Col. Fritz

Colonel (Ret.) Allan J. Fritz died peacefully at the age of 76 on May 26, 2019 in Goodlettsville, Tennessee after a lengthy battle with dementia and pancreatic cancer.

Allan was born August 1, 1942 in Brooklyn, NY just five minutes after his twin brother Arthur, to parents George and Emma (Jachens) Fritz. His older brother George and older sister Doris completed his immediate family. He attended Rutgers University on an Army ROTC scholarship, graduating in 1963 with a bachelor of arts in history. He always loved history and travel and decided on a career in the Army. He absolutely loved his time in the Army, fully embracing his role preserving the peace and freedoms of our country.

For twenty-seven years, he served his country as an Armor and Foreign Area Officer. He had a varied career, from Platoon Leader in Fort Knox, Kentucky to the 1st Special Forces in Okinawa, Japan, and from Professor of Military Science at Rider College to Senior Advisor for the National Guard in New Jersey. He completed Airborne training at Ft. Benning, Georgia and served a tour in Vietnam as a political warfare advisor, working closely with the South Vietnamese army. He always said that a soldier and his family were the last ones to want to go to war, but that it was his duty to serve. Like many soldiers, he didn't talk much about his time at war, but that time, as well as the negative responses of the public when he came home from Vietnam, greatly affected him for the rest of his life. He never watched a war movie. He cried when he saw the names of his friends on the Vietnam Wall Memorial. He supported numerous organizations that help military veterans. Allan was especially proud to wear his Vietnam Veteran baseball hat and was deeply moved every time someone would thank him for his service.

Allan was able to travel extensively with his career, and especially loved being stationed in Germany with the 2nd Battalion as well as in Paris, France as both a student at the French Ecole Militaire (War College) and as the Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation. He loved everything about living in France, from the history to the food and wine. While in France, he purchased his favorite car, an old Mercedes, that he drove until it just wouldn't go any more. He retired from the military in 1990 after being stationed at the Pentagon as the Division Chief for Near East and South Asia of the Defense Security Assistance Agency. He missed the military life greatly but did consulting work in the Washington, DC area until he fully retired.

His military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Bronze Star Medals, a Meritorious Service Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal with 5 Service Stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.

While his military service was a prominent part of his life, he also made time to have a family. In 1967, he married the late Rosemary (Harkin) Fritz and had two children, Elizabeth (Fritz) Banks and Anthony Fritz. He made school lunches, threw baseballs and coached soccer. He took them to Burger King, James Bond movies, and on Boy Scout camping trips. He helped with homework and video taped school performances. He showed them the world, driving all across Europe to castles and mountains and even to Lego Land in Denmark, just because his son really wanted to see it. He loved to be helpful and after his retirement, he went on many a mission to the grocery store or hardware store.

Despite battling both prostate cancer and then pancreatic cancer, he continued to live an active life. He drove himself to every chemotherapy and radiation appointment and never once complained about any of it. He was an avid runner and continued running into his late 60's. He loved sports, especially baseball, and stayed up late so many times watching his beloved Yankees play. He always read the newspaper cover-to-cover and waded through big biographies of his favorites like George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt. He wrote many letters and emails to the Washington Post, his senators, and representatives expressing his opinion on the issues. As his dementia progressed, he stopped doing some of the things he always loved, but he never stopped reading or holding a book.

While he didn't always explicitly share his thoughts, it became obvious in his later years how much he loved his family. Allan especially loved his grandchildren, Johanna and Liam Fritz and Abigail and Amelia Banks, with all of his heart. He used the coffee mugs with pictures drawn by the grandkids and posted every drawing on his door. He danced as a prince with his granddaughter and sat discussing the trees and birds with his grandson. He read countless books to the kids, went swimming with them, and ate school lunches for grandparents' day. Even when his dementia affected so much of his memory, a visit from his granddaughters would never fail to make him smile. Allan was honored many times for his military service and leadership, but his most lasting impact will be the love he gave and shared with his
family.

He is survived by his daughter Elizabeth and husband Kevin Banks of Hendersonville, Tennessee, their children Abigail and Amelia Banks; and his son Anthony and his wife Jessica Fritz of Salem, Massachusetts, and their children Johanna and Liam Fritz. He is also survived by his brother Arthur Fritz of Plantation, Florida as well as numerous other friends and family members. He is predeceased by his wife Rosemary, brother George Fritz, sister Doris Saccone, and his parents.

A service and burial is being planned for Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.