| Frank R Hancock | |
| Birth Date: | 23 November 1950 |
| Birth Place: | Henderson, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1972–2003 |
| Rank: | Colonel |
Frank Rapier Hancock (born 23 November 1950) is a retired United States Army officer who served as battalion commander of the 1-327th Infantry Regiment during Desert Shield / Desert Storm, 101st Airborne Division. Colonel Hancock received notoriety when his Infantry Battalion, 1-327th Infantry, was the lead battalion of the 101st Airborne Division's invasion of Iraq in Desert Storm. The Division's attack would be the first part of Gen Norman Schwarzkopf Jr's "Hail Mary" flanking maneuver[1] during Desert Storm. On 24 February 1991, the 101st Airborne Division (AASLT) conducted the largest helicopter air assault in military history as it struck 93 miles inside Iraq with over 2,000 men. The Division's assault established a Forward Operating Base (FOB Cobra) which allowed the attack to sever Highway 8 in the Euphrates River Valley.[2] Colonel Hancock's battalion was the lead battalion of the air assault and subsequently captured 344 prisoners in combat operations at FOB Cobra after attacking an Iraqi battalion-size strongpoint position which had not been identified in pre-combat intelligence analysis. The battle that occurred would be covered in numerous books to include: LTG (Ret) Dan Bolger's book "Death Ground-Today’s American Infantry in Battle",[3] John McManus's book“Grunts”,[4] LTG (Ret) Mike Flannigan's book “Lightning”,[5] Tom Taylor's “Lightning in the Storm”,[6] General (Ret) Binford Peay's Oral History,[7] "MG (Ret) Robert Scales book “Certain Victory”,[8] Colonel (Ret) Robert Jones book “History of the 101st Airborne”,[9] Charles Lane Toomey's "XVIII Airborne Corps in Desert Storm"[10] and Thomas Houlahan's "Gulf War The Complete History.'"[11] The battle would also be the subject of a 2001 painting entitled: The Lightning of Desert Storm.[12] In 2018 Colonel (Ret) Hancock would author the article "Thank God for Thinking Soldiers" for Infantry Magazine[13] which discussed the battle. The battalion would receive a Valorous Unit Award for its actions.[14]
Frank Hancock was raised on a cattle and horse farm in Waverly, Kentucky. His parents were John and Ann Hancock. He would have two older siblings Kelly and John and two younger ones Tom and Donna. His father John was a B-24 pilot with 19 missions in the 15th Air Force during World War II and had great influence on Colonel Hancock's decision to go into the military. Colonel Hancock's schooling included eight years at St Peters Catholic Elementary School and 3 years at St Vincent Academy Catholic High School. He would graduate from Union County High School in 1968 after St Vincent closed the previous year. Hancock was an above average student and an avid athlete. In high school he would letter three times in baseball and two times in basketball. In his spare time Hancock also became a ballroom dancer taking eight years of it during his childhood. At 17 Hancock would receive an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point and would enter the Academy on July 1,1968 in the Class of 1972. Hancock would describe his four years at West Point like Ulysses S. Grant did of his time there; " I was effortlessly mediocre." Hancock however did meet his wife there, Maureen Materia, and would marry her on June 11,1972 four days after he graduated. They would eventually have three sons Frank (1973), Mike (1976), Brian (1978).
Frank Hancock graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1972.[15] Upon graduation he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry. He served as a rifle platoon leader, anti-tank platoon leader, and company executive officer with the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany; a Company Commander at Ft Drum, New York; a Company Commander, and a Battalion Operations Officer with the 101st Airborne Division (AASLT); a Battalion Executive Officer, Brigade Operations Officer, Secretary of the General Staff, and Deputy Division Operations Officer with the 25th Infantry Division (United States) United States in Hawaii; a Battalion Commander (1-327th Inf) with the 101st Airborne Division (AASLT); and the Strategy Officer and Command Briefer for US Pacific Command in Hawaii. Colonel Hancock would finish his thirty-year Army career as the Chairman of the Department of Military Strategy, Plans and Operations at the United States Army War College.[16]
During the Gulf War, Hancock was the youngest battalion commander in the 101st Airborne Division.On 24 February 1991, LTC Hancock’s battalion, 1st Battalion of 327th Infantry Regiment (United States), was the lead infantry element tasked with seizing the terrain necessary to establish Forward Operating Base (FOB) Cobra in Iraq. FOB Cobra was more than 100 kilometers inside Iraq and approximately 400 square kilometers in size. It was the division’s first objective inside Iraq and was considered critical to follow-on operations by both the division and corps commanders.[17] This air assault was to become the largest operation of its kind in history.[18]
The purpose of the assault was to establish a forward operation base—85 miles inside Iraq—that would help split Highway 8 in the Euphrates River Valley. During the plan phase of the operation, it was noted that a trench line had been constructed near the landing zone but was identified as unoccupied.[19] [20] LTC Hancock’s unit was assured multiple times that the site was free of any enemy soldiers by their higher headquarters.Upon landing into FOB Cobra, the unit started receiving enemy fire from the trench line. After three hours, combat action ended with the Iraqi battalion surrendering to LTC Hancock’s forces. Under his command, the battalion earned the Valorous Unit Award and Bronze Arrowhead.
Colonel Hancock's civilian education includes a BS Degree in Engineering from West Point and a Masters Degree in International Studies from Salve Regina University. He is a graduate of the British Army Staff College, the US Command and General Staff College, and the US Army War College.
A 1995 Army War College graduate, Hancock completed his 30 years of service as chair of the Department of Military Plans, Strategy and Operations, 1998-2002.He is also a former holder of the "Matthew Ridgeway Leadership Chair" at the US Army War College and a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars.[21]
Hancock is a recipient of the following awards and decorations:
| Defense Meritorious Service Medal |
| Army Service Ribbon |
Upon retirement from the Army, Colonel (Ret) Hancock was the Senior Army Instructor for JROTC at Cedar Cliff High School from 2002-2018. In 2017, he was awarded the Pennsylvania State Civics Teacher of the Year. Hancock retired to Camp Hill, Pennsylvania near the Army War College is the war college community’s dance instructor. He provides classes in several different dance instruction to students and their spouses.[22]
He presently works for the “Time Travelers Trunk” organization which teaches history through artifacts. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Dickinson College, a high school basketball referee in Central Pennsylvania (22 years), a Ballroom Dance Instructor for 26 years (taught over 25,000 students), and a faculty member at the Leadership Cumberland Organization.
Hancock is married and has three adult children.
North to the Euphrates: Part 1. The Taking of FOB Cobra by LTC Frank Hancock, US War College Study Paper https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA265085.pdf