Frank Cinnajinny

**Frank Belin Cinnajinny** was a United States Army soldier who disappeared and was presumably killed during World War II on January 26, 1944. He is one of 325 servicemen from Arizona who are unaccounted for during World War II.

## Background

Frank Cinnajinny was born on June 1, 1920 at Klagetoh, Arizona. He attended school at Fort Wingate, Arizona and grew up with two brothers, Leonard and Dick.

On May 5, 1942, Frank joined the United States Army and became a Private First Class of Company D, 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion. He was the only known Navajo Nation member of his division. Frank partipated in the North African campaign, being wounded at Oran, Algeria during Operation Torch. He recovered and was awarded the Purple Heart. He also partipated in the battles of Kasserine Pass, Mateur, and the Tunisian campaign, as well as the Allied invasion of Sicily. His whole division recived citations for defense against fierce counterattacks.

## Disappearance

On January 26, 1944, a British tank landing ship called the HMS LST 422, was transporting soldiers and military vehicles from the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion and 68th Coast Artillery Battalion. Frank was one of the passengers from the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion. The ship was hampered by heavy waves when attempting to to land at the Allied-held beachhead at Anzio, Italy. The ship anchored offshore at around 1:00 a.m. to attempt another landing in the morning.

However, strong winds forced the LST to blow into a known minefield located around 12 miles offsore. At 5:20 a.m., the ship hit one of the mines and exploded a 50 feet hole in the bottom starboard side of the ship, between the main and auxiliary engine rooms, which immediately ignited the ship's fuel oil supply and detonationg muntions carried on board.

The tank deck was the first to flood, with most of the men of the 83rd asleep on this deck. Many sleeping on the top deck found themselves pinned underneath surrounding vehicles with further structural damage caused by the blast having jammed a troop compartment door and so forth trapping the men within. The order was given to abandon ship, but only four life rafts were undamaged, so any floatable loose materials were thrown overboard to assist men that were already in the water. Mny of the men in the water succumbed to drowning or hypothermia in the frigid water.

Other ships suchas as the LST 301 attempted a rescue attempt, but rough seas complicated the attempt. One ship, the LCI-32, struck a mine and sank when trying to rescue the crew members. Eventually, multiple ships rescued 150 men from the LST-422 and the LCI-32. The LST-422 split in two pieces and sunk at 2:30 p.m.

More than 300 men, including Frank, were killed abord the LST 422 while 30 men were killed and 11 were wounded abord the LCI-32.

## Aftermath

Frank's disappearance was reported to his family on February 25, 1944. He was delcared dead on July 1, 1944. He was memorialized at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy. Additionally, his name is featured on the Window Park, Arizona Veteran's Memorial Park that commerates American servicemen who are of Navajo descent.

Frank Belin Cinnajinny remains among the 72,000 Americans who remain unaccounted for in World War II. The DPAA has listed his case as being under Non-recoverable.

## Gallery

The US War Department's casualty messageThe US War Department's death report
## Sources

* Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
* Frank Cinnajinny at *Find a Grave*
* HM LST-422 on Wikipedia