The Beginnings of the Journey
My Parents
Doris and Lex on the lake where he dearly loved to fish. It is said my mother was pregnant with me when this picture was taken.
I must have been about three, here with my father, Andrew Lexington Jackson. 1941. The only photo I have of us together, taken just before the war.
Lex was a tailgunner in World War II. "The Big Bitch" was the name of his B-17, The Flying Fortress, based in England. On October 21, 1942, they made a raid on Lorient, France, were shot down over Brittany and took out two Nazi fighter planes (Focke-Wolf 190's)in the battle.The crew of the Big Bitch. My father, Andrew Lexington Jackson, on the far right, enclosed in red.
After Lex's death, my mother remarried. My stepfather refused to allow me to see my paternal grandparents or relatives on the Jackson side of the family. When my paternal grandmother died she sent me a box of photographs and letters. (I was in high school) I had never seen any of these pictures. Now I have A treasure trove of letters, photos and memorabilia, including my dad's Air Medal and Purple Heart.
I had no idea where he was buried. I was young, and soon put it behind me. There was pain in dwelling on it. My mother preferred not to discuss him.
But in a discussion with my writer friend, Vanessa Gebbie, I mentioned that I had lost my father in the war. Her dad had fought and come home alive. so she was interested. She began to ask questions and I poured out the little I knew. Within an hour, she sent me an email with the following information from the website of the American Battle Monuments Commission - The World War II Honor Roll.
Andrew L. Jackson
Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service #18045030
341st Bomber Squadron, 97th Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the service from: Arizona
Died: 21-Oct-42
Buried at: Plot 1 Row 10 Grave 6
Brittany American Cemetery
St. James, France
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart.
One mile S.E. of St. James, Manche, France, on the edge of Brittany. (about 201 miles from Paris via train.
So, my highest priority and largest goal was to save enough money to make a trip to France and visit his grave site.
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