Remembering World War II

Name: Roy Elliot Rankin Rank: Staff Sergeant Service Number: 31085766 Service: United States Army Air Force Date of Birth: July 17, 1911 Place of Birth: Caribou, Pictou County, Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: March 16, 1942 Place of Enlistment: Boston, Massachusetts Address at Enlistment: Brockton, Plymouth Co., Mass. Age at Enlistment: 30 Height: 5 feet, 6 ½ inches Complexion: Ruddy Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Blue Occupation: Commercial pilot Marital Status: Unknown Next of Kin: Rose Caroline Rankin (Mother) Date of Death: September 7, 1945 Age: 34 Cemetery: Melrose Cemetery, Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Roy Elliot Rankin was the son of Harry Warren Rankin (born 1881) and Rose Caroline (McDonald) Rankin (1887-1977). His father was born in Gays River, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. His mother was born in Canada as well. One year after he was born, in 1912, his parents moved to the United States. Roy had one sister Ethel Louise (Rankin) Bishop (1908-1995) who lived in Boston. She married Frank Leroy Bishop (1908-1985) who was born in South Williamston in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. In 1930 and 1940, Roy worked as a machinist before becoming a commercial pilot. He and his parents lived at 609 Warren Avenue in Brockton, Massachusetts. He registered for the US Draft October 16, 1940, in Brockton, Massachusetts. He was living at 8 Newton Street in Brockton and working for William P Whitman at the Brockton Airport at the time. Staff Sergeant Roy Elliot Rankin died in a parachute jump accident in Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas at the Fort Worth Army Airfield Station Hospital on September 7, 1945. He had been stationed there nine months as an air crew member. The Boston Globe, Saturday, September 8, 1942 recounts: Sgt Roy E. Rankin, 34, who was killed at Fort Worth, Texas, last night when he jumped 200 feet from a B- 32 Dominator bomber which caught fire during a takeoff, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry W. Rankin of 8 Newton St. A graduate of Brockton High School, Sgt Rankin enlisted in the Air Force on March 16, 1942. He trained at Keesler Field, Mississippi: Lubbock Field, Texas, and San Diego. He was an aerial engineer assigned to B-32 bombers. Before entering the service, he was a commercial flyer at the Brockton Airport. Besides his parents, he leaves one sister, Mrs. Ethel Rankin Bishop of this city. Funeral arrangements will be completed upon arrival of the body from Texas. The same day, September 8, 1945, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the following: Leap From Flaming B-32 Fatal to Sergeant - First fatal mishap since B-23 training was inaugurated at Fort Worth Army Air Field in January was recorded here Friday when a sergeant fell to his death after his parachute failed to open. The victim Sgt Roy E Rankin 34, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry W Rankin of Brockton Mass, jumped when one engine of a B-32 broke out in fire immediately after the take-off. Later the plane made a safe emergency landing at the base after the pilot had feathered the prop and cut the engine. Public Relations Office explained that the plane was too low for Rankin's parachute to open. Roy Elliot Rankin was interred at the Cemetery in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

Roy Elliot Rankin

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