Walter Lee McKinzie, Jr. was born on January 6, 1921, in Bell County, Texas. His parents were Needham E Summerlin and Mary Ethel Brown McKinzie.

Walter served in the 579th Bomber Squadron, 392nd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Technical Sergeant and Engineer on the B-24J #42-95103 'Berlin Bitch' during World War II. On July 13, 1944, his airplane took off from RAF Wendling (Norfolk, England), assigned to bomb a target at Saarbrucken, Germany. The squadron encountered problems forming up during assembly before setting off on the raid. This aircraft suffered severe icing and spun in, crashing at Wrangle Common, Lincolnshire, England. 8 of the 9 crew on board were killed, only the left waist gunner S/Sgt Mark Osment was able to bale out and survived. The aircraft burned out on the ground, the bombs aboard the aircraft did not explode. When the fire died out, the bombs were disposed of, and the crash site was bulldozed in.

TSgt McKinzie is now buried in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA, in the same grave with 2Lt Hession, 1Lt Hunt, and TSgt Wilkinson.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com