Background
Franks was born in Pittsboro, North Carolina in 1830.
Franks was born in Pittsboro, North Carolina in 1830.
He enlisted in the Navy on September 16, 1863. He and his group were in the thickest of the fighting, but it was never enough to drive them from their cannon. The actions of Franks and his men came to play the most important role in maintaining the Union position.
Two of his shipmates, Seaman James Stoddard and Seaman Bartlett Laffey, were also awarded the medal for being on the gun crew.
Franks was discharged from the Navy in August 1865, and settled in Arkansas. William J. Franks died in April of 1880 and is buried in Maple Springs Cemetery in Batesville, Arkansas.
A Fletcher-class destroyer, United States Ship Franks (Doctor of Divinity-554), was named in his honor and launched on December 7, 1942.
Franks distinguished himself in action at Yazoo City, Mississippi on March 5, 1864 when he and his shipmates from the United States Ship Marmora (1862) landed a 12-pound howitzer to defend the city, which was threatened by strong Confederate forces.