Jacob F. Giel was born on May 5, 1922, in Chicago, Illinois, son of Frank Giel and Margaret Dinjer Giel. He served in the 362nd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group as a Second Lieutenant during World War II. 2LT Giel was Killed in Action on April 3, 1945, when a drop tank from another aircraft in the formation took off part of his right-wing, causing him to crash into the North Sea aboard the P-51D #44-14682 "Winnie Gal." He is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.