Two Watsonville High School "Wildcats" climbed into a plane for a final flight.

Boyd W. Friis was born in Sacramento, California, on July 23, 1919, to Mr. and Mrs. Sorn Friis. His family later moved to Watsonville where he enrolled in Watsonville High School. Boyd graduated in June 1938 and shortly thereafter, moved with his parents to nearby Salinas, California. Friis attended college for two years and prior to the war, worked in the entertainment field.

In March 1941, Boyd Friis enlisted in the regular US Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet program at the Presidio of Monterey. Following his training, he was awarded his wings and commissioned a second lieutenant. After a year and a half of service, he was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned to Merced Air Force Base, California.

On August 25, 1943, Friis was piloting an aircraft carrying the Merced AAFB finance officer, Lt. Stanley Secondo (also of Watsonville), to Denver, Colorado, when it crashed. His plane, accompanied by another aircraft, had passed Salt Lake City, Cheyenne and the Rocky Mountains on their way to Denver when he encountered engine trouble. Boyd radioed the companion plane that he was turning around and would attempt a forced landing at an auxiliary landing field he had spotted earlier. He missed that field by five miles and crashed, killing himself and Stanley Secondo. This was to have been Boyd's last cross-country trip before his promotion to captain.

The remains of First Lieutenant Boyd W. Friis were returned to Salinas for a funeral and interment in the Garden of Memories Cemetery.

(CBR; NARA2; SCSn August 28, 1943 1:3, WRP August 28, 1943; Photo-WHS)