Joseph Ellsworth Durham was born on 16 August 1915 in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA, the only son and the fourth of the five children of Joseph Ellsworth Durham (1884-1981) and Lydia Alice Durham née Swearengin (1887-1976).
According to the American Air Museum in Britain website, he was a professional golfer before training to be an US service pilot in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and came to England in 1940 as a Pilot Officer, assigned to No.121 Eagle Squadron. He transferred into the United States Army Air Forces, later the United States Air Force, and was still serving in 1952.
He died, aged 76 years, on 19 August 1991 and was buried in Forest Park Cemetery, 5001 Midland Boulevard, Fort Smith, Arkansas, AR 72904, USA.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
