In Memoriam
| PAUL VERNON JACKSON, III
Skip
Jackson was Raven Two One and stationed at Long Tieng. On December 24, 1972, Christmas
Eve, Skip Jackson found substantial stacks of NVA supplies under trees on the
PDJ and requested tactical air to destroy those supplies. Four Air Force A-7 aircraft
(SLAM Flight) responded. Capt. Chuck Riess was a member of that flight flying
SLAM Zero Four. The site under attack possessed both 12.7 and 14.5 weapons and
the enemy had no reluctance to use them. After briefing the fighters and marking
the target the Raven sequentially cleared each of the fighters 'in hot', to release
bombs on the supplies below. A-7's were a particular delight to FACs because they
could put bombs on target with extraordinarily destructive accuracy. During SLAM
Zero Four's pass the FAC abruptly pulled into an almost vertical climb and right
into the A-7's flight path. Don't know why. The A-7 maneuvered violently to avoid
collision with the FAC. The O-1's left wing strut was clipped, the left wing parted.
The A-7 became uncontrollable. Riess punched out. Another FAC, "Raven 20",
piloted by Chuck Hines, arrived on-scene from Twenty Alternate a few minutes later.
Both aircraft were visible on the ground, the A-7 still burning and Riess already
in enemy hands. Riess had landed almost at the front door of an underground NVA
Regimental Artillery command post. After what must have been a spectacular descent
with only one wing attached to the airplane, the O-1 came to rest on the ground
sitting upright on its main and tail gear. Hines reported that Skip Jackson was
dead, based on what he had personally observed from a very low altitude visual
check of the crash scene. Returning the evening of 24 Dec 72, he debriefed, reported
the facts and strongly recommended an immediate KIA status report for Jackson.
The MIA to KIA status change evident in the record reflects administrative processing
errors at the clerical level -- and in no way reflects any lingering doubt that
Skip was deceased upon impact with the ground. www.pownetwork.org/bios/r/r099.htm In
September 2011, Carl Janssen was in contact with Skip's sister, Paulette. She
would be happy to hear from our classmates in writing, and she hopes to attend
a reunion and/or visit the Academy Cemetery in the future. Her mailing address
is: Click
here to see the entry
on the Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial. |
Capt.
Paul V. Jackson, III, Class of 1968, was killed in action on 24 December 1972
while on an operational mission over Laos. He was survived by his mother, Mrs.
Opal R. Jackson. Capt. Jackson was named to the Superintendent's Merit List while
a cadet. He was a member of the Ski Club. In 1966 he fought in the Cadet Wing
Open Boxing Tournament and was crowned the Heavyweight Champion. Following a year
at the George Washington University School of Medicine, Capt. Jackson attended
UPT at Moody AFB. In 1971 he was assigned to the 20 TASS, Danang AB, SVN. Later,
he assumed duties with the 56th Special Operations Wing, Udorn AB, Thailand.