Lieutenant Franklin Benz is a part of the United States Navy Mountain Warfare Unit that served aboard the Nathan James under the command of Commander Tom Chandler.
Events of The Last Ship[]
Benzo is first seen introducing "Admiral" Halsey to Master Chief Jeter when he questions bringing a dog onboard the Nathan James on a mission to the Arctic. When Dr. Scott ignores communications from the ship four months later, Benzo and Green arrive by snowmobile to tell her Comm. Chandler wants her back on the ship. Dr. Scott says she will return when she is ready but Benzo tells her it isn't an invitation and she is taken back to the Nathan James. Benzo heads to the mess hall to get something to eat and catches an apple Jeter throws him and sits across from Lt. Chung. Benzo tells Chung to stop reading as they are going home soon but Chung replies he never puts the book down.
After their mission is extended, Benzo guards Dr. Scott alongside Green complaining that they should've been out of there days ago. Benzo spots five helicopters approaching and notices they aren't American with Green adding they are Russian and prepare to engage them. Benzo and Green flee on their snowmobiles, luring them into a trap where their comrades destroy one of the helicopters with an RPG. Benzo and Green shot and kill a Russian sniper targeting Dr. Scott after Halsey bites him and after the other helicopters and Russians are dealt with, Benzo says they are clear and head back to the ship. Benzo tells Chandler that Dr. Scott is in Hanger Two being treated by a doctor as he rushed past him. Benzo is later seen on the deck with half the crew as Comm. Chandler explains their real mission was to protect Dr. Scott so she could gather what he needs to produce a cure to a global pandemic ravaging the world.
Benzo is assigned to a VBSS team with Green, Rowler and Smith searching for food onboard an Italian cruise ship. On the way there, Dr. Scott warns them the virus ravaging the world is airborne and highly contagious, meaning they must keep their masks on at all times while on the ship if it is infected. Benzo reassures Chung that they were trained for this before heading to the starboard side of the cruise ship with the other Mountain Warfare Unit. While collecting food in the kitchen, Benzo opens a freezer to find it stuffed with corpses instead of food and walks away in horror.
After all the food is collected, Benzo and Green head downstairs looking for more food but Benzo accidentally trips over a dead body and his mask is knocked off. Green tries to get Benzo's mask back on but Benzo says it is too late and notices blood on his cheek from one of the dead bodies, indicating he is infected. Benzo tells Green to get away from him saying he is a dead man. When Dr. Scott and Chandler arrive, she confirms Benzo is infected and despite Green suggesting they quarantine him on the ship, Benzo says they can't risk the mission failing and pulls out his standard .45 caliber service pistol. Chandler and Green order him not to do it but they fall on deaf ears as Benzo shoots himself in the head. (“Phase Six”)
Legacy[]
As an original crew member aboard the Nathan James, he helped protect Dr. Scott while she looked for a cure to the Red Flu. While the Nathan James is still in the Arctic, Benzo fought the Russian soldiers sent to capture Dr. Scott and personally saved her from a Russian sniper. Benzo helped gather food off the cruise ship ensuring the Nathan James crew didn't go hungry and when exposed to the Red Flu, Benzo didn't hesitate to sacrifice himself for the safety of his crew and their mission. Despite dying relatively early, Benzo is remembered as a hero by everyone on the Nathan James, most notably Benzo's best friend and bunkmate Lt. Danny Green.
After the Nathan James arrives in St. Louis after spreading the cure across the country, Green tells everyone a story about him before they were assigned to the Nathan James. They came across a Hungarian freighter suffering engine problems with fifty people onboard during an anti-piracy mission near Somalia on Christmas Eve. While checking his mail for presents from back home with Green, Frankie turns to Green and says, "what about the Hungarians? Don't they get a Christmas?" Green tells him it is a hostile situation, but Benzo is adamant and has their helicopter hover over the Hungarian ship while he fast-ropes down, dressed as Santa Claus handing out presents to that entire crew. Green then ends the story by proposing a toast in his name.
After Kara gives birth to a baby boy fathered by Danny, he is named Frankie Green in Benzo's honor.
Following the sinking of the Nathan James, Tom wakes up in a dream version of the ship containing the many people he had served with and (in most cases) lost along the way. Amongst them is Benz, who Tom sees walking with "Admiral" Halsey and Javier Cruz, telling Cruz "all it takes is the will, the courage, and a good plan," which is a quote from Chandler.