His record during World War II includes being one of the Doolittle Raiders whose exploits in April 1942 were dramatized in the film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

He also served as the Department of Defense Manager for Manned Space Flight Support Operations during his final active duty assignment, retiring from the Air Force in 1973.

His father Dade Jones, the son of Welsh immigrants, homesteaded land in Meadow Lake Township, North Dakota in 1896 before marrying Grace and moving to Oregon.

In early 1942, Jones volunteered for the Doolittle Project – a secret bombing raid to be launched on Japan in retaliation for the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

On April 18, 1942, the Doolittle Raid launched from the United States Navy's aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8), dropping their bombs on Tokyo and four other Japanese cities.

[3] Lacking the fuel to make a safe landing after the raid, Jones bailed out over China, where he was assisted by the Chinese people in evading capture.

After escaping capture, Jones was flown to India, where he spent three months with the 22nd Bomb Squadron flying further B-25 missions against the Japanese.

On December 4, 1942, he was shot down over Bizerte, North Africa, and spent two and a half years as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III.

[4] Jones led one of the digging teams on tunnel "Harry" used in the Great Escape, chronicled in the Paul Brickhill's autobiographical book, and portrayed in the 1963 film.

During this time, Jones continued to maintain his flight status in the B-58, TF-102, and T-33 aircraft; participating in design speed dashes, low-level penetrations, night, weather, formation and inflight refueling missions.

[6] Then, in May 1967, he assumed duties as commander of the Air Force Eastern Test Range, Patrick AFB and Cape Kennedy AFS, Florida.