Edward L. Hubbard

Ed Hubbard enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Reserve on June 24, 1955, and served as a flight engineer on C-119 Flying Boxcar transports with the 303rd Troop Carrier Squadron of the 442nd Troop Carrier Wing at Grandview AFB (renamed Richards-Gebaur AFB in 1957), Missouri, until August 20, 1961, when he was accepted into the Aviation Cadet Program. Hubbard was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and was awarded his Navigator Wings on July 6, 1962. After completing Navigator-Bombardier training, photo reconnaissance school, and RB-66 Destroyer combat crew training, Lieutenant Hubbard was assigned to the 30th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at RAF Alconbury in England. He was next assigned to the 42nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Chambley AB, France, and then with the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, also at Chambley, from October 1965 to June 1966. Hubbard began flying combat missions as an EB-66C Navigator with the 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron flying out of Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, in June 1966, and he was forced to eject over North Vietnam on his 26th combat mission on July 20, 1966, and was immediately captured and taken as a Prisoner of War.