Major General Francis Drake Rogers, Jr. South Carolina Air National Guard (Ret.) Charleston - Francis Drake Rogers, Jr. 83, of Charleston, South Carolina, husband of Eleanor Lucas Gaillard Rogers entered into eternal rest on March 14, 2018. His Funeral Service will be held Saturday, March 17, 2018 in Saint Philip's Church, 142 Church Street at 11:00 am. Interment will follow in the Saint Philip's East Cemetery. The family will receive friends and relatives at Stuhr's Funeral Home at 232 Calhoun St. Friday March 16th from 4 to 6 pm. Frank was born August 22, 1934 in Camden, South Carolina, the son of Francis Drake Rogers and Elizabeth Jumelle Haile Rogers. He was preceded in death by his father, his mother and his younger sister Elisabeth Rogers Caraker. He grew up in Bennettsville, SC where he developed a love for the outdoors and Scouting which culminated in his becoming an Eagle Scout. Frank also fostered his love of airplanes and flying. He soloed one week after his 16th birthday. He graduated from Bennettsville High School in 1952 and then attended Severn Preparatory School in Severna Park, Maryland for one year of Post Graduate studies. Frank graduated from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, in 1957 as a Distinguished Military Graduate. During his junior year he was a member of The Bond Volunteers Drill Team, the Junior Sword Drill Team and was selected as the Outstanding AFROTC cadet during Air Force ROTC Summer Camp at Tyndall AFB, FL. He was selected to become the Fourth Battalion Commander, was a member of the Summerall Guards and was elected as Vice Chairman of the Honor Committee his senior year. He received a United States Air Force Regular Commission and graduated from Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1958. After completing the Advanced All Weather Fighter Interceptor School in 1959, his first operational flying assignment was to Charleston AFB, SC as a pilot and member of the 444th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. In 1961 the Squadron won the coveted Hughes Trophy competition naming them the Best Air Defense Squadron in the United States In 1963 after his active duty service, he became a member of the South Carolina Air National Guard. In 1965, he was selected to be a member of the South Carolina Air National Guard team which represented the Air National Guard of the United States in the Air Force - sponsored William Tell Weapons Meet, a worldwide competition between elite air defense units from around the world. Later, he commanded the 157th Tactical Fighter Squadron flying the A-7-D "Corsair" attack aircraft and, afterwards, he commanded the 169th Tactical Fighter Group flying the F-16-A "Fighting Falcon" multi-role fighter aircraft. He was a graduate of two senior military schools, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the Air Force Air War College. He was promoted to Brigadier General and became the Commander and Chief of Staff of the South Carolina Air National Guard in 1989. His awards and decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the South Carolina Distinguished Service Medal. During his tenure as Commander and Chief of Staff, the South Carolina Air National Guard won the prestigious Air Force Competition "Gun Smoke" defeating the best of all branches of our country's fighter units and was named the Best Fighter Unit in the military. Frank retired as a Command Pilot with over 5,000 accident free hours having flown the T-34-A, T-28-A, T-33-A, F-86-L, F-101-B, F-102-A in addition to the A-7-D and the F-16-A. Upon his retirement in 1991, he was promoted to the rank of Major General in the South Carolina Air National Guard. In his civilian life Frank was dedicated to helping others, serving his clients and always giving of himself and his time. His work was his passion and he recently retired from Merrill Lynch as a Senior Financial Advisor. He was a member of the St. Andrews Society, the South Carolina Society, the Agricultural Society of South Carolina, the Charleston Propeller Club, and the Society for the Relief of the Widows and Orphans of the Clergy. He served as the President of the Society of Cincinnati, Governor of the Society of Colonial Wars, President of the Charleston Club, Commodore of the Carolina Yacht Club, Senior Warden of St. Philips Church; and also served on the Board of Directors for the Confederate Home and on the Board of Trustees for Charleston Day School. He also chaired the Committee for the erection of the Statue of Major General William Moultrie which stands in White Point Gardens. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Eleanor Gaillard Rogers, his son, F. Drake Rogers III of Charleston, SC (Covell), his daughter, Gaillard Rogers Long of Houston, Texas (Bob), and his seven grandchildren, Francis Drake Rogers IV, Thomas Wheeler Rogers, Willis Gaillard Rogers, Charles Hampton Long, John Cameron Long, Lucas Whitaker Long and Eleanor McRae Long. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston
Published in Charleston Post & Courier on Mar. 15, 2018