Royal Alton Jacobs was born on January 22, 1923. He attended Rudd high school from which he was graduated with the class of 1941. He enlisted in the paratroop infantry on November 30, 1942, at Mason City, received his training at Camp Taccoa at Ft. Benning, Georgia, Camp Mackall, North Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee, returning to Camp Mackall from which place he was sent to England January 16, 1944. Later, he was sent to The Netherlands. Royal was Killed in Action September 24, 1944 at the age of 21, defending the village of Eerde, The Netherlands against German forces. He is now buried in the Rudd Evergreen Cemetery, Rudd, Floyd County, Iowa, USA. Also, he saw active service at Carantan, Normandy, on D-Day and received the presidential citation.