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BOYD HUBBARD, JR., Colonel, USAF, 1290A

"Boyd" was born Aug. 11, 1912 in Adair, Iowa. In 1933 he received his B.S. degree in mech. engr., with an aeronautics major at Iowa State College, and is a Beta Theta Pi. He received his pilot training at Randolph and Kelly as a flying cadet; graduating in Feb. 1935. His next five years service was at March Field, Calif. During this period he took examinations for and received his regular commission in Oct. 1936, and served with the 17th and 19th Gps and the 1st Wing Hq. In 1940 he transferred to Hickham Field, Hawaii where he served with the 11th Bomb Gp and participated in the flight of the initial B-17's to the Philippines, and also that of the 19th Gp. His service early in the war was on the Hawaiin Air Force Staff. After the Battle of Midway, he served for over 2 years as a member of the WD Gen. Staff in the Operations Div., during which time he participated in the Sicilian Invasion as a member of Gen. Truscott's staff. From Aug. '44 to Nov. '45 he commanded the 501st B-29 Gp in training in Nebraska and the Caribbean and in combat with the 315th Wing of the 20th Air Force. This was one of the stripped radar-bombing B-29 Gps. The next 2 years he served as a Deputy Chief of Staff of the 4th Air Force, and then attended the AWC in the '48-49 class, remaining as a member of the faculty. Boyd's hobbies are bowling, golf and fishing. His wife, Margaret, is a native of Troy, Ala. Children are Joyce, (age 11), Norma, (8), and Philip (3).

CECIL P. LESSING, Colonel, USAF, 1001A

Early engineering surveys accredited Ellsworth, Kansas, as being the geographic center of the United States. Until 4 April 1908, that was the only distinction that the community had achieved. On that historic date, the world was blessed by the birth of "Brick. For twelve years he struggled through school at Ellsworth and then casting his lot with the rest of the world, entered Kansas Wesleyan University in 1926. Later he went to the college of Emporia and then to Centenary College.
In 1932 a yearning for adventure entered his blood and in January of that year he was sworn into the U.S. Navy. Having seen most of the waves (not WAVES) on the seven seas, he then aspired to seeing the world from the skies, resulting in his appointment as an Air Corps Flying Cadet in March 1935.  By dint of good fortune he achieved his wings at Kelly Field in February 1936 and was sent to the 20th Pursuit Group at Barksdale Field to fly P-26's. From Barksdale he moved with the 20th Group to Moffett Field and thence to Hamilton Field. 
December 7, 1941 found "Brick" as Deputy Commanding Officer of the 20th Group, organizing the San Francisco area for 

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