Who Would You Like to Meet? — Episode 4: The Family Coincidences

A Young Life, a Short Timeline

Let me begin with Douglas's timeline.

Date Event

August 13, 1942 Douglas was born in Philadelphia

May 21, 1960 I was born; Douglas was 17

August 13, 1960 Douglas turned 18

May 18, 1961 Entered the U.S. Air Force

December 19, 1962 His supervisor wrote a letter praising his work

Winter 1962–63 Completed a college geography course while stationed in Oregon

October 1963 Family research places him at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa

July 2, 1964 His is recorded military service ended

November 2, 1965 Douglas died at age 23

As you can see, his life was brief.

But within those 23 years, he completed high school, entered the military, pursued college coursework, and earned the respect of an experienced Air Force supervisor.

And possibly traveled halfway around the world.

What interests me most is not simply what Douglas accomplished, but what motivated him.

That brings me to my first coincidence.

Coincidence Number One: Why the Air Force?

I was almost one year old when Douglas entered the United States Air Force on May 18, 1961—just three days before my first birthday.

As I've shared in previous writings, I also wanted to join the Air Force as a young man.

For years, I gave little thought to the reasons I felt drawn to that specific branch of military service. But researching Douglas has made me revisit that question.

Was my interest in the Air Force somehow connected to Uncle Douglas?

Did I grow up hearing stories about his service? Did I see photographs of him in uniform and, without realizing it, develop an admiration for the Air Force?

Or was it simply a coincidence?

Of course, I cannot answer those questions today. But that's the beauty of having an imaginary time machine.

I can travel back to 1960 and ask Douglas directly.

At 17, he had not yet joined the Air Force. He was approaching adulthood, perhaps thinking about what he wanted to do after high school.

I would love to ask him:

Douglas, what are your plans for the future? Have you considered joining the military? And if so, why the Air Force?

Was it the opportunity to travel? Technical training? Independence? The chance to see a world beyond Philadelphia?

Or was there another reason entirely?

Whatever motivated him, his decision would eventually take him far from home.

Coincidence Number Two: A Camera, a Radio, and a Curious Mind

Of all the things my mother passed down to me, two possessions belonging to Douglas have become especially meaningful.

His vintage Polaroid camera and his shortwave radio.

I still have them.

Growing up, I didn't think much about their significance. They were simply things that once belonged to my uncle.

But as I developed my own interests in technology, I began looking at those possessions differently.

Could Douglas have been a technology enthusiast like me?

I've always enjoyed exploring technology, understanding how things work, and discovering what they can do. As a young man, I also dabbled in photography.

Now, decades later, I find myself looking at a camera that belonged to an uncle I barely knew.

I wonder what photographs he took.

Did he photograph family gatherings, friends, or places he visited during his military service?

And then there's the shortwave radio.

Long before the internet connected the world, shortwave radio allowed people to hear broadcasts from distant countries. Imagine sitting in Philadelphia and listening to voices traveling across oceans!

I wonder whether Douglas enjoyed searching for distant stations, identifying their call signs, and discovering new places through radio broadcasts.

I would especially love to ask him about his favorite stations and whether he kept a log of what he heard.

I don't know when he acquired the camera or radio. I've always assumed he got it during his Air Force service, perhaps overseas, but I haven't confirmed that.

Still, I find myself smiling at the possibility that we might have spent hours discussing photography, electronics, and technology.

Imagine what Douglas would think about today's smartphones, digital cameras, computers, and the internet!

I suspect we would have quite a conversation.

Coincidence Number Three: Two Brothers, Two Military Branches, and the Pacific

As I continued researching Douglas, I discovered another fascinating connection involving his older brother, William Joseph “Bill” Jackson Jr.

Uncle Bill was born in 1927, making him approximately 15 years older than Douglas.

Bill enlisted in the United States Navy in September 1944, when he was just 17 years old.

His military records place him in Guam during World War II and associate his later service with the USS Leo and Okinawa.

Years later, Douglas followed his own military path and entered the Air Force in 1961.

An Ancestry timeline places Douglas at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa in October 1963, although I still want to confirm that assignment through his official personnel file.

Think about that for a moment.

Two brothers from Philadelphia.

One served in the Navy, and the other in the Air Force.

Both apparently served in the Pacific, with Okinawa as a link between their service histories.

Their experiences occurred about 17 years apart.

Now that's an interesting family coincidence!

But there's more.

Among our family papers, I found a handwritten letter from Uncle Bill to his younger brother, Douglas.

