TFH 4/12: Captain Ronald D. Hubbard, USAAF

The 3d Bombardment Group (Light) of the United States Army Air Forces was formed in early 1942 in Australia from units that fled the Philippines and others that arrived from the United States. Flying the North American B-25 Mitchell, they continued to strike targets in defense of the Philippines.

Captain Ronald D. Hubbard (born March 10, 1915) was a bomber pilot. He had been struck ill with dengue fever and was removed from flying status in early April 1942. Regardless, he volunteered to fly as a bombardier despite his illness. During four missions on April 11-12, 1942 he was credited with sinking an enemy transport ship and with shooting down a Japanese seaplane. His efforts and courage despite his illness earned him our Nation's second highest honor: the Distinguished Service Cross.

From Military Times' Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Ronald D. Hubbard, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Bombardier of a B-25 Medium Bomber in the 3d Bombardment Group (L), FAR EAST Air Force, while participating in bombing missions on 11 and 12 April 1942, against enemy Japanese targets Cebu and Davao, Philippine Islands. When the unit to which he was assigned was scheduled to proceed from Australia to the Philippine Islands on bombing missions, Major Hubbard, although so ill from dengue fever that he had been removed from the list of airplane commanders, volunteered and was permitted to make the flight as bombardier in the lead airplane. He completed four bombing missions with signal success, in one of them obtaining a hit on an enemy transport which caused it to capsize. On another mission, he manned the nose machine gun of his plane after completion of the bombing run and shot down a hostile seaplane. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Captain Hubbard on these occasions have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

(assumed typos and rank inconsistencies exist in the original)

Ronald Hubbard survived the war, although I couldn't find a whole lot of details about the remainder of his service. I do know that he continued in service to our Nation after the war and made the transition to the United States Air Force when it became a separate service in 1947. He retired as a full Colonel and passed away at age 95 on May 7, 2010. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

The descendant of the 3d Bombardment Group, the 3d Operations Group, flying arm of the 3d Wing, is a triple-threat with air superiority, airborne early warning, and airlift roles from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.