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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
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