Corporal Minkler was a member of the 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 3 December 1950.

Minkler was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, 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.