Jon E. Roberts was born on November 23, 1918, in Essex, Stoddard County, Missouri. He was the son of Ephriam and Minnie Cleaveland Roberts. He first married Kathryn Jane Kimmich Roberts in 1948. After her passing in 1966, he later married Frances Wood Roberts. Jon served in the 749th Bomb Squadron, 457th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Technical Sergeant and Radio Operator of B-17 (42-97537) known as "Chicken Ship" during World War II.

On April 9, 1944, during a mission targeting Marienburg (now Malbork, Poland), the plane encountered heavy enemy resistance. After taking flak damage over the target area, "Chicken Ship" lost engine power and fell behind its formation. Three German Focke-Wulf FW 190 fighters attacked, striking the aircraft and forcing the crew to abandon it. All of the crew parachuted safely and became POWs except Flight Engineer Fasone who was instantly killed. TSgt Roberts died on March 1, 2005, and is now buried in the Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de