Update: Doc Rankin; news and sketches from Brooklyn newspaper editions

A June 20, 2015 Rankin Blogpost featured a Life Sketch of Ainsworth Hanna Rankin.

A few corrections will be made here as more information has come available especially through newspapers.com website.  To see that blogpost and review his life sketch, go to "archives" at the        left side of this blogpost and scroll down to June 20, 2015.  

"At age 19, June 21, 1916, he became a member of the New York National Guard with the Quartermaster Corps. He acquired the nickname "Doc" during his high school years.  Probably from his father who was a practicing doctor at the time. By 1918, Private Rankin was assigned to the Army’s Chemical Warfare Service. He served in the Army’s Gas Defense Plant in Long Island. He also worked at The Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper along with some of his fellow illustrators from the New York area."

The Daily Star   Sept 24, 1918 Gas Defense Plant –Long Island City

"There are men and women here whose names are known in the world of art and letters. Before the war many of the operators, or department managers could be found at the clubs, in the art studios, holding positions of importance in various industries and professions. Charles A. MacLellan, Illustrator, the man who does the humorous, red- haired boy cover for the Saturday Evening Post; Martin M. Branner, an advertising illustrator; Rankin (Private “Doc" Rankin, of the military personnel), whose works have decorated the pages of national publications; H. J. Fleming, Illustrator—these are a few of the familiar names picked from the groups at the Gas Defense factories." 

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I  had no idea that newspapers.com had online newspaper clippings of our great uncle "Doc" Rankin. Most of these are from Brooklyn newspapers. Because he worked for The Brooklyn Daily Eagle early  in life, the news about his journey through his military career was of great interest to the readers of this paper and other local papers. A number of these articles uncovered many facts about his early life that I had not known previously. This blogpost will now share those with the Rankin Clan.

Doc's earliest drawing was published during a Valentine contest in the Brooklyn Eagle in 1913.  It was brought back in 1944 as a reminder of his early drawings. 

Doc was sent to Camp Wadsworth Army training camp. But he sent back drawings to The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Newspaper. When he returned he did many entertaining events around town.

More about Camp Wadsworth here: https://www.schistory.net/campwadsworth/

He was hired by The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from 1916 to about 1930. After that he would often write letters back to that newspaper to share information about the war effort and what his role was in the service at the time.

The first photo of him in the paper was when he became a Sargent

The Chat (Brooklyn, New York) · 19 Oct 1918, Sat · Page 64

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After the war Doc was a reservist in the 101st Cavalry and the training at Camp Dix, N.J. which gave him plenty of  their activities to portray in his many drawings:                                                                    

• He drew many political cartoons for The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, some we wouldn't understand unless we lived in the Brooklyn area. Some are comments on world affairs.  In either case, it looks to me that he developed his skill as an artist over time and we are blessed to have these samples for our family collection. 

101st Cavalry Training article and drawings by Doc Rankin 19 July 1925 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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Also many newspaper clippings shown here tells us that Doc was very involved with social activities in the NY area. He wrote many articles, especially when his 101st Calvary was involved. 

Can you spot  Amy, James Banks, and Louise Rankin as well as Doc?

   This article written by Doc was so long I had to divide it up...hope you can follow it. I am amazed that he was such an excellent journalist along with his other many talents. 

The format on blogger.com does not allow me to align the columns up evenly; sorry:(

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American Legion Parade in New York City: Report and Cartoons by Doc  appeared in the                   The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) · 20 Sep 1937, 

FYI..more on the parade: 
video of Legion Parade in New York City:

  http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/44c9e6f1721e4e8984290fe0e2316997

"Shot of the American Legion. Crowd hail them. Marching down street of NY. Shot of the parade in Fifth Avenue. Planes in the air in formation over same. Paper being showered down upon the street. Close shots of marchpast with flags. Comic angle and car turning on two wheels. Marching of band (these appear to be women, leader does anyhow). Night shots of the parade. Night shots of crowds making whoopee."

more on the parade here: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1937/9/24/the-legion-on-parade-pthe-american/

Doc's depiction of the Big Parade: 

22 sept 1937 Doc's depiction of The Legionnaires 

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Doc was also a cast member in several musical or comedic performances in his younger years.

Reading these articles and realizing how many people he associated with during his younger years, I can see he was well prepared to produces "shows" of his own making during his later military service. 

For "The Rest of His Story"  go to ARCHIVES  on the left side of this blogpost and scroll down to

Major A.H. Rankin - Life Sketch on blogpost June 20, 2015