Stanley Edward Racine was born in Robertsdale, Alabama on May 15, 1920, the son of Frank Freeman Racine (1894-1935) Flora Emily Gideons (1902-1979). His father was a WWI veteran having been inducted into the US Army in October 1917. Around 1919, Frank would marry Flora "Flo" Emily Gideons (1902-1979), the daughter of Aaron Nephi Gideons and Abashaba Elizabeth Ard. According to the 1920 census, the Racine family was living in Robertsdale, Alabama where Stanley was born while his father supporting his family as a laborer. Frank and Florida would move to Pensacola around 1920 where she has lived for the rest of her like according to her obituary. By 1930, his parents had gone their separate ways and Frank was living in Mississippi City, Harrison County, MS. There he was living with his Uncle John E. Gideons and driving a truck for an oil company. Frank passed away five years later and was buried in 1935 in Gideon's Cemetery, Bay Minnette, Alabama. Flora would eventually marry again to Andrew J. Young.
As for Stanley, he claims two years of high school although it is not known whether it was in Pensacola or Robertsdale, AL. Regardless, he enlisted in the US Army during WWII and volunteered for the paratroopers. He was assigned to Company "F" of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment that was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA In August 1942, the 502nd was transferred from Ft. Benning to Ft. Bragg, NC. and attached to the 101st Airborne Division known as the "screaming eagles!" It was also during August that Stanley and the men of Company "F" were training for "night jumps." Knowing what lay ahead for them in Europe, the high command wanted their troops prepared for anything. On August 15th, Stanley and his fellow paratroopers were aboard a Douglas C-53 transport flying to Providence, Rhode Island for more training.
The 15th was a very foggy night when suddenly nearby residents saw a huge plane flying overhead at tree top level right toward 2,200-foot Garnet Peak near Peru, Massachusetts. A few minutes later, they all heard a loud crash and then an explosion. A badly burned survivor pulled two of his comrades from the burning plane, but most were caught inside. He then began firing shots into the air trying to signal for help. Some civilians fired back to let him know they were on their way. However, the peak was heavily wooded and steep, and the civilians had to cut their way through to the crash site. Of the 19 men on board, only three would survive. Back home his mother was notified at her home at 907 West Garden Street that he had been killed. His remains were returned to Pensacola and buried in St. John's Cemetery where his mother would join him in 1979.
In 1946, a five-foot memorial was constructed at the crash site on Garnet Peak and today memorial services are still held to honor those men who died on August 15, 1942.
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