Pottawattamie County

2nd Lt. Paul L. Rink

 

CADET TRANSFERRED

Mrs. Sadie B. Rink, 509 South Tenth street, has received word that her son, Paul L. Rink, aviation cadet, has been transferred from Santa Ana, Calif., to the army navigation school at Hondo, Tex., He has been in the service nearly one year.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, December 31, 1943, Page 5

NAVIGATOR

Paul L. Rink, 25, son of Mrs. Saddie (sic) B. Rink, 509 South Tenth street, has been graduated from navigation school, and received his silver wings as a second lieutenant, according to word received from the school.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, April 28, 1944, Page 7

BEGINS NAVIGATOR TRANINING

2nd Lt. Paul L. Rink, son of Mrs. Sadie B. Rink, 506 South Tenth street, has arrived at Gowen field, Idaho to begin training as a navigator on a B-24 Liberator Bomber, his firs duty assignment since becoming an officer. Lt. Rink was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad company in Council Bluffs prior to his entry into the armed forces Oct. 23, 1943. He received his commission April 22, 1944.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Monday, May 22, 1944, Page 5

IN ITALY

2nd Lt. Paul L. Rink, son of Mrs. Sadie Rink Perkins, 509 South Tenth street, has arrived at an Italian air base and has participated in three raids, according to word received here.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Sunday, August 13, 1944, Page 7

MISSING IN ACTION

2nd Lt. Paul L. Rink was reported missing in action Aug. 17, over Romania, his mother, Mrs. Judson T. Perkins, has been informed by the war department. Mrs. Perkins was Mrs. Sadie Rink, 509 South Tenth street, before her marriage in July to the Rev. Mr. Perkins of Muscatine. Lt. Rink, a graduate of Abraham Lincoln high school, was prominent in music circles before enlisting in the air corps. A letter to his parents, dated Aug. 15, stated he had completed his tenth mission.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Wednesday, August 30, 1944, Page 6

. . . . And Here At Home

Perhaps among the 1,100 aviator prisoner freed by the Russians will be 2nd Lt Paul Rink, who has been missing over Rumania since Aug. 15.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Sunday, September 03, 1944, Page 16

Notified Son Missing on Raid

Paul L. Rink, serving on a B-24 Liberator bomber, was a member of the crew which did not come back from a raid over Ploesti, Romania, Aug. 17, according to a war department announcement received by his mother, Mrs. Judston T. Perkins of Muscatine.

The announcement which state that his plane had sustained damage, also said that “Seven to 10 parachutes were observed in the vicinity of the descending plane. Prevailing battle conditions prevented further observation of Paul’s plane and crew members of accompanying planes returning were unable to furnish any other details.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Wednesday, October 04, 1944, Page 8

Lt. Paul Rink Dies in Action

2nd Lt. Paul L. Rink was killed in action over the Ploesti region in Romania on Aug. 17, the war department notified his mother, Mrs. Judson T. Perkins of Muscatine.

A graduate of Abraham Lincoln high school, Lt. Rink entered the service from Council Bluffs April 22, 1944, had been overseas since July 10 and on Sept. 11 was awarded the air medal for participation in combat against the enemy.

He was serving as a navigator on a B-24 Liberator bomber with the 15th air force based in Italy.

According to a letter sent to Mrs. Perkins from a survivor of the crew, the bomber received a direct hit by flak and exploded in the rear. Lt. Rink was not with its regular crew when killed.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Thursday, November 16, 1944, Page 6

LIST OF MISSING IN ACTION GREW IN 1944
Among those from this area who have been listed as missing in action in official dispatches to next of kin, and upon casualty lists of the armed services, are: 

SECOND LT. PAUL L. RINK—Son of Mrs. Judson T. Perkins of Muscatine, Second Lt. Paul L. Rink was listed as being missing in action since Aug. 17, 1944, in Romania.  Lt. Rink never lived in Muscatine, but entered the service from Council Bluffs, his home.

Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Friday, December 29, 1944

RECEIVES PURPLE HEART

Mrs. Sadie B. Rink Perkins, Muscatine, has recently received the purple heart that was awarded posthumously to her son, Lt. Paul L. Rink. Lt. Rink, a navigator on the 15th air corps in Italy, received wounds in action which resulted in his death August 17, 1944.

Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, February 09, 1945, Page 7

NOTE: There is a memorial stone for Lt. Rink at Shelby Cemetery, Shelby, Iowa. ~ findagrave.com