John McGinnis served in the U.S. Air Force as a Captain with the 36th Fighter Bomb Squad, 8th Fighter Bomb Group during the Korean War. The Pilot of an F-80C Shooting Star fighter-interceptor, he died on December 22, 1952 while on a combat mission when his aircraft crashed into a Royal Hellenic Air Force aircraft at Suwon Airfield, Korea. He received the following awards: Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, United Nations Service Medal, and Republic of Korea War Service Medal.