William Mather Hubbell – Colonel, United States Air Force

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From contemporary press reports

William M. Hubbell, USAF Colonel, retired., 72, of Sunnywood, New York, died on Sunday, July 21, 2002, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh, New York.

Colonel Hubbell was born on August 20, 1929, in Mineola, New York, the son of George Loring Hubbell Jr. and Sophie (Young )Hubbell.

He graduated from Garden City High School and was high school all American in la-crosse, a graduate of University of Maryland, First Team All American in la-crosse, three years; NYS la-crosse Hall of Fame and University of Maryland Hall of Fame.

He was a member of the River Rats, a Veteran group of fighter pilots that saw action over Vietnam.

Colonel Hubbell was a fighter pilot having served from 1954 to 1980 with the U. S. Air Force in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, among others. He retired in 1980. He then worked with the Department of Defense training foreign pilots and later retired to his family camp compound Sunnywood at Chazy Landing.

Survivors include his wife, Renee Hubbell; two sons, Robert Hubbell and his wife, Betsy of Herndon, Virginia, and Bill Hubbell Jr. of Washington, D.C.; one daughter, Anne and her husband, Michael Bowman of McLean, Virginia; a brother, George Loring Hubbell III and his wife, Loretta of Chazy; three sisters, Elizabeth “Betsy” Parsons of Spokane, Washington, Barbara Field and Sue Wohlers of Chazy; six grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery. Services are private at the convenience of the family.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Chazy Volunteer Rescue Squad.

William M. Hubbell Air Force Colonel

William M. Hubbell, 72, a retired Air Force Colonel and former resident of Alexandria, died July 21 at his home on Lake Champlain in Chazy, N.Y., after a heart attack.

Colonel Hubbell was born in Garden City, New York, and graduated in 1953 from the University of Maryland, where he was an All American and Defenseman of the Year in lacrosse.

He joined the Air Force in 1954 and later served in fighter squadrons in Japan and Germany. He commanded a fighter squadron in England and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. In 1972, he settled in the Washington area. After an assignment at the Pentagon, he retired in 1980. His awards included a Distinguished Flying Cross.

In retirement, Colonel Hubbell was an independent consultant and contractor on Air Force-related matters. His work included teaching flying to members of foreign military services.

About five years ago, he moved from Alexandria to New York.

His marriage to Elizabeth Hubbell ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife, Renee, of Chazy; and three children from his first marriage, Anne Bowman of McLean, Robert Hubbell of Herndon and William Hubbell of Washington.

HUBBELL, WILLIAM MATHER

  • COL   US AIR FORCE
  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 07/01/1953 – 07/01/1980
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 08/20/1929
  • DATE OF DEATH: 07/21/2002
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 08/20/2002
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 66  SITE 7526
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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