When Jack M. Beckman was born on September 13, 1922, in Iowa, his father, David, was 27 and his mother, Eunice, was 25. He was a member of Grace Methodist church, Burlington and a charter member of the American Eagle club, London, England. He enlisted in the Canadian air force in December 1941, later transferred to the American air force in October, 1943. He had destroyed a number of German planes and had flown 99 missions over Germany as a fighter pilot. According to word to his parents, he was forced to parachute from his plane over Bavaria on March 1, 1945, and was killed by citizens after he reached the ground safely. He had been awarded the distinguished flying cross and air medal with a number of clusters for each. He is now buried in Aspen Grove Cemetery, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa, USA.