  We consider a string inspired non-supersymmetric extension of the standard
model with gauged anomalous U(1) flavor symmetries. Consistency requires the
Green-Schwarz mechanism to cancel mixed anomalies. The additional required
scalars provide Stuckelberg masses for the $Z'$ particles associated to the
gauged flavor symmetry, so they decouple at low energies. Our models also
include a complex scalar field $\phi$ to generate Froggatt-Nielsen mass terms
for light particles giving a partial solution to the fermion mass problem. A
residual approximate (anomalous) global symmetry survives at low energies. The
associated pseudo-Goldstone mode is the phase of the $\phi$ scalar field, and
it becomes the dominant contribution to the physical axion. An effective field
theory analysis that includes neutrino masses gives a prediction for the axion
decay constant. We find a simple modeI where the axion decay constant is in the
center of the allowed window.
