Gene DeBruin was born on April 1, 1933. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1952, and served as an Aviation Mechanic in the U.S. and Japan before receiving an honorable discharge in 1956. DeBruin next attended the University of Missoula, graduating with a degree in forestry, and then completed training as a Smokejumper with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management at Missoula, Montana, in 1959. He served as a smokejumper in Montana and Alaska until joining Air America, the Central Intelligence Agency's clandestine passenger and cargo airline, in July 1963. Gen DeBruin was serving as a "kicker" aboard an Air America C-46 Commando over Laos when his plane was shot down and he was forced to parachute out of his crippled airplane over enemy territory on September 5, 1963. Gene was captured and held as a Prisoner of War by the Pathot Lao, and was known to be alive as late as July 28, 1966, when he participated in an escape from his POW camp with U.S. Navy LT Dieter Dengler, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt Duane Martin, another Air America kicker and Thai National named Phisit Intharathat, and several others. After this point, it is unknown what happened to Gene DeBruin.