Donald J. Jacobson was born on 1924, son of Stanley and Celia. He had 4 sisters. 1st Lt Jacobson entered the Army Air Corps on 5 January 1943. He trained at Nashville, Tennessee; Maxwell Field, Alabama; Carlson Field, Florida. He went overseas in January, 1944. Lt Jacobson was Pilot of Single seat Mustang Fighter. First combat mission destroyed two Junker 88's. Pilot on longest combat flight for single engine fighters. Volunteered for first fighter plane shuttle flight to Russia from England.

Statement from Walter M. Christensen Jr., 2nd Lt, A.C., 354 Fighter Squadron:
"I was flying #2 position in Falcon Red Flight on an escort mission into France. After meeting the bombers we saw about ten contrails very high and started climbing in their direction. We gained on them and were cutting them off when I heard someone call 'Break'. I glanced off of my left wing and saw the enemy aircraft diving through one of our flights. One of our planes let cut a puff of black smoke and then went straight down trailing smoke all the way. The plane went straight down through the clouds which were at about 10,000 feet. I am sure that no one got out before the ship went through the clouds. I believe the pilot was Lt Jacobson, was flying #4 position."

Lt Jacobson was initially buried at Hetzerath, Erkelenz, Germany and is now buried in Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.

Source of information: Michel Beckers, Astrid van Erp, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930 Census / Family Tree