Louis Frank III, a retired Armco Steel Corp. executive and avid sailor who cruised around the world, died Wednesday at his Annapolis home of complications from a stroke. He was 82.

Mr. Frank flew fighters in World War II against Gen. Erwin Rommel's elite armored forces in North Africa and later in Italy. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart.

A native of Louisville, Ky., he was a member of the Class of 1942 at Yale University, where he was president of the Yale Dramatic Society.

Mr. Frank served as a major in the Army Air Forces during the war. He flew P-40 and P-47 aircraft over North Africa and Corsica with the 57th Fighter Group.

"Like most vets of World War II, my father never talked about his war service until one day I sat him on the couch, turned on a tape recorder and asked him about it," said his son, Louis Frank IV of San Diego.

"He received his DFC after an action in which he bailed out and was rescued by the partisans in Italy," his son said. "But the Germans saw his chute deploy and they went after him, but my father made it."

After his military service, Mr. Frank joined Armco Steel on Edison Highway and Biddle Street in East Baltimore. He was an executive there for 32 years, and retired in 1982 as director of sales for the advanced materials division.

During most of his time in Maryland, he and his family resided in Severna Park. Living near the water, he could pursue one of his great loves: sailing. Mr. Frank cruised in his own and chartered vessels on the Chesapeake Bay, through the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and to Greek, Caribbean and Polynesian islands.

He moved to Annapolis several years ago.

He was past commodore of the Sailing Club of the Chesapeake, a 30-year member of the Annapolis Yacht Club and a member of the Windjammers in Baltimore.

For many years, Mr. Frank was a communicant and lay reader at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Annapolis, where he volunteered for numerous parish ministries.

He was married to Honey Cuik, who died in 1981; and to Elise Whitman, who died in 1996.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Anne's Episcopal Church.

In addition to his son, survivors include a daughter, Selby Bourke of Spokane, Wash.; a brother, Dr. Richard Frank of Columbia; five stepchildren; two grandchildren; and nine step-grandchildren.

Donations may be made in his name to the Hospice of the Chesapeake, 8424 Veterans Highway, Millersville 21108, or to St. Anne's Episcopal Church, 199 Duke of Gloucester St., Annapolis 21401.