General Pearson was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps upon graduation from Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering in June 1960. He was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1961.
From November 1961 to July 1964, Jed was assigned to the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, Beaufort, South Carolina. During his assignment there, Jed’s first operational tour was aboard the USS Independence with VMA-324. During...