John Allen Jacques was born on June 26, 1917, in Panama. He attended Balboa High School and Balboa High Cristobal High. He was a student at the U.S. Naval Academy between 1937 and 1940 but dropped out of the United States Naval Academy and went to Tahiti to raise coconuts, which had far-reaching consequences for him and his family.

When he got to California, on his way to his new job in Tahiti, he was stymied by the change in government in France caused by the expanding war in Europe. He decided that the only way he could get on with his chosen profession was to get the war over with as soon as possible. Since his county was not currently involved, he went to Canada, as many Americans did, to offer his services to the RCAF.

Sgt Jacques served in the 40 (R.A.F.) Sqdn, Royal Canadian Air Force. He was Killed in Action on October 17, 1941, aboard Wellington Ic Z8862. That day, his crew took off at 0106H on a bombing operation in Berlin, Germany. Homebound, their aircraft was shot down by flak and crashed in Kirchellen. The 6-man crew lost four lives and they were initially buried in the town cemetery.

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