Template:Infobox Military Person
Franky LaRoche also commonly known as Beans, was a soldier in Baker's squad. He is a new character in Hell's Highway.
Biography
Franky is a young soldier in Baker's squad who lied about his age to join the army.
He is the only soldier in Baker's Squad without any real combat experience. However, he excelled in training and is a natural with most any firearm (being able to shoot a quarter from 50 yards). Young, and filled with heroic ideals, he is eager to rush into action, and all too willing to put his life on the line. He is the fresh replacement/new guy on the assault team and the youngest in 3rd Squad.
Character History
Hell's Highway
Franky is first seen asking Baker to ask Corrion to lay off him, as he keeps saying he doesn't look 18. Franky becomes part of the assault team throughout several missions and he performs well in succeeding in the tasks he has been given. He has a place in the jeep in the back next to Dawson.
The Dutch Girl
In Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, Franky falls in love with a Dutch civilian and later stated that was the first time he's ever kissed a girl (besides his mother). In fact, he was so madly in love with her that he went on a suicide mission to rescue her during the bombing of Eindhoven.
The two manage to run through the burning Eindhoven and then they later make it to an abandoned hospital in the north of the city. Franky chose to sent the Dutch civilian out of the hospital before the Germans could get to them. Unfortunately, however, the Dutch girl was shot in the back by a German after she kicked another German in the chin.
Baker, having taken care of the rest of the Germans in the hospital, catches up with Franky and attempts to tell Franky what happened but says to Baker to not "be his dad right now," and to go back and let him save her. This was the last time he ran off from his teammates.
Death
Baker soon found Franky on top of some stairs bleeding from his abdomen. He then died in front of Baker, and asked if the Dutch girl had survived. To comfort him before he died, Baker told Franky she had escaped unharmmed, despite the fact Baker had witnessed her being murdered in cold blood by a German patrolman. Franky's final word to Baker before he died was "Liar."
It is revealed that Franky is shot by a German on the stairs who tries to creep up on Baker, but is shot by Hartsock, who somehow got into the hospital. An explosion occurs and Franky's body is crushed by a burning bit of wall, but Baker manages to collect his dog tags and his Grease Gun, which is covered in his blood, which he uses to fight his way back through the hospital.
Later that day, Franky's name is painted on the hood of Baker's Willy's Jeep titled "Those We Lost" on it.
Weapon
- M3 Grease Gun
Relationship with Corrion
Franky and Corrion do not see eye to eye on following orders. He disobeyed Corrion in the mission "Five-Oh-Sink" when he tried to help a Dutch priest who had his legs blown off by German artillery when the squad entered the town, and again when he went to rescue the Dutch girl in "Baptism of Fire" when Corrion spots Franky leaving to find her. He tries to stop Franky from going, saying "Franky, if you go for her, you will die." Franky ignores him and rushes to find her. In Baptism of Fire, he and the girl are trapped in the hospital, and both are shot by Germans. He dies in front of Baker, fulfilling Corrion's prophecy.
Trivia
- His mother is apparently very attractive as McCreary says that she counts. He is referring to kissing a girl.
- It is unknown who shot him but it is thought that it is the German that Red kills just as he is about to shoot Baker.
- Franky's preferred weapon is M3 Grease Gun.
- Franky, like Baker and Red, sketched the number 13 on the back of his helmet.
- Franky and Jasper appear to have some sort of rivarly. It is mentioned that Jasper painted "Beans" on the back on his shirt during basic training.
- Franky appartenly haunts Baker after his death although his "ghost" makes a minor appearance compared to Leggett's. Shortly after his death, Matt gives a speech after the level is completed which he ends it saying good soldiers don't die to which Franky replies,"Yeah, but I still died."
- After Baker picks up Frank's bloodstained M3, and escapes down the stairs. If you go back up, you will see it under the burning rubble.
- His jacket, while "Beans" on the back, is later scavenged by a British soldier, which enraged Dawson.
- He is one of 7 known characters to die in Operation Market Garden.
- In each game, there is a private in the squad who is young, naive, and somewhat disliked. In RTH30, it is McCreary, in EIB, it is Paige, and in HH, it is Franky.
- He is the only member of the 3rd Squad in Holland to die.