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Airman Third Class Donald Jerry Ballard

An African American man, wearing a baseball hat, smiling at the camera.
  • Unit: 4th Support Squadron
  • Date of Birth: January 5, 1936
  • Entered the Military: December 30, 1954
  • Date of Death: May 15, 2018
  • Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Place of Death: Wilmington, Delaware
  • Cemetery: Section L, Row G, Grave 13. Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear, Delaware
Contributed by Ethan Cooper, Kolten Hautanen, Justin McGinnis, Ryleigh Nelson, Zayn Richardson, Alison Smith, Aniyah Smith
Mentored by Mrs. Emily Green
POLYTECH High School
2024/2025

Early Life

Donald Ballard was born on January 5, 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to William and Annabell Ballard. He had one brother, two years older, named William. Ballard’s mother remarried Andrew Woodton who resided with the family in Philadelphia. He completed two years of high school.

While Ballard was too young to serve in World War II or the Korean War, he enlisted at age 18 in December 1954. While his service occurred after the armistice was signed, all Veterans who served between June 27, 1950 and January 31, 1955 are designated as Korean War-era Veterans.

The 1940 Census including Donald J. Ballard, his mother, and brother. His future stepfather is listed as a lodger. National Archives and Records Administration.
The 1950 census shows Donald J. Ballard living with his mother, brother, and stepfather in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. National Archives and Records Administration.

Homefront

Donald Ballard’s hometown was Philadelphia. The Korean War greatly impacted the city; the Philadelphia Navy Yard repaired ships and military bases at Dover, Delaware, and Fort Dix, New Jersey, trained service members. 

Several editorials criticized groups for blocking desegregation efforts, showing that the issue influenced society and connected many of the places Mr. Ballard lived. Philadelphia also had a Citizen Mobilization Plan that prepared for war mobilization in 1950, and it mentioned using psychological warfare and espionage. 

A Quaker-influenced Committee of Conscientious Objectors was active in the area. Some individuals faced charges for evading the draft. They advocated for the military to offer non-combat jobs to objectors.

Republican Senator James H. Duff of Pennsylvania asked President Harry S. Truman to allow conscientious objectors to serve in hospital roles instead of military service. The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 1, 1955.
This editorial and political cartoon argued for ending segregation in local schools. The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 1, 1955.

Military Experience

Donald Ballard joined the military in Philadelphia on December 30, 1954. He worked as a machine operator for one year before joining the service. After completing his basic military training at Sampson Air Force Base in New York, the military assigned him to the 405th Food Service Squadron at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton Virginia. His job was listed as a helper and a cook, so he prepared meals for the base and helped with other tasks that needed to be done in the kitchen. He served in similar roles in the 83rd Food Service Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina and the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Colorado. Each month he sent his mother, Annabell Woodton, $40.00 from his paycheck.

While Airman Ballard did not serve on the Korean Peninsula, his contributions to the effort earned him a promotion to airman third class in March 1955.  Donald Ballard was honorably discharged on December 29, 1958, from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. He continued to serve in the U.S. Air Force Reserve until 1962.

A list of Ballard’s military assignments from December 1954 to March 1959. Official Military Personnel File.
Donald Ballard’s DD-214 form, issued December 28, 1958. Parts have been redacted for privacy purposes. Official Military Personnel File.

Veteran Experience

Ballard had a son named Darius Twyman in 1955. A year later, he married Rosalie Holland. Their marriage ended. After being discharged, he worked as a security constable for Christiana Care. 

In 1969, he married Frances Watson, and the two lived in a two-story brick house in Wilmington, Delaware. 

Later, the couple participated in an adult literacy program sponsored by Groves Adult Education and International Business Machines (IBM). 

The announcement of the marriage license for Donald J. Ballard and Frances Watson. The Morning News, January 8, 1969.
This article describes Ballard’s efforts to better his life through improved literacy (part one). The Morning News, December 4, 1988.
This article describes Ballard’s efforts to better his life through improved literacy (part two). The Morning News, December 4, 1988.

Commemoration

Ballard’s wife, Frances, died on July 21, 2005. Donald Ballard passed away on May 15, 2018. They are buried together at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear, Delaware. 

Donald and Frances Ballard’s grave marker at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear, Delaware.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

“75 Notables Urge Release of Objectors.” The Philadelphia Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], September 14, 1949. Newspapers.com (174441925).

“Adults take friendly path to literacy with PALS computer textbooks.” The Morning News [Wilmington, DE], December 4, 1988. Newspapers.com (155100702).

“Darius Twyman.” The News Journal [Wilmington, DE], October 18, 2011. Newspapers.com (165022561).

Donald J. Ballard, Official Military Personnel File, Department of the Air Force. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

“Frances Ballard.” The News Journal [Wilmington, Delaware], July 25, 2005. Newspapers.com (164602986). 

“Jobs for Objectors in Hospitals Urged.” The Philadelphia Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], September 1, 1955.  Newspapers.com (178015049).

“Literacy.” The Morning News [Wilmington, DE], December 4, 1988. Newspapers.com (155100775).

“Marriage Licenses New Castle County.” The Morning News [Wilmington, DE], January 8, 1969. Newspapers.com (156459666).

Pennsylvania. Philadelphia County. 1940 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestry.com.

Pennsylvania. Philadelphia County. 1950 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestry.com.

“Phila. Unit Offers Plan For Citizen Mobilizing.” The Philadelphia Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], December 22, 1950. Newspapers.com (167543154).

“Public Sale.” The News Journal [Wilmington, DE], April 28, 2005. Newspapers.com (165119260).

“Today’s Obituaries and Death Notices.” The News Journal [Wilmington, DE], November 29, 2017. Newspapers.com (355435115).

“Toward ending Race Bias in Schools.” The Philadelphia Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], June 1, 1955. Newspapers.com (174492016).

Secondary Sources

“Donald J. Ballard.” Find a Grave. Updated November 10, 2019. Accessed November 30, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204614698/donald-j.-ballard.

“Donald J. Ballard.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/DONALDJBALLARD/497E44. 

Fox, Levi. “Korean War.” The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/korean-war/. 

“Frances R. A. Ballard.” Find a Grave. Updated June 19, 2011. Accessed March 7, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71608936/frances_r_a-ballard. 

“Urban Renewal.” The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/urban-renewal/. 

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.