Robert E. Jackson was born on December 11, 1918, and later moved to the Kansas City area. He was the son of Elmer Charles Jackson and Mae Elizabeth Eisenhower Jackson and was the husband of Shirley Ann Jackson.

Robert served in the 341st Bomber Squadron, 97th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Navigator on the B-17 #41-24344 'The Big Bitch' during World War II.

1Lt Jackson survived when his airplane crashed in Saint-Vougay, France. On October 21, 1942, his crew took off from Station 110 airfield in Polebrook, England, for a bombing attack in Lorient, France. Upon arrival over the target, their plane was shot down by an Fw190 piloted by Armind Landman and exploded. Among the ten crew members, only two were able to survive. They were thrown out of the plane by the explosion. 1Lt Jackson landed in an unconscious state and had no memory of the incident. He was captured by the Germans, hospitalized in Morlaix, and sent to Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany. The others were killed in the incident. The bodies of those who were killed were initially buried in the cemetery of Plouescat before being transferred.

1Lt Jackson died on November 5, 2010, at the age of 91. He is now buried in the Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net