James 'Jabby' Jabara was born in Oklahoma but spent his youth and High School years in Wichita, Kansas where there is today an airfield named in his honor.

He served two tours of duty as a P-51 pilot in Europe during World War Two where on one occasion he survived a mid-air collision with another P-51. After the war he transitioned to jet aircraft while stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Jabara was the first jet vs. jet 'ace' in history in the F-86 'Sabre' and by the end of the Korean war he had a total of 15 kills making him in fact a triple 'ace'.

Following the Korean war, now Col. Jabara served at several bases in Florida including Eglin AFB where he flew F-104s and Homestead AFB near Miami.

It was on a road trip in Florida where James Jabara was killed in a car accident in 1966. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery along with his daughter who was driving the car at the time of the accident.