Historians, in chronicling Arizona’s eventful past, have tended to overlook the significant contributions of Mexican-heritage citizens of Prescott in the early 20th century. One was pilot Lt. Gilbert Duran Orrantia, who grew up in Clarkdale. His story was retold in Francisco Villareal’s book, Arizona’s Hispanic Flyboys. He served in combat in North Africa. Later, when was sent stateside, he became an instructor in combat tactics. After his discharge in 1945, he earned his degree in Secondary Education at Arizona State College, and went on to become Foreign Language Department Chair at Mesa Community College.

Service to Community and Country_ Mexican-American residents of Yavapai County in the 1930s and 1940s _ The Daily Courier.pdf