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Personal info

Full name
DURHAM, Chester Mark
Date of birth
24 January 1916
Age
28
Place of birth
Dallas County, Arkansas
Hometown
Glendale, Maricopa County, Arizona

Military service

Service number
19128200
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Navigator
Unit
527th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
30 November 1944
Place of death
1 km southwest of Threna near Leipzig, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Cornelious J. Durham (father)
Anita M. (stephens) Durham (mother)
Myrtice M. Durham (sister)
Benjamin B. Durham (brother)
Luther L. Durham (brother)
Cornelious T. Durham (brother)
John E. Durham (brother)
Katy L. Durham (sister)
Merion E. (Page) Durham (wife)
Sharon R. Durham (daughter)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6140
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Miss Lace
Destination: Zeitz, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil plants
MACR: 11126

More information

Chester Durham worked in an aircraft factory.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Los Angeles, California on 14 September 1942.

The airplane was shot down by flak and lost the right wing in an explosion. It was last seen in a steep dive and crashed at 1340 hours.

One crew member survived and was taken prisoner, eight men were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com

Photo source: FOHF, www.ancestry.com