Johnnie W. Skurka was born in 1921 in Texas. He was the son of John P. Skurka and Millie Skurka. He resided in Williamson County, Texas prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on November 9, 1942 in Abilene, Texas. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Farm Hand and also as Single, without dependents. Johnnie served as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner on B-24L #44-41448, 373rd Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-24L #44-41448 took off from Luliang, China on a night ship bombing mission over Tonkin Gulf, French Indo-China (Vietnam). They were hit by Japanese ship mounted anti-aircraft fire and, while trying to return to base, ended up crashing into the sea off Ka-pao Island during the war. Johnnie was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph located in Robstown Cemetery, Robstown, Nueces County, Texas.
Staff Sergeant Skurka 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 but death date is inscribed as 1944-04-05. Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov