JACKSON, CARL EDWIN

Name: Carl Edwin Jackson
Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force
Unit: 1st Flight Detachment, MACV-SOG 1131st Special Activities Squadron,
      12th Det
Date of Birth: 28 January 1930
Home City of Record: Natchitoches LA
Date of Loss: 27 June 1965
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 4

Loss Coordinates noted by the USG at time of loss: 101307N 1064405E (XT990095)
Loss Coordinates suspected by JTF-FA in 1998: 48P YT 02830 04566, near the
village of Xom Long Dinh

Acft/Vehicle/Ground: C123 [vehicle number not listed in USG downed aircraft
file]

Missions: Accumulated 4200 hours of flying time throughout his career in the
          Air Force, prior to his shootdown.

Other Personnel In Incident: Billie L. Roth, only other missing American --
14 more were "Chinese Nationalists."

Refno: 0104

Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S.
Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published
sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK with material provided by
Alan Jackson, Carl Jackson's son, in 1998. Updated 2020.

REMARKS: MID-AIR EXPLODE NE SAIGON-J [family conversations with former CIA
personnel contradict this USG statement]

SYNOPSIS: The Fairchild C123 "Provider" was a night attack system/transport
aircraft based on an all-metal glider designed by Chase Aircraft. The
airplane's C123B prototype first flew on September 1, 1954. The C123B, in
the hands of a group of airmen who called themselves "The Mule Train" became
the first transport to see Vietnam service. The C123B transports were soon
joined by UC123Bs of the now-controversial Project Ranch Hand which sprayed
pesticides and herbicides over Vietnam, including Agent Orange.

The Provider, particularly in camouflage paint with mottled topside and
light bottomside, resembled an arched-back whale suspended from the bottom
midpoint of huge dorsal wings. Like other transports, the Provider proved
its versatility during the Vietnam war. The C123 also dispensed flares to
illuminate targets for fighters or tactical bombers, and were dubbed
"Candlestick" when they served in this capacity.

The MACV-SOG personnel in this incident were commanded directly out of the
Pentagon by JCS. One was not just assigned to this detachment, but rather
interviewed for it at the Pentagon, so the work was extraordinary even
applying Air Commando standards.

The aircraft had no standard markings on it, but were painted with a unique
camo pattern of low-reflectivity black, green and brown paint. The aircraft
was rigged with pylons on it. Runways were often replaced by landing on very
wide roads. The 1131st flew only at night. They operated in a shroud of
secrecy, no reports, no tail numbers due to MACV-SOG. All aircraf were
sanitized as well as the nationality and individuality of those on board.
The idea was "just make it happen."

Capt. Carl E. Jackson enlisted in the Air Force in 1957 for two years. He
re-enlisted in the Air Force Reserve, active duty in 1960. He was one of
the elite chosen to work with MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
Studies and Observation Group). MACV-SOG was a joint service high command
unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations
throughout Southeast Asia.

Capt. Jackson flew the C123 Provider in Vietnam. SSgt. Billie L. "Sam" Roth
was on stand-by as a C123 cargo master, the night he was assigned to fly
with Jackson. Jackson, Roth, and 14 "Chinese Nationalists" were on board the
night the flight was reported downed. The co-pilot as well was Chinese. DoD
de-classified this information in the mid '90s.

The family of Captain Jackson was told that on Sunday evening, word had it
that Nha Trang was about to be under rocket and mortor attack. Jackson and
his commanding officer headed for the jeep. Jackson dropped off his C/O at
one aircraft and drove to his own. Apparently, the destination was Ton Son
Nhut air base.

June 27, 1965, while on final approach, Jackson's C123 started receiving
ground-fire and subsequently crashed. Rescue crews arrived at the scene and
found that there were no survivors. The FBI was brought in to fingerprint
all on board however, and none of the bodies could be identified as Capt.
Carl E. Jackson, USAF.

