Lt. Rankin, Jr., Missing in Action Over Borneo
Pilot of 45 Missions Was Recently Awarded Air Medal and Cluster
Second Lt. Charles S Rankin, Jr., has been missing in action over Borneo since May 2, according to a message form the war department received by his wife at 203 21st S.E.
Last letters Mrs Rankin received from her husband indicated that he had been on 40 missions, had been awarded the air medal with oak leaf cluster added.
Lt Rankin has been overseas since last August, first landing in Hawaii. He entered the service in January, 1943.
Lt Rankin's wife and son, Ronald, 9 months, whom Lt Rankin has not seen, live at the home of her mother at the above address.
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Rankin, Sr., 823 12th N.W. He has 4 sisters, Mrs. Andrew Frelund, Mrs. Marjorie Lane, Mrs. Leonard Hanson, all of Mason City and Mrs. D. Pierce of Clear Lake.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, May 22, 1945 (photo included)
Charles S. Rankin. Jr. was born Dec. 29, 1921 to Charles S. (Sr.) and Minnie Ross Rankin. He died May 2, 1945 and is buried in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, KY.
Lt. Rankin served with the U.S. Army Air Corps and was MIA over Borneo. He was later declared KIA.
Sources: ancestry.com
