JAMES FRANK LOVE, JR.

Frank Love Jr. was born April 26, 1921, in Lincolnton, N.C. His father was a textile mill owner who lost his two mills during the Depression and worked for other mills before starting Dora Yarn Mill in Cherryville, N.C.

Frank learned to play the trumpet in the seventh grade in his Lincolnton school band. He formed his first orchestra during his senior year at Shelby High School, graduating in 1938. Members of Frank’s band included Roberts “Horsey” Austell, Jack Spake, and (Dr.) Robert Litton. The orchestra was first called Frank Love and His Melodeers, later becoming the Frank Love Orchestra.

Frank knew many local musicians, such as Ray Ledford (trumpet), Jake Hagaman (trumpet), brothers Paul and Grady Vernon (trombone and trumpet respectively), Elwood Pierce (trumpet) of Burlington, N.C., and Johnny Best, a member of Artie Shaw’s band.

Frank graduated from the Citadel in June 1942 and immediately received his commission into the United States Air Force. He spent four years serving overseas during World War II as a squadron leader and then commander of an airplane repair division.

He was mainly stationed at the Abbots Ripton and Alconbury bases in England, where he played the trumpet with various groups including the 8th Air Force Gremlins.

Frank reminisces about his WWII experiences and shares his theory of how Glenn Miller disappeared during a flight over the English Channel to Paris.

Asked if he thought music made a difference in the morale of the soldiers, he said, “The guys out there, I mean, they were on the front lines one day, and they come in and they just had a ball…it was a tremendous release and they really enjoyed it…Glenn Miller played at a number of bases, including our base. He had his full band there. That hanger was absolutely chock-a-block full.”