Frank N. Badolati

Service & Sacrifice

Frank Neil Badolati was born on March 19, 1933, in New York City and grew up in Goffstown, New Hampshire. He enlisted in the United States Army and joined the Special Forces, eventually serving with Detachment B-52, the covert long-range reconnaissance unit known as Project Delta.

In late January 1966, Project Delta was tasked with supporting the 1st Cavalry Division's Operation MASHER by inserting reconnaissance teams into the An Lao Valley of Binh Dinh Province. The valley had been under total enemy control since 1958, with at least two North Vietnamese regiments operating in the area.

SSG Badolati was assigned to Recon Team ROADRUNNER, a six-man all-American patrol inserted on the evening of January 27, 1966. The team quickly came under heavy enemy contact. As the firefight intensified, the team was forced to split into two groups to evade the overwhelming enemy force.

During the running battle, SSG Badolati suffered a severe wound to his arm. Despite the efforts of his teammates to treat his injuries through the night as they moved through the rugged terrain, his condition continued to deteriorate. He eventually told his companions to leave him behind. He was 32 years old.

Four days of aerial searches found no trace of the missing men. SSG Badolati was classified as Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered. He left behind a young daughter, Daisy, who was only three years old the last time she saw her father.