La Jolla resident Joe Frangiosa Jr. is a war hero, skilled artist and founder of the Nautical History Gallery & Museum in Liberty Station.
When entering the museum, visitors will often see Frangiosa carefully at work building a model or drawing art for the museum. He will likely take a break and explain to visitors the history being displayed and how the models were built.
The museum displays a panoramic history and evolution of the Navy and Marine Corps from 1776 to 1945. There are hundreds of antique artifacts and incredibly detailed models of ships and planes, most of which Frangiosa built.
“When antiques are displayed alone, they make a statement,” he said. “But when they are displayed together they tell a story. This story is about American history. The Navy and Marine Corp pre-date our independence. I keep adding to the story with artifacts, and I keep building models.”
Born in 1966 and raised primarily in North Carolina, Frangiosa described himself as an “adventurous and fun-living kid.”
“I was raised in the Italian neighborhood-style of graduate high school, get a job and have a family. They kept wanting me to be their normal. But that was not me.”
He would often go exploring places of interest, such as the woods and airport.
“I would go to the airport with friends and watch the planes. We would climb the water tower and wave to passengers as their plane was landing.”
In 1986, he joined the Navy. “I told the recruiter, ‘I like jets and I want to travel.’ He responded, ‘I have the job for you.’”
Frangiosa was assigned to work on an aircraft carrier’s deck and travelled the world during his four-year commitment.
After completing Navy service, Frangiosa worked for an aviation company, eventually earning a helicopter pilot’s license.
And he began building model ships.
“When I was growing up, I would build models from kits,” he said. “But these were scratch-built models with re-purposed material, not kits. I would make the models from wood, Coke can medal, anything I could find around the helicopter hanger.”
He purchased “Nelson’s Navy” books and used the images to build his models.
His first scratch-built model was completed in 1998, taking about a year to build. It is displayed in the museum as 74 Gun Two Decker-1780s.
He continued building models when possible after enlisting in the Marines in 2001 and assigned helicopter crew chief. After a period stateside, he was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan where he rescued troops, some alive and others in body bags.
In 2009, his helicopter crashed and burned. He was able to save crew members for which he received a medal for bravery.
Shortly after the helicopter crash, Frangiosa’s model-making came to the attention of Washington, D.C., officers who were impressed and wanted him reassigned to the Marine Corps National Museum. His master gunnery sergeant blocked the move based upon the need for Frangiosa’s piloting skills.
“I was excited and wanted to do the museum as a great opportunity on the national stage,” Frangiosa said, “but I was a Marine first.”
However, the lost opportunity inspired his next career.
After leaving the Marines in 2014, Frangiosa joined San Diego Maritime Museum’s staff, working on everything from maintenance to displays.
He also continued building models on the side, renting a storefront in La Jolla, where he kept his models and worked on new ones. The door stayed open so passersby could visit.
In 2021, his work was displayed at the Bonita Museum as an invited visiting artist. Two years later, he moved his workshop and museum to its current 800-square-foot location at Liberty Station.
“The museum and models are now my life,” he said. “I just want to keep growing them.”
Frangiosa, who left military service with an injured spine and PTSD, said his model-making helped take his mind off the dark days of combat and his pain, but is now much more.
“The models were something for me at first,” he said. “But now other people’s reactions — their enthusiasm — is why I do this.”
About this series
Goldsmith is a Union-Tribune contributing columnist.
We welcome reader suggestions of people who have done something extraordinary or otherwise educational, inspiring or interesting and who have not received much previous media. Please send suggestions to Jan Goldsmith at jgsandiego@yahoo.com
