrapping up a weekend trip to our
nation’
s capital to visit the National
World War II Memorial.
The two enjoyed a two-hour fare-
well conversation while relaxing
next to each other on a bed, sharing
memories while passing time prior
to their separate return flights home.
“We talked about things in general …
sports, life,” Jerry said.
The trip was an all-expenses-paid
weekend courtesy of Honor Flight
San Diego. They’
re part of a national
organization that provides aging vet-
erans a chance to see the memorial
with help of volunteer guardians who
pay their own way to be chaperons.
That Sunday chat would be the last
time Jerry would see or speak to his
brother. In what is now a story that
has been covered by news agencies
around the world and is trending on
social media, Frank Manchel passed
away, peacefully, an hour before his
American Airlines chartered Honor
Flight landed in California.
Dave Smith, founder of Honor
Flight San Diego who was on board
and witnessed Frank’
s passing, said:
“It was almost instantaneous. He was
laughing, chatting, having a good
time — and then he collapsed.”
Frank had made the journey from
San Diego, where he had moved from
Detroit in 2016 with his wife, Pearl, of
nearly 71 years, to be closer to their
son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Bruce
and Janine Manchel. Bruce accompa-
nied his father while his older brother
Howard traveled to D.C. from his
home in Atlanta. Jerry Manchel and
his son David flew from Detroit to
the capital completing this extraordi-
nary patriotic family reunion.
It turns out that events that trans-
pired on that fateful return flight to
San Diego would be the stuff of a
Hollywood screenplay. Earlier in the
flight, guardian Dr. Pha Le, a multi-
trip Honor Flight volunteer, went
about his routine of having WWII
vets sign a book he owned, Eyewitness
to World War II. Frank autographed
it: “F. Manchel, U.S.
Army Signal Corp.,
England.” Who
could have ever
predicted that in the
waning moments of
that flight, it would
be that same Dr.
Pha Le, an emergen-
cy room physician,
who would attempt
to help resuscitate
Frank?
Upon his passing,
with son Bruce by
his side, volunteers
draped Frank in
an American flag
for the remaining
hour of the flight.
Chaplains offered prayers. “God Bless
America” was sung. Then, upon land-
ing, each WWII vet paused to salute
Frank as they disembarked. Moments
later, medical personnel and first
responders gathered to salute him as
his remains made their way onto the
tarmac.
On Thursday, May
9, Frank Manchel
was laid to rest at
Machpelah Cemetery
in Ferndale, a service
that included the
Jewish War Veterans
of Michigan Honor
Guard. Two Amy
officers performed
the haunting flag
folding ceremony,
upon which the Stars
and Stripes were
presented to Pearl
Manchel.
CarolAnn Barr,
Jerry Manchel’
s
daughter, tipped me
off to the fact that her father’
s final
farewell with her Uncle Frank in
that Baltimore hotel room reminded
her of another dramatic emotional
goodbye experienced by the Manchel
brothers. Only this one was over 70
years ago, just prior to the two joining
the war effort.
Frank, an Army tech sergeant
and cryptographer, had received
his orders to be shipped overseas to
London. Jerry, also a tech sergeant,
would remain stateside, finishing
training as an Army Air Corps radio
gunner before leaving to serve in the
Pacific. Through their daily letter
writing, Jerry learned that the train
Frank would be traveling on would
pass Fort Custer where he was sta-
tioned.
Jerry wrote Frank informing him
that once he knew the day and time,
he would position himself by the
tracks: “I’
ll be looking for you,” Jerry
wrote. “Get in the last car of the train
and wave to me and I’
ll see you again
before you go overseas.” The brothers
pulled it off. “I saw him for a second,”
Jerry said.
Frank and Jerry Manchel enjoyed
every moment of their Honor Flight
journey. They were moved every step
of the way by the outpouring of love
and gratitude afforded them wherever
they went in Washington, D.C.
However, while Frank’
s death made
headlines, it was made abundantly
clear to me by the entire Manchel
family that Frank and Jerry, this
bond of brothers, would take solace
in knowing that despite the dramatic
circumstances surrounding Frank’
s
passing, their Honor Flight shone
the spotlight once more upon those
with whom they served, the humble
men and women of our Greatest
Generation.
Visit the video archives at
irakaufman.com to hear stirring trib-
utes to Frank Manchel and Google
Frank Manchel to see the world wide
attention news of his passing has gar-
nered. ■
Alan Muskovitz is a writer, voice-over/acting
talent, speaker, and emcee. Visit his website
at laughwithbigal.com,“Like” Al on Facebook
and reach him at amuskovitz@renmedia.us.
Standing: Dr. David
Manchel, Howard
Manchel, Dr. Bruce
Manchel. Sitting:
Jerry Manchel,
Frank Manchel.
This photo was taken shortly before Frank
peacefully passed away on his flight home