Lieutenant Colonel Joe M. Jackson

Joe M. Jackson was born on March 1923 in Newnan, Georgia. He graduated from high school and enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He flew to Europe for World War 2. Four days later, after returning from the second crossing, he went to Korea and flew the Thunderjet on 107 missions for combat. He developed a bomb tossing technique after the Korean War. He became one of the first Air Force pilots to fly the “Dragonlady” in 1956. Jackson directed aerial reconnaissance on Cuba. His third war was the Vietnam War. In Vietnam Jackson was trying to land his plane to pick up soldiers, when someone fired a rocket onto the runway. The shell skidded 10 meters from the plane. Jackson drove the plane around the shell, and took off in less than a minute. He became a crew chief in World War 2. He flew in three wars. On January 16, 1969 he was presented the Medal of Honor. His air force career wasn’t over yet. Joe served on the Air War College faculty and in the Pentagon. He retired with nearly three years on active duty. Joe M. Jackson had done many amazing things.