Jack Thayer

Jack Thayer was a first-class passenger on the RMS Titanic who survived the ship's sinking after it struck an iceberg.

Tragedy Survivor

December 24, 1894

September 20, 1945

50

John Borland “Jack” Thayer III (December 24, 1894 – September 20, 1945) was a 17-year-old first-class passenger on the RMS Titanic who managed to survive the ship’s tragic sinking on April 15, 1912, after it collided with an iceberg. He was among the few passengers who lived after jumping into the freezing ocean. Thayer’s most renowned work is his firsthand account of the catastrophe, titled “The Sinking of the S.S. Titanic.” He also authored “The War to End War” and “100 Fathoms Below.” Although initially rejected by the American Field Service during World War I due to his young age, Thayer later served as an ambulance driver for the French army on the Western Front. Sadly, he took his own life on September 20, 1945, after losing one of his sons in World War II.