The Rochester Sentinel 1996 - Fulton County Public Library

Neil B. McKinne
Sept. 8, 1934 - Sept. 2, 1963
A private graveside service for Lt. Neil B. McKINNEY was held Sunday, Nov. 3 at the
Akron Cemetery.
Air Force 1st Lt. McKinney had been missing in action since Stpt. 2, 1963 when his B-
26 bomber failed to return to its home base at DaNang following a routine air cover mission over
Vietnam. A concentrated search failed to turn up any sign of the plane and its four man crew. No
reason for the plane’s failure to return has ever been established. Immediately the Air Force listed
Lt. McKinney as officially missing After a year and one day, the Air Force declared Lt.
McKinney deceased.
In March, 1992 the Vietnamese government repatriated to the United States Government
the remains and artifacts that were purportedly recovered from a B-26 crash site in remote Kontum
province. Although personal effects and other information indicated the identity of the crew at
that time, the forensic team studied the remains an additional four years in an attempt to make
complete and positive identifications. That which forensic experts were unable to identify will be
interred at Arlington national Cemetery at a later date.
Lt. Neil McKinney was born in Fort Wayne. He rceived his Masters degree from Ball
State University where he entered the ROTC program and received a commission in the United
States Air Force. His assignment to Vietnam was as an Intelligence officer On June 26, 1960 he
married Barbara (WAECHTER) RAGER of Plymouth, who survives., Also surviving is a
daughter, Christa C. SMITH of Zionsville, and a half-brother Don FUNK of Fort Wayne.
Contributions may be made to the Akron Methodist Church, Akron.
Taylor W Smyth
May 21, 1918 - Oct. 14, 1996
Word has been received of the death of Taylor Webster SMYTH at his home in
Blackwell, Okla.
Born in Eddy, Okla., he lived in the Akron-Rochester area and attended Akron schools in
the 1930s.
He is survived by his wife Irene [SMYTH], a son Max [SMYTH], a daughtter Kay Lynn
PENDLETON, all of Blackwell; six grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildre; and a sister Maxine
POWERS of Rochester.