Don C. Laubman

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Donald Currie Laubman

DFC AOE CD
Born(1921-10-16)16 October 1921
Provost, Alberta
Died20 June 2018(2018-06-20) (aged 96)
Allegiance Canada
Service/branchRoyal Canadian Air Force
Years of service1940 – 1972
RankLieutenant General
Battles/warsWorld War II
Awards

Lieutenant-General Donald Currie Laubman, DFC AOE CD (16 October 1921 – 20 June 2018) was a Second World War Canadian fighter pilot and flying ace. He remained in the Canadian armed services after the war rising to the rank of Lieutenant-General.

Biography

Laubman was born in

De Winton. In September 1942 he was commissioned and served with No. 133 Squadron, RCAF
on the Canadian west coast until May 1943.

Service career

In September 1942 he was commissioned and served with No. 133 Squadron, at Boundary Bay,

No. 412 Squadron RAF
, 126 Wing (83 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force).

In the late spring and early summer of 1944

Flight Lieutenant Laubman and 412 Squadron were based in Tangmere, West Sussex, and flew fighter operations over occupied Europe. After witnessing an impassioned speech given by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, 412 crossed the English Channel on 6 June 1944 (D-Day), covering the landings on Juno Beach
.

From

Squadron Leader
Don Laubman, with 15 victories.

On 26 and 27 September Laubman flew four missions and downed seven enemy aircraft; four German

No. 402 Squadron RAF as a Squadron Leader. When Laubman's Spitfire was downed by the explosion of his strafed target, he became a prisoner of war on 14 April 1945.[1]

Tally

Laubman's final count was 15 destroyed, and 3 damaged. 14 of those 15 were between June and October 1944. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar as well as the Canadian Forces' Decoration with two Bars. He is the fourth ranking RCAF ace.

Postwar career

He was released from the RCAF in September 1945, but rejoined the RCAF in January 1946. Laubman first served with No. 6 Communications Flight, NWAC. He was a founding member of the

Lieutenant General
.

In 1979, he opened a Canadian Tire store in Red Deer, Alberta, and was very active in community affairs.[2] In 2007, he was awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence for distinguished service as a fighter pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force and as a central Alberta business and community leader.[3]

He died in June 2018 at the age of 96.[4] Two CF-18 Hornet fighters[5] from the RCAF base at Cold Lake, Alberta,[6] performed a flyby at the celebration of life for him and his wife in Red Deer.[7]

References

  • Air Force Association of Canada entry Archived 2011-10-06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2 April 2014
  • The Alberta Order of Excellence Retrieved 2 April 2014
  • Milberry, Larry, ed. Sixty Years—The RCAF and CF Air Command 1924–1984. Toronto: Canav Books, 1984.
    ISBN 0-9690703-4-9
    .
  1. ^ Bakes, Roger (May 31, 2012). "Profile of Don Laubman - WW II Ace Fighter Pilot [Interview, at 24:06 of 39:04 video]". YouTube.
  2. ^ Obituary, "Donald Curry Laubman," Red Deer Advocate, June 20, 2018.
  3. ^ Alberta Order of Excellence, "Lt. General Donald C. Laubman DFC, CD," https://www.alberta.ca/aoe-donald-laubman.aspx
  4. ^ Remembering the accomplishments of Don Laubman
  5. ^ McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet
  6. ^ CFB Cold Lake
  7. ^ Sheldon Spackman, "CF-18 Hornet flyby honours decorated Red Deer war vet, community builder Don Laubman, wife Margie," RDNewsNow, July 1, 2018

External links

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