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Personal info

Full name
RANKIN, Elvin Glenn
Date of birth
19 April 1924
Age
19
Place of birth
Sharon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
13086130
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Right Waist Gunner
Unit
549th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
15 August 1943
Place of death
10 miles off the coast of Dunkerque, English Channel

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Russell G. Rankin (father)
Margaret H. Rankin (mother)
William J. Rankin (brother)
Elmer R. Rankin (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30598
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Vitry-en-Artois, France
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 267

More information

S/Sgt Elvin G. Rankin graduated from Sharon High School in 1942.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 6 June 1942.

Along with airplane #42-30186, this airplane was hit by a fighter which flew through their formation. Both B-17s fell out of the formation. The pilot of #42-30186 said that he might have been able to keep up with the formation, but, since he seriously doubted this possibility, he thought it better to drop out and to try to protect plane #42-30598. Both aircraft were jumped by fighters. Plane #42-30598 was also hit by flak. The two airplanes got about 10 miles off the coast near Dunkerque when #42-30498 prepared to ditch, since its #1 and #2 engines were out. About 300 feet above the water, the left wing came off, the airplane nosed into the water, and then it seemed to explode.

The entire crew of ten was killed.

S/Sgt Rankin is remembered at the Americas Cemetery in Hermitage, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.findagrave.com - Daniel Cahill / BillionGraves Index, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: FOHF, www.findagrave.com - Daniel Cahill