Jack Appice was born on New Years Day, January 1, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on February 27, 1951, and completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, in May 1951. His first assignment was as an aircraft mechanic with the 4909th Organizational Maintenance Squadron at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, from May 1951 to October 1953, followed by service as a C-119 Flying Boxcar aircraft mechanic with the 61st Troop Carrier Squadron of the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Ashy AB, Japan, from January 1954 until he was captured by communist Vietnamese forces in South Vietnam during the First Indochina War on June 14, 1954. After spending 78 days in captivity, A2C Appice was released by his captors on August 30, 1954. He returned to the United Statesin September 1954, and then served as an aircraft mechanic with the 3275th Field Maintenance Squadron at Parks AFB, California, from October 1954 until he left active duty on April 13, 1955. Jack Appice died on March 30, 2002, and was buried at Cedar Lawn Memorial Park in Fremont, California.