World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Donald O. Winkler
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Jefferson County, Kentucky
Honored By
William David Wilson, 6BG Co-Hist
He served in the 6th Bomb Group; he was in the 40th Bomb Squadron stationed on North Field on Tinian Island. He was born in Michigan but was living in Jefferson County Kentucky when he enlisted at Fort Thomas Newport, Kentucky. He was the flight engineer on B-29 serial number 42-93939, named 'Little Giant' when it took off from Tinian Island on 9 July 1945 for a night mine laying mission to the Shimonoseki Straights. (called Japan's Panama Canal as much of the shipping for Japan during WWII went thru these straits). Over the target area Flak was heavy and accurate, the B-29 was caught in a number of searchlights and sustained several direct flak hits and was seen to spiral down and crash in flames. It crashed offshore of Hesaki, Moji-shi, Fukuoka-ken. His remains were never recovered. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu Hawaii; Courts of the Missing.