It begins simply, “Hi Doug.”

Bill asks about school and how Douglas likes it. He also shares something deeply personal: he has been returning to the hospital every two weeks for examinations and has been told he has cancer.

Reading those words, I realized this wasn't just another historical document. It was a conversation between two brothers, preserved across generations.

Here was Bill, dealing with a serious illness, yet still taking the time to ask his younger brother about school and everyday life.

I wonder what their relationship was like. Did Douglas look up to Bill? Did they share stories about their military experiences? And how did Douglas react to learning about his older brother's illness?

The letter gives me another reason to wish I could sit down with both of them.

Did Bill tell his younger brother stories about Guam, Okinawa, and Navy life?

Did Douglas listen with fascination?

Did those stories inspire him to consider military service?

And here's another question I would love to ask:

Douglas, if your older brother served in the Navy, why did you choose the Air Force?

Was he inspired by Bill but determined to follow his own path?

Or did he simply find the Air Force more appealing?

Those are the kinds of conversations I wish I could have heard.

Coincidence Number Four: The Baby of the Family

Here's a connection I find particularly personal.

Douglas was the youngest child in the Jackson family.

And I was the youngest child in my family.

Now, those of us who grew up as the baby of the family know that there's something different about that experience!

By the time we arrive, our older siblings have already established their places in the family. They've had experiences, made decisions, and sometimes created expectations that we inherit without realizing it.

We may receive extra attention, protection, or advice. But we also have to figure out how to establish our own identities.

I wonder what that experience was like for Douglas.

His oldest sister, Elizabeth, was born nearly 19 years before him. His brother Bill was 15 years older, and his sisters Geraldine and Marie were also considerably older.

By 1960, Douglas was approaching adulthood while his older siblings had already experienced many of life's milestones.

Did he feel like the baby of the family?

Did his older sisters spoil him? Did Bill act more like a father figure than a brother? Was Douglas eager to prove that he could make his own decisions?

I can only imagine.

And perhaps that's why his decision to join the Air Force intrigues me so much.

For a youngest child, leaving home can represent more than beginning a career. It can be an opportunity to establish an identity separate from older siblings.

Was that part of Douglas's motivation?

I don't know.

But as someone who also grew up as the youngest, I would certainly enjoy comparing our experiences.

I suspect we'd have some stories to exchange!

Coincidence Number Five: A Young Man Who Wanted to Learn

Here's a discovery I hadn't fully appreciated when I began this journey.

Douglas attended college while serving in the Air Force.

Among the family papers was a Portland State College term grade report from the winter of 1962–63.

The record shows that Douglas completed Geography 327, a course titled Soviet Union, through the college's extension program. He earned three credit hours with a grade of C.

His mailing information placed him at Kingsley Field, Oregon.

Think about the historical setting.

The United States and Soviet Union were engaged in the Cold War. The Cuban Missile Crisis had occurred only months earlier, in October 1962.

And here was my uncle, a young Black airman from Philadelphia, taking a college course about the Soviet Union.

Was he interested in world affairs?

Did his Air Force experiences spark a desire to learn more about international geography and politics?

Was the course related to his military responsibilities, or was he simply pursuing an academic interest?

I don't know.

But the discovery caught my attention.

In 2015, I contacted Portland State University to learn more about Douglas's education. I wondered whether he had completed a degree.

The university's registrar confirmed that Geography 327 was the only course he completed through Portland State and that he apparently took it by correspondence while in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Although it wasn't evidence of a completed degree, it revealed something important.

Douglas had taken a step toward higher education while serving his country.

I find that interesting because I, too, have valued education and continued learning throughout my life.

Was that another similarity between us?

Perhaps.

And now I have another question for my imaginary meeting:

Douglas, why did you choose to study the Soviet Union?

Of all the subjects available to you, what made that one interesting?

I would love to hear his answer.

Beyond Philadelphia: Discovering the Young Airman

My imaginary time machine wouldn't have to remain in 1960.

Having met Douglas as a teenager, I wanted to fast-forward a couple of years to see how military life shaped him.

Fortunately, one remarkable document provides a glimpse of the young man he became.

On December 19, 1962, Master Sergeant Gerald E. Wilson wrote a letter to Douglas's parents.

It wasn't a complaint or disciplinary notice.

Quite the opposite.

It was a personal letter praising their son.

Sergeant Wilson explained that everyone called Douglas “Jack” and described him as hardworking, courteous, dependable, and eager to learn.

He reported that Douglas passed his advancement tests with flying colors and earned the respect of those around him.

