Alva "Jake" Geron was born on September 26, 1919 and was from Paris, Texas. He served as the Piloton B-24 “Death Dealer (42-40611).
On August 13, 1943, B-24 “Death Dealer” (42-40611) 409th Bomber Squadron, of the 93rd Bomber Group was on a bombing mission from Benghazi, Libya to bomb a target at the Weiner-Neustadt Aircraft factories in Austria. The plane sustained serve flak damage and lost an engine near the target and diverted to Switzerland. The plan successfully made a belly landing near Wil, Switzerland and the crew destroyed the plane. The crew was interned in neutral Switzerland internment camps for foreign belligerents. This was the first US Plane of many to come down on Swiss soil. While the 93rd Bomber Group normally was based out of England (Station 104- , in late June 1943, it was transferred to Northern Africa to support the 9th and 12th Air Force “Operation Tidal Wave” – the bombing of the Ploesti, Romania oilfields. “Death Dealer” participated in the famous mission on August 1, 1943.

FROM FIND A GRAVEJake was born on a ranch near Paris, Texas on Sept. 26, 1916, to George E. and Alva Jemison Geron. He graduated from Whitharral High School as Valedictorian in 1936, and attended Texas Tech University, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1941. While at Tech, he lettered on the Red Raider basketball team. Jake was a B-24 pilot in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 through 1945. He flew thirteen combat missions and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, and Presidential Unit Citation. He was interned in Switzerland for 8 months in 1943. He attained the rank of Major. While receiving flight training at Lubbock Flying School, Jake met Beth Hamilton, a Tech student. They married on May 29, 1944, and settled in Brownfield after his discharge. Jake worked with the Farmer's Home Administration and Veteran's Vocational School of Terry County before joining the City of Brownfield as City Secretary in 1952. He became Assistant City Manager in 1954 and served as City Manager from 1966 until his retirement in 1983. Jake was a life member of the International City Managers' Association. He took leadership roles in many regional and state municipal associations. Jake was a leader in the Lion's Club, and lifelong member of the Lion's Crippled Children's Camp, Goodfellows, XYZ Senior Citizens Center, United Way and the Brownfield Chamber of Commerce. He was named Terry County Outstanding Citizen in 1973. He was a member of the Brownfield Masonic Lodge and a Thirty-Second Degree Scottish Rite Mason. He served on the Board of Directors of the First Bank of Brownfield from 1977 until his death. Jake was a deacon of the First Baptist Church and taught Sunday school for over 50 years.