Who is Frank Allen from Flight of the Intruder and what is their importance?

Major Frank Allen is an air force flyer. He and Cowboy Parker went to school together. Allen comes aboard the aircraft carrier on a military liaison program, in which different branches of the service interact and exchange information and expertise. Later in the novel, he is sent to try to rescue Jake and Tiger, but Allen's plane also is downed during the rescue effort, and he dies.