2nd Lieutenant  Jack Peres

Jack Peres was born on the 5th of March 1920 in Santa Barbara California USA. According to the 1930's census (fold3 by Ancestry 2019a) his Parent's were John Augustus Peres & Louise P Peres whom were married on the 19/10/1909 (Intellectual Reserve.inc 2019). Jack had a sister Leona L. Peres who was two years younger than Jack. On this census both Jack and Leona are listed as adopted and currently enquiries have been unsuccessful in finding details about Jacks natural parents. Being both Jack and his sister have taken on the name Peres and that Jack is a nickname for John leaves me wondering if the listing as adopted on the census is an oversight. In looking at the census record it looks like it was added later. One other source of information is on his military records obtained by Bob Alford it states he is of American/Mexican descent where his parents as stated below were American/Polish descent (Alford Collection 2019). From here on his adopted parent's will be referred to as his parent's. In the 1940's census Leona is no longer listed as adopted and only as Daughter. Mistakenly the surname is spelt incorrectly as being Pieres (archives.com 2018) 

Jack is not listed on the same census as his sister in 1940 but listed as living with E W M Griffith & Annie Griffith and is listed as their Son. (archives.com 2018) Further research into why this is the case has not been successful. It may possibly be related to being closer to his college he attended.

Jack's father served in the closing stages of the first world war with the 144th Field Artillery Unit, Battalion C as a mechanic. Jack's mother is listed in the 1930's census as being a Polish immigrant. During WWII his parents and sister worked in the Lockheed factory in Burbank California likely assembling either P-38 Lightning, Hudson bombers or B-17 under licence from Boeing. (Lava Development 2019) Possibly Jack's father was the influence for him to join the armed forces as Jack joined up very early in the war prior to the rush after Pearl Harbor was attacked. Other possible influences could have been his mother's Polish background and with Poland invaded and annexed by the Germans & Soviet Union there may have been motivation there. In the end WWII involved the whole family in the war effort either by building aircraft or flying them.

Jack attended Santa Barbara High School and actively participated in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) program which prepares youth to become officers in the military. He also participated in many other programs such has Hi-Y (YMCA), Scholarship society and others. In his school yearbook he was quoted as having the outlook as Army Surgeon. (Santa Barbara High School 1937) After graduating, literature on many websites suggest he went on to do three years of college studying acting. (findagrave.com 2019) There is reference that he attended University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). (WW2 Research Inc. 2019) Contradictory information from two sources also lean towards he may have been doing medicine. In his school yearbook it states his future profession as Army Surgeon, also in his Flight School graduation book called The Gig, it states he previously was a Pre-med student which UCLA do. In an email from UCLA they confirmed with me he was enrolled in Pre-Med but dropped out just prior to joining the Army Air Corps. (Santa Barbara High School 1937) (US Army Air Corps 1941)

Prior to enlisting with the US Army Air Corps, he was listed as an inactive member of the Army Reserve Corps as infantry (Alford Collection 2019a). This would likely have been through his involvement with the ROTC. The ROTC operated in numerous Schools and Universities. Jack's unit would likely have been part of the 91st Infantry Division. They do have a Medical battalion so it may be how jack got involved with medicine. Jack enlisted into the United States Army Air Corps serial number 19038587 on the 31st December 1940 at March Field, Riverside, California. On January 2nd, 1941 he was assigned to the US Army Air Corps Primary Flying School, Ryan School of Aeronautics Inc. based in Hemet California. Jack was there up until the 14th of March 1941. Jack was then assigned to the Army Air Corps Basic flying school at Randolph Field Texas on the 18th of March 1941. Jack left Randolph on the 2nd of June and was assigned to USAAC's Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field Texas on the 3rd of June 1941 (Alford Collection 2019a). He graduated as a pilot from the Advanced Flying School in the class of 41-F at Kelly Field on 15 August 1941. (US Army Air Corps 1942) In the above extract from the Graduation book for the class of 41-F pictured alongside is Elton Perry who died alongside Jack Peres on the 19th February 1942.