Six months after the Oklahoma City Air Depot was redesignated Tinker Field in honor of his father, Major Clarence L. Tinker, Jr. also gave his life in the service of his country.

Clarence Jr., the eldest of the three Tinker children, was born in the Hawaiian Territory at the Schofield Barracks army post on January 13th, 1916. His father, then a second lieutenant, was an officer for the Army's famous all-black-enlisted 25th infantry.

Bud or Buddy, as he was called, was born at home since Mrs. Tinker's doctor would not let her go to the Fort Shafner hospital which had too many babies sick with a virus.

Buddy experienced many different environments during his youth as the family moved from one military assignment to the next. The Tinkers lived in several places in California, in Kansas for two years, in London, Washington, D.C. twice, and Texas.

Buddy took his military entrance exam in 1937 when the family lived in the Washington area while Colonel Tinker was the chief of aviation division, National Guard Bureau.

He had attended Marin Jr. College in California and George Washington University in the nation's capital, and his mother wanted him to stay in school until he finished his education. She was more than a little chagrinned when he passed the test and entered the Army's flight training program at Randolph Field, Texas.

Nevertheless, a very proud mother stood by when 2nd Lt. Clarence L. Tinker, Jr. received his wings and diploma from his father, the graduation speaker, in San Antonia, Texas, on February 1st, 1939.

Three years later when General Tinker was lost in the Battle of Midway Island, Bud was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. He was immediately granted leave and was with the rest of the family for the solemn high Mass held at the Sacred Heart Church, Tampa, Florida.

Young Major Tinker's last assignment was with the 14th Fighter Group stationed in North Africa. He joined the group at Mohammedia, near Casablanca, in March 1943 as an operations officer.

Two months later he was leading a flight of P-38's out of Tunisia towards Italy's Pantelleria Island when a superior force of German fighters was encountered.

The American aviators dove into a cloud bank for cover and intended to wait the Germans out. However, Major Tinker's zeal soon outweighed his patience and he radioed the others that he "was going out". Over vanished over the Mediterranean Sea.

And like his father a year before, no trace of him was ever found.

Madeline Tinker McCormick, wife of General Tinker and mother of Major Tinker, recently placed the younger Tinker's medals on permanent loan to Tinker Air Force Base to be displayed near his father's. All the medals may be viewed in the foyer area of Building 3001, Headquarters of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.