William L. Durkin
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William Lloyd Durkin (April 30, 1916 - April 29, 2006) was a United States Marine and California businessman.
Born in Oil City, Pennsylvania, Durkin gained fame when, on July 7, 1946, he observed the burning wreckage of billionaire Howard Hughes's XF-11 reconnaissance plane, and rescued the badly injured airman. Despite rumors that have persisted that Durkin was handsomely rewarded for the rescue, his family has repeatedly stated that he steadfastly refused to accept any money from Hughes, although the two kept in contact until Hughes' death in 1976.
Retiring from the Marine Corps as a captain, he worked in the food and beverage industry before retiring again to Palm Springs, California. After suffering a heart attack, Durkin died on April 29, 2006, the day before his 90th birthday.
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