World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
John Rankin, Jr.
Hometown
Moosic, Pennsylvania
Honored By
A Grateful American
AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN, HELD THE RANK OF PILOT OFFICER AND SERVED AS AN AIR GUNNER IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE. KILLED IN ACTION AT THE AGE OF 21 WHILE SERVING WITH NO. 405 'VANCOUVER-EAGLE' SQUADRON, ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE (BOMBER COMMAND) WHEN HIS HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX MK II (HR813) CRASHED NEAR WAVRE, WALLOON BRABANT, BELGIUM DURING A BOMBING RAID TO COLOGNE, GERMANY ON JULY 4, 1943. BURIED AT HEVERLEE WAR CEMETERY, HEVERLEE, LEUVEN, FLEMISH BRABANT, BELGIUM.