He is also among the Tablets of the missing at the Manila American Cemetery and the Battle of the Coral Sea Memorial Park in Cardwell, Queensland, Australia.

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USS Sims (DD-409) was the lead ship of her class of destroyers in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first ship to be named for William Sims, an Admiral who pushed for the modernization of the Navy. Sims was laid down on 15 July 1937 by Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine; launched on 8 April 1939.

1942: Battle of Coral Sea.

On the morning of 7 May, a search plane from the Japanese striking force sighted the oiler and destroyer and reported them to Admiral Takagi as a carrier and a cruiser. Takagi ordered an all-out attack. At 0930, 15 high level bombers attacked the two ships but did no damage. At 1038, 10 attacked the destroyer, but skillful maneuvering evaded the nine bombs that were dropped. A third attack against the two ships by 36 Val dive bombers was devastating. Neosho was soon crippled and burning aft as the result of seven direct hits and one plane that dived into her. Sims was attacked from all directions. The destroyer defended herself as best she could. Three 250 kilograms (550 lb) bombs hit the destroyer. Two exploded in the engine room, and within minutes, the ship buckled amidships and began to sink, stern first. As Sims slid beneath the waves, there was a tremendous explosion that raised what was left of the ship almost 15 feet out of the water. Only 15 crew members survived the sinking.

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Enlisted in 1940. Service ID: 2724348.

Entered Service From Alabama.

Date of Death May 8 1943 (Declared Dead)

Status Missing In Action

★ Purple Heart 

MCKINNEY, Edward, Sea2c, USN, Sims DD-409, May 7, 1942

MCKINNEY, Edward E, SEA2, 2724348, USN, from Alabama, location Coral Sea, missing, date of loss May 7, 1942.

Source material from multiple public domain websites.

Ancestry 

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Remembered by Buffalo (50696055)