Collection Guide
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Eugene P. Rankin Personal Papers
SDASM.SC.10116
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Capt. Eugene P. Rankin Personal Papers
creator:
Rankin, Eugene P.
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10116
Physical Description:
0.36 Cubic Feet
Three (3) boxes, 12”x5”x10.5”
Date (inclusive): 1944-1997
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: Eugene P. Rankin was born in 1916. He graduated from the Naval Academy at Pensacola, Florida, in 1941. In 1943, he served
in World War 2 in the Pacific Theater. There he was the commanding officer in a “Black Cat Squadron”, conducting nighttime
attack missions consolidated PBY Catalina patrol bombers. Afterwards, Rankin became a Captain of the USS Kearsarge (CV-33).
The Kearsarge was tasked with assisting Project Mercury, in that it would have to recover astronauts who splashed down in
the ocean after orbiting the Earth.
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum
Library & Archives”]
Eugene P. Rankin was born in 1916. He graduated from the Naval Academy at Pensacola, Florida, in 1941. In 1943, he served
in World War 2 in the Pacific Theater. There he was the commanding officer in a “Black Cat Squadron”, conducting nighttime
attack missions consolidated PBY Catalina patrol bombers. After the war he was one of the crew members of the “Truculent Turtle”,
a Lockheed P2V-1 Neptune. This was the first plane to fly across the Pacific Ocean without refueling. It was the longest un-refueled
flight made to that point – 4000 miles (6,400 km) and the “Turtle” held this world record for 16 years.
Afterwards, Rankin became a Captain of the USS Kearsarge (CV-33). The Kearsarge was tasked with assisting Project Mercury,
in that it would have to recover astronauts who splashed down in the ocean after orbiting the Earth. The Kearsarge recovered
Captain Wally M. Schirra, Jr., USN, (who signed photographs in collection) and later Colonel Gordon Cooper, USAF. In 1967,
Rankin retired from the Navy. He passed away on August 27, 2000.
Three (3) boxes, 12”x5”x10.5”. The collection contains many photographs, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, and dozens of once
confidential documents, all of which are related to World War II, the Turtle, Project Mercury, and the USS Kearsarge. This
spans a total of 38 folders. Items in folders are numbered by Box.
All photographs have been digitized but not necessarily uploaded to Flickr. There is one picture of the Truculent Turtle on
Flickr and no pictures on Flickr that have Rankin in them as of June 26, 2014. However, there is plenty on Project Mercury.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=49487266@N07&q=Project%20Mercury
https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=49487266%40N07&sort=relevance&text=Kearsarge
https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=49487266%40N07&sort=relevance&text=P2V
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/8596483510/in/photolist-e6De3W-n13Gt7-8nRfQf
Related Research Institutions:
Patrol Squadron Two Assosciation
Website Manager: Doug Donohue
Truculent Turtle Preservation
http://www.patron2.com/
2894 Gardnerville NV 89410
United States Navy - USS Kearsarge
Kearsarge Navy Military Page
USS KEARSARGE (LHD 3)
FPO AE 09534-1662
http://www.kearsarge.navy.mil/
Secondary Sources:
"Patrol Squadron 2" Accessed June 4 2014, http://www.patron2.com/files/turtle/T_Crew.html
VP Navy, "Truculent Turtle", Accessed June 6 2014, http://www.vpnavy.org/turtle.htm
US Navy Aircraft History, "The Truculent(?) Turtle", Accessed June 8 2014, http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/01/truculent-turtle.html
United States Navy, “USS Kearsarge”, Accessed June 6 2014, http://www.kearsarge.navy.mil/
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Lockheed P2V-1 Neptune
Astronauts
World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Pacific Area
Lockheed P2V-1 Neptune "Truculent Turtle"
Cold War
Pacific Theater
Pensacola (Florida)
Space race
Rankin, Eugene P.
United States. Navy
Cooper, L. Gordon, Jr. (Leroy Gordon )
Project Mercury (U.S.)
Project Gemini (U.S.)
Schirra, Wally
Rankin, Eugene P.