Jean-Pierre Legault was born on August 20, 1960, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on March 23, 1982, and graduated from technical school as a Communications Technician on August 11, 1983. He was killed while serving as an E-3 Sentry Communications Technician with the 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron of the United States Air Force at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, when the E-3B Sentry (Call Sign "Yukla 27") that he was aboard crashed shortly after takeoff on September 22, 1995. Jean-Pierre Legault was buried at the Saint Enfant Jesus Cemetery in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, Canada.

His Meritorious Service Medal Citation, awarded by the United States Air Force, reads:

Members of Flight Yukla 27 distinguished themselves in the performance of outstanding service to the United States and Canada while serving as E-3 Airborne Warning and Air Control Systems air crew members assigned to 3rd Wing, 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron and the 381st Air Intelligence Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. They consistantly demonstrated outstanding airmanship while providing long range airborne surveillance, detection, identification, and command and control during deployed operations and in the Alaska region. All were dedicated volunteers selflessly serving, and fully committed to the defense of their nations and the Alaska region. Our memory of these airmen will forever be of professionals who stepped to the front and answered the call to duty and made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of peace and freedom. The distinctive accomplishments of each of these individuals reflect credit upon themselves, the United States Air Force, and Canadian Forces.