Jerry Glen Jackson - Sheridan, AR
Posted by: 
The Snowdog
N 34° 22.808 W 092° 26.392
15S E 551495 N 3804448
This memorial to Boy Scout Jerry Glen Jackson is in Veterans Memorial Park - north of Sheridan, Arkansas.
Waymark Code: WM18TJX
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 09/24/2023
Views: 1
Veterans Memorial Park is on the east side of Grant, about five miles north of Sheridan. This park has an interesting history. During World War II, a B-17 Flying Fortress developed mechanical issues and crashed here, killing all on board. In 1944, a year after the incident, a stone marker was erected at the crash site dedicated to the memory of the nine airmen who lost their lives. The marker and even the incident were all but forgotten until 1984 when Boy Scout Jerry Jackson and his father discovered the marker in the woods. Jackson adopted the restoration of the area as his Eagle Scout project and worked with the Grant County Museum to create a more prominent memorial to the airmen. Jackson was killed in a car accident at the age of sixteen in 1986, just one month after earning Eagle Scout status for his work here, but his project was continued by the American Legion post of Grant County. Their efforts resulted in the opening of the Grant County Veterans Memorial Park on October 12, 2015. Monuments here honor the lost B-17 crew and veterans of numerous conflicts. The monument to Jackson is just behind the original stone marker set for the B-17 crew.
The monument bears an image of Jackson, attired in his Boy Scout uniform, and the following text:
JERRY GLEN JACKSON
AUG. 13, 1969 - JULY 28, 1986
Jerry's Eagle Scout goal was to help those families to know that their loved ones have not been forgotten and this natural park is still being maintained in their honor.
Jerry earned Eagle Scout status in June 1986 for his work at this park.
Jerry lost his life the following month in a car collission but his Eagle Scout spirit lives through those who carry on his tradition of honoring the memory of our fallen veterans through our actions.
Fleur-de-lis?: No
Who placed the Monument or Memorial?: Boy Scouts / Veterans Memorial Park Association
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