He served in World War II and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. After
the war, he recorded a country song, "Just Because", in polka style,
and sold a million copies. He invited other, more skilled accordionists
to join his band, "Frankie Yankovic and the Yanks". In 1948, the Yanks
played for an audience of 8,000 people in Milwaukee, and Frankie became
known as America's Polka King.