First Lieutenant McBride was the pilot of a LT-6G Mosquito control aircraft with the 6148th Tactical Air Control Squadron, 6147 Tactical Air Control Group. On 27 May 1952, while on a combat mission, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed on Hill 1062. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on 12 May 1953. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

McBride was awarded the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.