Born a native of Rushworth , Victoria in 1894. In 1915 Frank McNamara enlisted with the AFC and was called up to the Australian Flying Corps Training School at Point Cook , Victoria. McNamara was part of No.3 Training Course which included young flyers later to distinguish themselves , such as Richard Williams who was later to become Sir Richard Williams, KBE, CB, CBE, OBE, DSO, and Order of El Nhada of the Hedjaz. Williams was to become Australia's first Chief of Air Staff and later Director General of Civil Aviation. Another young pilot in No.3 Training Course was Lawrence Wackett. Who was later to become Sir Lawrence Wackett of the Commonwealth Aircraft Factory and part of the teams for the design of aircraft such as the CAC Boomerang, CAC CA-15 and the CAC Woomera.

In 1915, No.3 Training learned to fly on Depperduissan monoplanes and BE2.a's as well as a lone Box-kite and later, watched with envy as the Mesopotamian Half Flight of Capt H. Petre, Lt T.W White, Lt W.H Treloar and Lt G.P Merz embarked from Australia in April 1915 on the Liner Morea. In early 1916 No.3 Training Course joined the 28 officers and 195 NCO's and aircraftsmen of the newly formed 1 Sqn AFC which was being shipped to Egypt as part of the Aerial force over the Middle East. The troopship Orsorva taking them through the Suez to Egypt.

Upon landing McNamara and the men of 1 Sqn AFC discovered they would be taking over control of 17 Sqn RFC's aircraft as 17 Sqn RFC had been posted to Salonika. McNamara flew the lumbering BE2.c on reconnasaince missions and bombing missions against the Turkish and German Pascha forces. Stationed in the Palestine was the german squadron FA300, which flew the Rumpler CI. An aircraft far superior to the BE2.c. In July of 1916 the Battle of Romani took place with the British and Commonwealth forces pushing the Turkish and German armies into retreat. Although this was the hottest time of the year and unfavourable to troops and aircraft, the British heirarchy wanted German Forces diverted from the Western Front for the upcoming Battle of the Somme.

McNamara and 1 Sqn AFC bombed, strafed and flew reconnasaince missions in the glaring heat. A major problem with the aircraft in the desert was maintaining them. The harsh desert environment, coupled with long supply lines meant it was rare a squadron had a full compliment of aircraft serviceable. At the Battle of Romani, of the 28 planes the RFC/AFC had available, only 17 were serviceable.

In September 1916, 1 AFC recieved Martinsydes to complement their three Bristol Scouts. These aircraft were used for escorting the BE2.c's doing reconnasiance and bombing missions. It was not uncommon for five BE2's to be escorted by a lone Martyinsyde. In January 1917, FA300 moved their aerodrome due to the advancing allies, and under the cover of darkness covertly moved all their equipment, leaving behind a fake or mock aerodrome at Beersheba. On the 18th of February 1917, McNamara flew over the Beersheba Aerodrome in BE2.c serial No 7133 and as well as dropping bombs, dropped a note written in French telling the Germans to shift their aerodrome.

A major problem for the allied airmen was when they got shot down, if not killed or taken prisoner by unfriendly Arabs or Bedouins, captured by the Turkish Armies, they would be lost in the desert with little chace of survival. The German Oblt Felmy of FA300 even went to pains to drop a note at 1 Sqn AFC's airfield to say they had captured an airman and that he was safe. Lt G.P Merz of the Mesopotamian Half Flight was the AFC's first casualty when he was forced down in his Caudron behind enemy lines. He was killed along with his New Zealand observer in a gun fight with Arab's. Subsequently the allied airmen went to extreme lengths to pick up a down airman.

On March 20th 1917, the now 23 year old Frank McNamara was on an escorting mission for several BE2.c bombers of the AFC to Tel El Hasi. McNamara was flying the Martinsyde G.100 serial No 7468. On the way home from the bombing attack the BE2.c Serial No 4479 of Capt Rutherford , developed engine problems and was forced to land deep in enemy territory. McNamara had in the bombing raid received a deep and serious wound in his right buttock. McNamara landed next to the BE2.c and Captain Rutherford jumped onto the Martinsyde. By now they had been spotted by Turkish Cavalry and the Cavalry sped towards them. The other planes in the flight buzzed and strafed the Cavalry to slow the Turks down , allowing their McNamara and Rutherford time to get airborne.

McNamara however due to his wounds could not control the Martinsyde sufficiently to get it airborne and the Martinsyde crashed and turned over. They both quickly set the Martinsyde on fire, ran to Rutherford's BE2.c and succeeded in getting its engine working again. With the Cavalry extremely close to their aircraft, they managed to get the BE2 airborne. McNamara's flew the aircraft 70 miles to 1 Sqn AFC's aerodrome, by the time McNamara landed, he was faint from loss of blood. McNamara was repatriated to Australia and received the Victoria Cross on the 8th of June 1917. McNamara was the only Australian and Australian Flying Corps airmen to receive the VC.

McNamara remained in the Australian Flying Corps and later the Royal Australian Air Force achieving the rank of Air Vice Marshal in World War II.