The letter also reveals that Douglas worked in an engine shop environment, where he performed office-related duties and developed his skills.

What struck me most was that Sergeant Wilson took the time to write to Douglas's family.

Imagine being a parent and receiving a letter from your son's supervisor describing what a fine young man he had become!

Wilson even commented that Douglas's conduct reflected the upbringing he had received at home.

I wonder how Douglas felt knowing his supervisor held him in such high regard.

Was he proud of what he had accomplished?

Did he envision a career in the Air Force?

Or was he thinking about what he might do after completing his service?

By July 1964, according to his military timeline, Douglas had left the Air Force.

I would love to know what his plans were then.

Would he continue his education? Pursue a technical career? Return to photography or radio as a hobby?

His adult life was just beginning.

The Coincidence I Wish Had Never Happened

As I researched Douglas and Bill, I discovered one final coincidence—one I wish were different.

Both brothers died in 1965.

Bill died on April 16 at age 38.

Douglas died on November 2 at age 23, just over six months later.

Douglas's death certificate records a fatal medical condition involving thyrotoxicosis, an excess of thyroid hormones that can seriously affect the heart.

Among our family papers is the Western Union telegram sent to his mother, Josephine Lofland.

The telegram reported Douglas had died that day at Philadelphia State Hospital and asked her to contact the hospital concerning arrangements.

I cannot imagine what it must have been like for my grandmother to receive that message.

She had already lost Bill earlier that year.

And now she had lost her youngest son.

Those losses occurred during a period when the close-knit Mapp and Jackson families were experiencing other deaths as well.

My mother, Geraldine, lived through those tragedies. Looking back, I wonder how much they shaped her outlook on life.

But I don't want this episode to be about death.

I want it to be about the life Douglas lived, the interests he pursued, and the possibilities that lay ahead of him when he was 18.

That's why I'm traveling back to 1960.

One Conversation Across Time

So here I am, back in Southwest Philadelphia in 1960.

Somewhere in the neighborhood, a young man named Douglas MacArthur Jackson lives.

He is 17, approaching his eighteenth birthday.

His older brother has already served in the Navy. His sisters have begun building their adult lives. And Douglas is preparing to make decisions that will shape his future.

He doesn't know what lay ahead.

Neither do the people around him.

But I do.

And that's the difficult part of imaginary time travel.

I know his life will be far too short.

But I'm not here to tell Douglas about the future.

I've come here to learn about his present.

I want to ask about his interests, ambitions, friends, and what makes him laugh.

I want to know what it was really like to be the baby of the Jackson family.

I want to know why he chose the Air Force.

I want to discover whether our shared curiosity about technology is more than a coincidence.

And I want to ask him something I never would have thought to ask before discovering his college record:

What interests you about the world beyond Philadelphia?

Perhaps I'd tell him that one day his camera and shortwave radio would become treasured possessions of a nephew born in 1960.

Perhaps he'd laugh and wonder why anyone would care about his old equipment.

And perhaps, if time allowed, we'd sit together and listen to a distant radio station, imagining places neither of us had yet visited.

Until We Meet Again

When my imaginary time machine brings me back to the present, I'll still have Douglas's camera and shortwave radio.

I'll still have his photographs, military records, college transcript, and the remarkable letter from Sergeant Wilson.

And I'll still have questions.

But perhaps I'll look at those possessions a little differently.

They are more than reminders of an uncle who died young.

They are connections to a young man who had ambitions, pursued education, developed skills, traveled beyond his hometown, and made a positive impression on those who knew him.

Did Uncle Douglas influence my interest in the Air Force?

Did we share a fascination with technology?

Was he as curious about world events as I have been?

Would we have understood each other as the youngest sons in our respective families?

I may never know for certain.

But I like to think that if we had met as adults, we would have found plenty to talk about.

And who knows?

Maybe the next time I pick up his camera or turn the dial on his shortwave radio, I'll discover another breadcrumb.

Another family coincidence.

And another reason to keep traveling through time.

After all, sometimes the relatives we never had the chance to know leave behind the most interesting questions.

Do you have a relative you never had the opportunity to know, but whose life seems strangely connected to your own? Perhaps they shared your interests, career ambitions, or personality. I'd love to hear your story.

And if you knew Douglas MacArthur Jackson, William “Bill” Jackson Jr., or served alongside Douglas in the U.S. Air Force between 1961 and 1964, I'd especially welcome your memories, photographs, or information.

Until our next journey through time!

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