DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS 2011

Capt. Charles Tucker

Capt. Charles Tucker

Capt. Charles Tucker graduated from Perryville High School in 1936. He was the son of Lon and Clara Tucker. (The following information was taken from a story published in the Republic-Monitor newspaper) Charles Tucker is one of only two ace pilots from Perry County that served in World War II. He was the pilot of the flying fortress Blue Champagne, and completed 25 missions with an attack on targets in Frankfurt, Germany.

Tucker was commissioned a second lieutenant on January 14, 1943. Six months later, he was in England flying his plane. He was soon promoted to first lieutenant. On January 29 he completed the required 25 missions as a bomber pilot and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. For the medal, he completed 176 hours of flying time, including three to Paris, three to Emden, four to Bremen, and an hour each to many more locations.

Tucker survived a close call or two while in combat. He got a little more air than he had planned while flying over Normandy in 1944. The canopy was shot off his plane, the P-17 Thunderbolt, while in combat with a Nazi plane over the Normandy beachhead. After successfully landing his canopy-less one man fighter plane at his base in England, Tucker laughed saying that “he was just a fresh-air fiend.” In February, he was promoted to captain.

June 22 began like any other, but ended as a mother’s worst nightmare. He was killed in combat at the age of 24.

In addition to the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Oak-Leaf Clusters, Tucker was awarded—the Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Emblem, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars for participation in the Air Offensive Europe and Normandy Campaigns.

Mrs. Winnie (Abernathy) Frentzel

Mrs. Winnie (Abernathy) Frentzel

Mrs. Winnie (Abernathy) Frentzel graduated from Perryville High School in 1947. After graduation, Mrs. Frentzel attended Southeast Missouri State University and earned a B.S. in Education and an M.A. in Fine Arts. After teaching 12 years in Perry County rural schools and one year in Cape County, getting married and raising four children, Mrs. Frentzel returned to Perryville High School in 1965 to teach art.

Mrs. Frentzel was also instrumental in starting varsity girls basketball in 1974. She coached the sport until she started the softball program in the spring of 1982. She also coached junior high school basketball and volleyball which started in the early 1980’s. She has been pleased to see the changes and opportunities young ladies have experienced over the years in high school athletics.

Mrs. Frentzel also represented the Southeast Missouri District in softball several years serving on the MSHSAA Softball Board.

Each year an outstanding female athlete at Perryville High School is selected to receive the Coach Frentzel Award. Mrs. Frentzel’s teaching and coaching career has spanned a total of 40 years.

She was married to the late Byrd Frentzel, and she has four children, Alan Frentzel, Kirk Frentzel, Christy Leuckel and Tammy Moldenhauer.

Mr. Martin Oswald

Mr. Martin Oswald

Mr. Martin Oswald was born in Friedenberg, Missouri in 1938. He attended parochial and public grade schools. He graduated from Perryville High School in 1956 and Southeast Missouri State University in 1960. During the past 50 years he was employed as a teacher, subway train/aircraft designer and technical writer. He retired from Boeing in 2010.

In addition to his full time employment, Mr. Oswald’s desire was to document history and promote tourism in Perry County. He developed a tour guide map, including descriptions for 55 points of interest from Perryville through Friedenberg. He also planned and organized tours to Perry County for over 30 years.

Mr. Oswald, along with other book committee members, wrote and published the book,“Friedenberg Remembrances.” Eighteen years of research were required for the book, which contains accounts of early Bavarian and Rhinelander settlers, old newspaper articles, a 142 page biography, over 3,000 names and places, and 139 photos and maps.

In 1995 and again in 1999 Mr. Oswald received awards from Concordia Historical Institute for the preservation of “Hill of Peace” church history by documenting church and community history, interviewing and researching public records.

Mr. Oswald is a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Concordia Historical Institute, Brazeau Historical Society, Friedenberg Lutheran Historical Society, International Travel Club, the Missouri Numismatic Society, Boeing Railroad Club, PHS Alumni Association, SEMO Alumni Association and volunteers for Ferguson public library and Missouri House Rabbit Society.