Colonel Joe M. Jackson - Medal Of Honor

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Lt. Col. Jackson distinguished himself as a pilot of a C-123 aircraft. Lt. Col. Jackson volunteered to attempt the rescue of a three-man USAF Combat Control Team from the Special Forces camp at Kham Duc. Hostile forces had overrun the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip. They were raking the camp with small-arms, mortars, light and heavy automatic-weapons, and recoilless-rifle fire. The camp was engulfed in flames and ammunition dumps were continuously exploding and littering the runway with debris. In addition, eight aircraft had been destroyed by the intense enemy fire and one aircraft remained on the runway reducing its usable length to only 2,200 feet. To further complicate the landing, the weather was deteriorating rapidly, thereby permitting only one air strike prior to his landing. Although fully aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, Lt. Col. Jackson elected to land his aircraft and attempt to rescue. Displaying superb airmanship and extraordinary heroism, he landed his aircraft near the point where the combat control team was reported to be hiding. While on the ground, his aircraft was the target of intense hostile fire. A rocket landed in front of the nose of the aircraft but failed to explode. Once the combat control team was aboard, Lt. Col. Jackson succeeded in getting airborne despite the hostile fire directed across the runway in front of his aircraft. Lt. Col. Jackson's profound concern for his fellow men, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

Colonel Joe M. Jackson: A Hero of Three Wars

Colonel Joe M. Jackson is celebrated for his extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War, earning him the Medal of Honor. Born on March 14, 1923, in Newnan, Georgia, Jackson's military career spanned over three decades and three major conflicts: World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Military Career
Jackson enlisted in the Army Air Corps in March 1941 and began his aviation career as a crew chief on a B-25 bomber during World War II. His early experiences with aircraft mechanics and piloting led him to become a commissioned officer and instructor pilot. During the Korean War, he flew 107 combat missions in the F-84 Thunderjet, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters.

In 1956, he became one of the first U-2 spy plane pilots, conducting reconnaissance missions during the Cold War. His expertise in aviation continued to grow as he developed new methods for navigation and aerial operations.

Vietnam War Heroics
In 1968, as a lieutenant colonel with the 311th Air Commando Squadron, Jackson volunteered for service in Vietnam. On May 12 of that year, during the Battle of Kham Duc, he executed a daring rescue mission that would earn him the nation's highest military honor. With enemy forces overrunning the Kham Duc Special Forces camp, Jackson piloted his C-123 Provider through intense enemy fire to rescue a three-man Air Force Combat Control Team left behind during an evacuation. Despite hostile conditions—including small arms fire and exploding ammunition dumps—Jackson landed his aircraft on a debris-strewn airstrip and successfully extracted the team. Remarkably, his plane sustained no damage during this perilous mission.

Legacy
President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded Jackson the Medal of Honor on January 16, 1969. His citation praised his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." Jackson retired from the Air Force in 1974 as a colonel after serving as Chief of Strategic Forces Studies at the Air War College.