Walter Alton Blanton was born in Walker, Alabama close to Tuscaloosa on October 15, 1925. The Blanton family eventually moved to Lowndes County in 1935 to find economic prosperity. Blanton was born to Love Abby and Sallie Elizibeth Blanton. Walter’s father, Love Abby, was born on November 4, 1881 and his wife, Sallie Elizibeth was born on October 28, 1887. Love and Sallie had six children: Wilfred born on October 15, 1908, Harold Houston born on April 19, 1919, Naomi Lovie born on June 14, 1920, Charles Willard born on May 8, 1923, and the youngest Walter born on October 15, 1925. The family also had a child in 1906 which would have been the oldest sibling, yet the baby died after less than a month. The oldest Wilfred died after only 3 years on November 15, 1911.
Walter did not continue his education after elementary school as he had to help make money for his family. At the age of fourteen, Walter quit fifth grade to help work on his family’s farm. He only worked for three years before deciding to join the military.
Walter's father, Love, continued work as a salesman as his sons joined the Armed Forces. The two oldest siblings, Harold and Naomi, made profits for the family as they worked as a laborer and a seamstress respectively. Walter's mother, Sallie, was a stay at home mother and housewife and continued to tend the house even after her children left.
Walter's older brother by two years, Charles, joined the Navy several months before Walter decided to. During Charles' basic training in Chicago, Illinois, he sent his brother a post card which told of Charles' excitement of being apart of the Arm Guard Gun Crew and asked how Walter was still working when he hated working. This postcard then motivated Walter to join the war effort. Weeks after the post card had been mailed to Walter, he had made up his mind to join the United States Marine Corps.