Throughout the years, the U.S. government has still not positively located
his crash site. There have been at least two sites that correlated with his
flight. Further investigation of both sites proved negative results. It has
been rumored that his aircraft was flying somewhere near North Vietnam and
that his C123 did take ground fire and crash. No one knew for sure whether
or not anyone survived. The aircraft supposedly crashed north of "Thud
Ridge."

Over the years, the Jackson family and the Roth family have personally
met to discuss the events. They have shared personal information with each
other as well.

On May 16th 1968, Chanute Air Force Base located in Illinois, dedicated
a building to Capt. Carl E. Jackson, the first casualty from Chanute in
Vietnam. The building was called, "Jackson Hall."

A loving tribute to Carl Jackson can be found on the Internet at
http://www.shreve.net/~skydive.  Many family photos are posted.

-------------------------------------------

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/html/032B62DB-3C73-4ED7-838F-F465B971583F.shtml

Man remembers father killed in Vietnam
Kym Klass / The Times
Posted on September 21, 2003

Dear Alan, Do you like your robe? Are you being a sweet man for Mom? You
know, you have to be the man-of-the-house while Dad is away, so be big and
help Mom......


-----------------------------------------

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=617597528263789  ( short video )

a note from Daughter:
Sherrie Norden said:

he was an honorable man. mom never gave up hope. (we lost her in 1989)
Was listed in the phone book as "Capt. Carl E. Jackson" in case he returned home.
--------------------------------------------------

"It was one lonely year at Christmas time
When all the bells would chime.
He was flying a plane up in the sky
Because he wasn't afraid to fight or die.
There were traces of blood but no bodies found
This was after the plane hit the ground.
They knew this was the plane my Dad was on
But nothing could be done for he was already gone.
They sent a letter and we all started to cry
But we were proud of the man who wasn't afraid to fight or die."

Author: Sherrie Jackson (Norden)
mid 1960's

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Words in the picture are familiar to the family.. and I thank them for sharing as they should be
read by the youth of our nation.
To help him feel his father died for a reason, Alan Jackson reads from a letter his father wrote to
his mother. It "helps me deal with his name up there." In part, it says:

I work every Sunday and can't attend church. Our work is helping to guarantee freedom to exist and
worship as man desires, so we all will occasionally make a few concessions or sacrifices. And it
sometimes makes you feel that your sacrifice is worthwhile when a store owner or restaurant owner
tells you that he would have no business if it weren't for the U.S. military keeping the VC in the hills.
It is a hard task and it sometimes looks futile, but it must be done. Communism can't be allowed to
envelop the globe. And so much hinges upon our success or failure in S.E. Asia.

He would sign letters to his wife:

Love, me ...
Your husband ...
All my love, me.

"I like to touch people's hearts ... not their heads, but their hearts,"
Alan Jackson said.

"I wish I could just have one day. I'll see him one day."

Alan Jackson doesn't remember what his father's voice sounded like. But he keeps hold of the words.

Be sweet and don't make mom fuss at you - O.K.?

Love, Dad

 

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt00000001UCOEA2

CAPT CARL EDWIN JACKSON

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On June 27, 1965, a C-123 Provider (tail number unknown) carrying two U.S. crew members and an unknown number of non-U.S. evacuee passengers took off from Nha Trang Air Base, Khanh Hoa Province, on an emergency evacuation mission to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon. While on its final approach to Tan Son Nhut airfield, the aircraft exploded for unknown reasons, and crashed south of Bien Hoa. No one on board survived the crash. Rescue teams arrived on site shortly after the incident and ultimately recovered twelve sets of remains; however, attempts to identify the remains were not successful.

Captain Carl Edwin Jackson entered the U.S. Air Force from Louisiana and was a member of Detachment 12, 1131st Special Activities Squadron. He was the pilot of this C-123 when it crashed on June 27, 1965, and he was lost with the aircraft. His body was not recovered, and he remains unaccounted-for. Today, Captain Jackson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.

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