Don C. Laubman
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Donald Currie Laubman (born 16 October 1921) began his military career in December of 1939. In 1942 he was posted to 133 Squadron in Boundary Bay, British Columbia, Canada. In 1943 he was sent to Red Hill/Staplehurst in the United Kingdom and assigned a new posting to 412 Squadron, 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 many beachhead patrols. After witnessing an impassioned speech given by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, 412 crossed the English Channel on June 6, 1944, arriving at Juno Beach. From D-Day to VE Day, 13 RCAF Fighter pilots in service on the continent accounted for more than 120 German aircraft claimed destroyed. The top scorer was Squadron Leader Don Laubman, with 15 victories.
On September 26th and 27th, Laubman flew four missions and downed seven enemy aircraft; four FW 190's and three BF 109's (plus another BF 109 damaged). This happened in the Nijmegen area (the location of Operation Market-Garden, the airborne operation to capture the Dutch Rhine bridges.) After his tour ended he arrived back in Canada in November 1944, and Laubman applied to return to active duty and was assigned command of 402 Squadron as Squadron Leader. Laubman ended the war as a prisoner of war (April 1945) in Germany.
Laubman's final count was 15 destroyed, 3 damaged. 14 of those 15 were in the time span of June - October, 1944. His decorations include the DFC and Bar. He is the fourth ranking RCAF ace, retiring in 1972 as a Lieutenant General.
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".[1]
