Coburn Clark King was born on 28 April 1908 in Oregon, Holt County, Missouri, USA the youngest of the six children of Alonzo Wilmer King (1850-1930) and his second wife Julia Ellen King née Thuma (1868-1941). His five siblings were: Loraine Trotwood King (1890-1969), Gerald Alonzo King (1891-1969), Katherine O'Neal King (1895-1933), George Reuben King (1901-1891) and Annie Laurie King (1906-1995).
United States Federal Census returns show him living in 1910 in Oregon, Holt County, Missouri, but by 1920 he was residing in Lewis, Holt County, Missouri. When the 1930 census was compiled, he was living in Beverley Hills, Los Angeles County, California, with his wife Pauline V. King née Thomas (1907-1963).
According to the American Air Museum in Britain website, he went to Canada where he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 100521. He came to England and was assigned to the Royal Air Force's No.133 Eagle Squadron, serving as a Flight Lieutenant.
Both the Aircrew Remembered website and the Royal Air Force Commands website states that he was flying a Supermarine Spitfire Mark Vb aeroplane, serial number BL938, when he was shot down and killed, on 31 July 1942 when returning from to England escorting bombers who had been raiding Le Crotoy, northern France. Also killed in action on the same operation were Pilot Officer Grant Eugene Eichar and Pilot Officer Carter Woodruff Harp. Pilot Officer Edwin Dale Taylor was also shot down and wounded. As he has no known grave he is commemorated on Panel 65 of the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial, Coopers Hill Lane, Englefield Green, Egham, TW20 0LB.
He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website which gives his age incorrectly as 31 years. He was aged 33 years. He is shown as F/L Coburn Clark on the Eagle Squadrons war memorial in Grosvenor Square, London, W1.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
