Walter Sidney Butler, Jr. was born on September 23, 1920 in Huntingdon, Carroll County, Tennessee. He enlisted in the Air Corps 26 April 1941 at Jackson, Mississippi and had completed two years of college at Memphis State, Memphis, Tennessee.

Major Walter S Butler, Jr was leading a dive bombing and strafing mission in P-51D #44-11284 3 April 1945 on a course of 130 degrees. The visibility was four miles in haze. He and his wing aircraft had left a base at Laohwangping with a target at Yangtong. His plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on their last pass approximately one-half mile east of Erh Tong [ie Erh-Tong Airfield at Kweilin], headed west.

His wingman, 2nd Lt Harry Hill, Jr, ASN O-705582, stated the following, "Butler was leading the flight. I was flying Butler's wing. Butler called the flight and said that this was our last pass. I saw Butler heading west as I was making my pass in a SW direction. I pulled up from my pass and started rendezvous, calling Butler and asking his position. The last thing I heard, Butler called ‘I am hit.' The remainder of the flight tried to call Butler but no radio contact was made. We rendezvous, searched for his plane or parachute and sighted neither, it is believed he possibly went into the cloud layer and headed north."

Major Butler was declared dead 3 October 1945 but still missing. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China. His family honors his memory with a monument Major Walter Sidney Butler, Jr – Family Plot in Liberty All Cemetery, Huntingdon TN.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov