HUBBARD, EDWARD LEE
Name: Edward Lee Hubbard
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit: 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Takhli AB TH
Date of Birth: 18 May 1938
Home City of Record: Shawnee Mission KS
Date of Loss: 20 July 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 215058N 1051657E (WK292160)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: EB66C
Missions: 26
Other Personnel in Incident: Norman A. McDaniel; Lawrence Barbay; William H.
Means Jr.; Glendon W. Perkins (all released POWs); Craig R. Nobert (missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 May 1990 from one or more of the
following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK.
REMARKS: 730304 RELSD BY DRV
SYNOPSIS: The Douglas EB66C Skywarrior was outfitted as an electronic
warfare aircraft which carried roughly 5 tons of electronic gear in addition
to its flight crew of three and technical personnel. The EB66C featured a
pressurized capsule installed in the bomb bay, that accommodated four
technicians whose responsibility was to operate electronic reconnaissance
gear.
On July 20, 1966, an EB66C was dispatched from the 41st Tactical
Reconnaissance Squadron at Takhli Airbase in Thailand on an electronic
countermeasure mission over North Vietnam. The crew and technicians that day
included Capt. Lawrence Barbay, Capt. Glendon W. Perkins, Capt. Norman A.
McDaniel, Capt. William H. Means Jr., 1Lt. Edward L. Hubbard, and 1Lt. Craig
R. Nobert. Nobert served as the electronics warfare officer on the flight.
The flight was normal to the target area near Tuyen Quang, Quang Bac Thai
Province, North Vietnam. At this point, the aircraft was orbited east/west.
During this maneuver, the aircraft was hit by hostile fire. Two parachutes
were seen to eject the aircraft, after which the aircraft descended and
disintegrated.
In the spring of 1973, 591 Americans were released from prison camps in
Vietnam, including most of the crew of the Skywarrior lost on July 20, 1966.
They had been held in various POW camps in and around Hanoi for nearly seven
years. Only Nobert remained Missing in Action.
For 24 years, the Vietnamese have denied knowledge of the fate of Craig R.
Nobert, even though the U.S. believes there is a good possibility he was
captured and died in captivity. On January 18, 1978, the Department of the
Air Force declared Craig Nobert dead, based on no specific information he
was still alive.
Disturbing testimony was given to Congress in 1980 that the Vietnamese
"stockpiled" the remains of Americans to return at politically advantageous
times. Could Nobert be waiting, in a casket, for just such a moment?
Even more disturbing are the nearly 10,000 reports received by the U.S.
relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia. Many authorities who have
examined this information (largely classified), have reluctantly come to the
conclusion that many Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. Could
Nobert be among these?
Perhaps the most compelling questions when remains are returned are, "Is it
really who they say it is?", and "How -- and when -- did he die?" As long as
reports continue to be received which indicate Americans are still alive in
Indochina, we can only regard the return of remains as a politically
expedient way to show "progress" on accounting for American POW/MIAs. As
long as reports continue to be received, we must wonder how many are alive.
As long as even one American remains alive, held against his will, we must
do everything possible to bring him home -- alive.
During their captivity, Perkins, Barbay and McDaniel were promoted to the
rank of Major. Hubbard was promoted to the rank of Captain. Means was
promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Craig R. Nobert was promoted to the rank of Major during the period he was
maintained missing.
Norman A. McDaniel resided in Camp Springs, Maryland in early 1990.
William H. Means, Jr. died in 1986 as a result of illness stemming from his
incarceraton in Vietnam.
SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977 Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR
Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St.,
Toluca Lake, CA 91602 Text is reproduced as found in the original
publication (including date and spelling errors).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO
EDWARD LEE HUBBARD
Major - United States Air Force
Shot Down: July 20, 1966
Released: March 4, 1973
I am Edward Lee Hubbard, known to all my friends as Ed. l was born 18 May
1938 in Kansas City, Missouri and spent the first 24 years of my life in the
Kansas City area. In June 1955 I joined the USAF Reserve at Richards-Gebaur
AFB where I flew as a flight engineer in the C-119 for several years. I
graduated from Shawnee Mission High School in May 1956. From December 1957
til August 1961 I worked in the mens clothing business in Kansas City. In
August 1961 I went on active duty, going to the aviation cadet program at
James Connally AFB, Texas for Basic Navigation Training. I was commissioned
and received my wings on 6 July 1962. Then I went to Navigator-Bombadier
Training at Mather AFB, California. From there to survival school at Stead
AFB, Nevada, then photo recce school and RB-66 crew training at Shaw AFB,
South Carolina. Following that I departed for Europe on 1 October 1963,
first to Alconbury AB in England for about two years and then Chambley AB in
France for about a year. In May 1966 I left Chambley AB, going directly to
SEA with just a few days leave in Kansas City. I stopped for a few days at
Clark AB for jungle survival school and then on to Takhli AB, Thailand. On
20 July 1966, on my 26th mission over North Vietnam, we were shot down by
two SAMs. I spent 2420 days as a POW in North Vietnam, being released on 4
March 1973. When I returned to the USA, I had been gone for 9 1/2 years
except for the few days leave in May of 1966.
The greatest single thing I found that helped sustain me throughout our long
ordeal was the fantastic ability of Americans to always find something to
laugh about no matter how bad things got. So, to me, the biggest asset we
had was our sense of humor.
As to the future, I will attend Air Command and Staff College and then go to
Torrejon Air Base, Spain to fly F4s. My son, David, was born in Kansas City
on 2 October 1963, the day after I left for Europe.
I have written an open letter to be published in the local paper and to be
sent to all the people who have written me. I asked them to keep their
Bracelets in remembrance of the men who gave their lives in Southeast Asia,
and the men who returned but will forever carry the burden of the war
because of their injuries. I would like to see the enthusiasm, energy and
efforts used for our reception redirected to the Disabled veterans, the men
who gave more than the POWs, the men who are more deserving of the great
reception we received, the men whose lives will never return to normal as
mine has. Don't let those men be forgotten. Every American should do his or
her utmost to guarantee that these men are NEVER FORGOTTEN!
November 1996
Edward Hubbard retired from the United States Air Force as a Colonel. He and
his wife Jennifer reside in Florida.
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