Remembering Robert and Neal

The Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad is a treasure of Los Gatos, California. Its story and history are well documented in places like its official website, on Wikipedia, and in books like Railroads of Los Gatos. When I read the tragic detail that Billy Jones lost both of his sons in World War II, I wanted to know more about them. This desire led to my research and the creation of this website as a passion project.  The purpose of this website is to preserve, honor, and tell the stories of Robert and Neal Jones.

It's hard to imagine the profound joy and sudden sorrow the Jones family experienced in such a short span.  Consider the following timeline:

• October 16, 1943:  The Golden Spike ceremony for the Wildcat Railroad took place.

• October 22, 1943:  Just six days later, Aviation Cadet Neal’s first solo flight was reported in the newspaper.

• November 4, 1943:  Less than two weeks after that, Second Lieutenant Robert died when his plane crashed in Alaska.

Drawing from a wide variety of historical records, I've gathered information for this website by collecting newspaper articles, reviewing Los Gatos High School yearbooks, requesting records from the National Archives and the Air Force Historical Research Agency, reaching out to historical organizations and libraries, and hiring a researcher to obtain Robert and Neal's flight records.

I am particularly drawn to Robert and Neal's story because I am an Army veteran who served in Iraq, and because their story closely resembles my great-uncle's.  He, too, was an Army Air Forces pilot who was Killed In Action in the Pacific in June 1944 when his aircraft crashed.  I also created a memorial website for him; his story can be read at Remembering 2LT Barry C. Conway.  One remarkable coincidence is that Robert Jones took flight training at Luke Field, Arizona (in Classes 42-F and 42-G) and my great-uncle Barry Conway arrived at Luke Field just a few weeks later in Class 42-J.

One question has weighed on me: would the Wildcat Railroad have existed over the decades as we know it had Robert and Neal not been lost in the war?  I can't say for sure, of course, but Billy's 1968 obituary stated the "Wildcat Railway was a memorial to his two sons who grew up at the Daves Ave. home and were both killed during World War II service with the United States Army Air Forces."  It's possible that the generations of children who have delighted in riding the railroad owe that joy, in part, to Robert and Neal's ultimate sacrifice.

Please visit the following pages on this website:

• Robert - A page dedicated to Robert's life and military service

• Neal - A page dedicated to Neal's life and military service

• The Family - This page started as a way to share articles about both brothers, and expanded to share more about their parents, William and Geraldine, and their sisters Betty Ann and Geraldine. 

Thank you for taking the time to remember Robert and Neal.  And thank you to the countless volunteers over the years who have kept the wheels of the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad turning.

If you have information or photos to contribute, or feedback to share, please email me at:

Revisions & Additions

Memorial Day, May 25, 2026 - first published