Franz was a pilot in the Luftwaffe. He was with the 4./NJG 5. He piloted a Bf 110 G-4. Throughout his service he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class as well as the Night Fighter Operational Clasp. On the Night of March 24th 1944, the RAF Bomber Command were conducting bombing raids on Berlin. Franz unit (4th Squadron Night Fighter Group 5) took off from parchim Airfield to seek out any RAF aircraft. At around 11:40 PM Franz Bf 110 was in the area around Goslar when they took friendly flak fire from German ground units. Their plane took serious damage. The gunner and radio operator were able to jump from and parachute out of the plane but for whatever reason Franz was unable to and went down with his plane. He was 28.