Jonathan Pearson "Jack" III was born on April 29, 1920. He was the son of Jonathan Pearson and Mary Lord Hosford Pearson. He was the husband of Eleanor Waller Pearson.

Jack served in the 335th Bomber Squadron, 95th Bomb Group, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator on the B-17 #42-31565 during World War II.

On March 4, 1944, at 0630H, his crew took off from Station 119 airfield in Horham, England, on a mission to Berlin, Germany. Shot down by flak, then by a fighter, the crew evacuated the plane by parachute. The plane, on autopilot, deviates from its initial direction (towards the sea) and heads back to Belgium, where it crashed at St. Symphorien near Mons.

All members survived, except for SSgt McCarthy, who was killed when his parachute failed to open. Six members were taken as prisoners, while the three remaining (including 2Lt Pearson) evaded German capture. 2Lt Pearson was one of the 152 allied airmen and soldiers who were helped and hidden in the Freteval Forest camp by the French Resistance to evade German capture. He returned to the UK on August 18, 1944.

2Lt Pearson died on January 30, 1991, at the age of 70. He is now buried in the Vale Cemetery, Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York, USA.

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