Leonard Alberton Jackson was born on August 31, 1924, in Montgomery, Alabama. He was the son of Henry Eugene Jackson and Gladys Clanton Pope Jackson.

Leonard served in the 579th Bomber Squadron, 392nd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner on the B-24J #42-95103 'Berlin Bitch' during World War II. On July 13, 1944, his airplane took off from RAF Wendling (Norfolk, England), assigned to bomb a target at Saarbrucken, Germany. The squadron encountered problems forming up during assembly before setting off on the raid. This aircraft suffered severe icing and spun in, crashing at Wrangle Common, Lincolnshire, England. 8 of the 9 crew on board were killed, only the left waist gunner S/Sgt Mark Osment was able to bale out and survived. The aircraft burned out on the ground, the bombs aboard the aircraft did not explode. When the fire died out, the bombs were disposed of, and the crash site was bulldozed in.

SSgt Jackson is now buried in the Montgomery Memorial Cemetery, Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com