1st Lt. Jackson Eldo "Jack" McKenzie (O-696575) was the pilot. He was born on 23 May 1922 in Preque Isle, WI, the oldest son of logging company engineer Milton E. McKenzie (1901-1964) and Stella Adelia (Fremstad) McKenzie (1900-1995). He grew up in Presque Isle and graduated from high school in 1939. After high school, he was the leader of his own orchestra. On 3 November 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, flying 43 bombing missions during the war.

McKenzie's parents and fiancée "were not sure whether or not [he] was dead or alive as he had been reported as MIA when their plane was shot down" on 22 February 1945. After learning of her son being shot down over Germany, Stella McKenzie wrote the following poem:

She knelt by the side of a river,

A river that flows "over there"

And I stopped on my journey to

Listen, as I heard her utter a

Prayer.

A prayer that to me seemed like Calvary,

As Christ hung in agony there;

A prayer that will ring thru the ages,

Of mothers who love and who care.

Love for their boys who have given

Their lives that the world might be free;

Prayers sent from earth up to Heaven,

Like the mother whom I chanced to see.

Yes, I've buried my heart by the

River,

This river that flows by my dead

Once, 'twas a stream clear as

Crystal,

Now, 'tis a river of red.

Red, from the blood of my son, Sir,

And others who fought by his side;

And I pray it will not be in vain, Sir,

The cause for which they have died.

There was no word on his fate until a front page article on 4 May 1945 in the Ironwood (MI) Daily Globe reported he and others had been liberated.

Milton McKenzie telegraphed his future daughter-in-law, a WAVE stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station, that Jack had been freed.

He was honorably discharged on 4 November 1945. He married Jean Joyce Gunderman (1923-2015) on 3 January 1946 Waukegan, IL. She had recently been discharged from the U.S. Navy after serving two years as a Yeoman 2nd Class. They had two children.

McKensie returned to Marenisco, to spend his entire career as sales manager for Kimberly-Clark Lakes States Lumber Division.

After becoming quite ill in 1996, Jack and Jean moved to Redding, CA to be near their son. Jack McKenzie died on 8 October 1997 in Redding, CA at age 75 years old. He was buried in the Marenisco Township Cemetery in Marenisco, MI.

Crash of B-26 Maurader 42-107792 MACR 12227