World War II
Gold Star Boys
Ardell E. Rooks
Address: Meservey, Iowa
Entered Service: April 1, 1942
Branch of Service: Air Corps
Trained: Santa Ana, Visalia, and Lemoore, California; Douglas, Arizona; Hobbs, New Mexico; Victoria, Kansas.
Embarkation: April, 1944.
Theatre of Operation: Asiatic (North Africa and India.)
Rank: First Lieutenant.
Served: 26 months.
Received his wings and bars on July 26, 1943.
Killed in an airplane crash in Kiunglai, China, on June 27, 1944.
Returned to the states for burial, May 12, 1949.
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Ed H. Rooks, Meservey, Iowa.
Wife: Mrs. Evelyn Rooks, Storm Lake, Iowa.
Source: Service Record Book of Men & Women World War II, Meservey, Iowa, p. 6 (photo included)
Ardell E. Rooks was born Aug. 6, 1920 to Edward H. and Esther Guth Rooks. He died June 27, 1944 and is buried in Meservey Cemetery, Meservey, IA.
1st Lt. Rooks served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 770th Bomb Squadron and died when his plane crashed on takeoff in Chengdu China.
Source: ancestry.com
