Charles Wesley Mankin Jr. was born on June 20, 1922 to the union of Charles W. Mankin Sr. and Elsie Letson. He was a graduate of Pensacola High School in the Class of 1941 where he starred in football and track. Following the outbreak of World War II, Mankin enlisted in the US Army Air Corp on March 23, 1942 and was assigned to the 409th Bomb Squadron of the 93rd Bomb Group stationed in England.
On March 2, 1944, a bombing mission was scheduled to strike the railroad marshalling yards at Frankfurt, Germany plus the German air depot at Chartres, France. Lt. Mankin along with almost 600 bombers would take part in the combined operation. Out of the three air groups, his was ordered to hit the rail yards at Frankfurt. Enemy antiaircraft flak was heavy over the target and Lt. Mankin was killed in action during the mission. His body was recovered and was finally returned to his family in Pensacola, Florida in July 1949 where he was buried with full military honors in Bayview Cemetery.
Senior Photo Pensacola High School, Class of 1941
2nd Lt. Charles Wesley Mankin Jr.
KIA on March 2, 1944
Lt. Charles Wesley Mankin Jr. Returned Home to Pensacola, FL 1949
Lt. C. W. Mankin Jr. Buried in Bayview Cemetery, Pensacola, FL