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FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE CLARENCE B. COOMBS Pioneer West Coast Aviator - World War 1 Pilot Clarence B. Coombs was born at Sacramento, California August 11, 1888, where he attended local grade schools and high school 1903-1907. He then attended the University of California, 1908-1912 and the University of Berkeley, California, 1912-1914, graduating in Engineering. Coombs developed an early interest in west coast aviation developments and worked for early plane builders in the Bay area during summer vacations, and reportedly made some brief flights at Alameda, California during that period. Evidently he had specialized in engine testing and became an expert with motors, which led to automobile racing in 1915 for Stutz and Chalmers motorcars. Coombs enlisted in the Signal Corps, Aviation Section on March 11, 1916 and was sent to the Aviation School at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California. In No- vember he was transferred to Mineola, Long Island, New York, where he continued his instruction and flying practice with pilots Acosta, Bleakley, Bonney and others, passing the Reserve Military Advisor test on July 18, 1917 as Sergeant First Class, 15th Aero Squadron. He was then sent to the military aeronautics school at Cornell University where he remained until February, 1918 when he was ordered back to Mineola. During 1919 he was test pilot in the Flight Test Branch, McCook Field, Dayton 1