UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jim Ingram’s email signature features a quote from his late father, Jack Ingram: “Five duties line each mortal path that leads to life’s far border — to live, to learn, to serve, to earn, to set one’s house in order.”
It’s a belief Jim takes to heart, and one he said helped inspire him to write “Unlimited Duty,” a book that tells the story of his father’s life and service as a U.S. Navy veteran.
Jim, an alumnus of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and president and chief operating officer of Bartlett Tree Experts, a family-owned company providing scientific tree and shrub care since 1907, recently gave several copies of the book to the Office of Veterans Programs at Penn State in observance of Military Appreciation Week. The books are available to borrow from the Student Veterans Center library.
“My father was a man of incredible integrity who never wavered in his commitment to family, community and the nation, and it’s an honor to share his story with others, including student service members at Penn State,” Jim said. “My father’s generosity of spirit and the true interest he showed in others are traits that endeared him to many people, both within the family and beyond, and he continues to serve as an example for us on how to live fully and honorably.”
The biography traces Jack’s early life in Oregon, where he enlisted at the age of 17. It details his groundbreaking work in aerography — military meteorology — during World War II, highlighting his contributions in the remote and treacherous Aleutian Islands.
Rising from an enlisted sailor to a temporary line officer, Jack played a critical role in forecasting weather conditions that directly influenced aviation and naval operations in one of the most challenging war theaters. Following his wartime service, Jack continued to break new ground as a pioneering hurricane hunter. He later worked in top-secret intelligence roles, including assignments connected to the National Security Agency.