Robert "Bob" Rankin
P-47 Thunderbolt Ace
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Original Painting of "Wicked Wacker Weegie."
Robert James Rankin joined the Army Air Corp on March 6, 1941. After serving in the "regular ranks" Bob was selected to be an aviation cadet on July 15, 1942. Bob trained at Luke airfield located in Arizona. Here he trained and graduated, earning his aviation wings on April 11, 1943.
He was then transferred to an airfield outside Tallassee, Florida. Here Bob checked out in the P-47. In August 1943 Bob was assigned and reported to the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group which was based at Halesworth, England.
The fighter squadron that Bob found himself flying with were some of the best group of veteran American pilots there were. Bob flew and fought with Gabby Gabreski against the Luftwaffe when the Luftwaffe' s strength was starting to wane.
Bob claimed his first aerial victory on February 6, 1944 by downing a Bf-109 over Paris. On one mission deep into German occupied territory on March 15th, Bob tore into the Germans with his fifty-caliber machineguns as he shot down two Bf-109's. He was also credited with a probable shoot down of another Bf-109 and damaging a Fw-190. This makes three confirmed, a probable and a damaged to his credit.
Bob claimed another Bf-109 northeast of Nienburg on March 29th. This makes four aerial victories. Bob's best day was while his group were flying in a formation like a group of bombers. This was to fake the Germans into believing that this was a group of bombers by the formation they were flying. The German radar would show the Luftwaffe that there were no accompanying fighter escort that would have been weaving back and forth among the bombers.
As expected, the Germans summoned a large group of fighters to intercept the oncoming 56th Fighter Group. Once the Americans could confirm that the Germans had taken the bait and was slowing gaining altitude and grouping together the P-47's broke into groups of four fighters each. The P-47's dove into the ascending Luftwaffe fighters catching them unaware. Several groups of Germans went into defensive measures circling in large groups. Bob led his group into a group of twenty-five Messerschmitts. Bob quickly claimed two enemy aircraft. Separated from the other two P-47's, Bob and his wingman joined with their group commander. He was circling above fifty-plus enemy fighters. Bob also noticed that just above them was another group of at least twenty-five plus enemy fighters. Once Bob and his wingman joined with their commander they dove into the group of enemy fighters below them. Bob covered his commander as his wingman followed and covered him. In the melee Bob shot down two fighters and another making three off the tail of his commanding officer. In this mission Rankin was to become the first Ace-in-one mission P-47 pilot. Ace in a day!
Bob Rankin ended the war with 10 confirmed aerial victories, one probable and two damaged. He earned the Distinguished Service Cross, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters. The Bronze Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters. And the Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
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June 17, 2008