Robert J Rankin

Military
Lieutenant Robert Rankin of the 56th Fighter Group with his P-47 Thunderbolt, 12 May 1944. Passed for publication 15 May 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'He Shot Down 5 Nazis In 45 Minutes. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Lt. Robert Rankin, all smiles, climbs from the cockpit of his Thunderbolt May 12 on his return from a 45-minute air fight north of Frankfurt during which he equalled the feat of Lt. Carl J. Luksic by shooting down five enemy planes - Me109s. Rankin hails from Washington, D.C. WOR 267714 media-401425.jpg FRE 2678 Lieutenant Robert Rankin of the 56th Fighter Group with his P-47 Thunderbolt, 12 May 1944. Passed for publication 15 May 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'He Shot Down 5 Nazis In 45 Minutes. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Lt. Robert Rankin, all smiles, climbs from the cockpit of his Thunderbolt May 12 on his return from a 45-minute air fight north of Frankfurt during which he equalled the feat of Lt. Carl J. Luksic by shooting down five enemy planes - Me109s. Rankin hails from Washington, D.C. WOR 267714. 15-5-44-Y.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 2678 - Lieutenant Robert Rankin of the 56th Fighter Group with his P-47 Thunderbolt, 12 May 1944. Passed for publication 15 May 1944. Printed caption on...

Most memorable--5 Me-109s destroyed on 12 May, 1944, one was on Zemke's tail.



DSC/ DFC 3Oak Leaf Cluster/ AM (4)/ BS/ LM/ AAFCM



10 kills/5 in one day

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Wicked Wacker Weegie
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 61st Fighter Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Washington, DC, USA 23 October 1915

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- self

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Robert J Rankin: Gallery (1 items)