# Nelson P. Jackson

Nelson Parkyn Jackson (December 26, 1910 – November 13, 1960) was a highly decorated U.S. Air Force colonel who commanded the 327th Fighter Group and the 64th Fighter Wing during World War II. He was also the chief of staff of I Fighter Command, where he played a key role in training pilots for combat and developing close air support tactics. After the war, he was involved in the formation of Strategic Air Command (SAC) as deputy chief of staff of the 15th Air Force and was actively involved in the US atomic energy program, participating in Operation Crossroads nuclear tests and commanding Operation Fitzwilliam.
Jackson later served as a NATO liaison officer within the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He went on to become the D.C. manager for GE's Atomic Energy Division and an attorney involved in the aerospace and nuclear industries. He was a founder and president of the National Space Club, which later established the Nelson P. Jackson Aerospace Memorial Award in his honor.

## Early life

Nelson P. Jackson was born in Burlington, Vermont, in 1910. He was the son of Mabel Maude Parkyn and S. Hollister Jackson, who served as the 56th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont until his death in the Great Vermont Flood of 1927. His family played a prominent role in Vermont politics and business. His uncle, John Holmes Jackson, served as the 24th and 26th Mayor of Burlington, Vermont, and remains the city's longest-serving mayor. Another uncle, Horatio Nelson Jackson, gained national recognition as the first person to drive an automobile across the United States. He was also a founder of the American Legion and the owner of the Burlington Daily News, where Nelson later worked as a part-time reporter.
In 1925, Jackson was admitted to the Culver Military Academy, a preparatory school in Indiana. During his summer breaks, he took flying lessons at Chanute Field in Rantoul, Illinois. In 1929, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point from Senator Porter H. Dale. That same year, his childhood friend from Burlington, Alfred D. Starbird, was also admitted. Graduating in the class of 1933, Jackson received his commission as a second lieutenant and joined the Air Corps.

## Early military career

In the fall of 1933 Jackson began his primary flight training at Randolph Field near San Antonio, Texas. He then completed his advanced pursuit flight training at Kelly Field earning his pilot wings and a rating of Command Pilot in 1934.
In December 1934, Jackson was transferred as a first lieutenant to Albrook Field in Balboa, Panama. He was assigned to the 74th Pursuit Squadron, under the command of Orrin Leigh Grover. In 1935 the squadron won the "Department Commander's Trophy", an annual award given to the best Air Corps squadron in the department. Several of his class of 1933 USMA classmates, including Dwight Divine (24th Pursuit), Laurence B. Kelley (25th Bomb), Robin B. Epler (7th Observation), and Thomas B. Hall (80th Service), were also stationed with him at Albrook Field.$^{:135}$
Following a two-year assignment in Panama, he returned to Kelly Field in San Antonio in 1937 as a flying instructor in the pursuit section. During his three years there he also earned a law degree from the Weber Law School. As a flying instructor he was granted a 10-day leave each year, during which he was allowed to fly his Seversky P-35 training plane with a fellow air mechanic across the country to test new runways and advancements in air radio technology. These flights took him from San Antonio to Denver, Salt Lake, Reno, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Burlington, New York, and D.C.
In 1940, he was promoted to the rank of captain and reassigned back to Albrook Field, Panama, serving as both a flying instructor and a fighter squadron commander, responsible for defending the Panama Canal Zone and conducting antisubmarine air patrols.

## World War II

At the start of U.S. involvement in World War II, Jackson was assigned to organize and train new fighter units. In August 1942, he was transferred to I Fighter Command, First Air Force, at Mitchel Field, New York, where he took command of the newly formed 327th Fighter Group. The unit was then placed under the Philadelphia Air Defense Wing and temporarily stationed at Philadelphia Municipal Airport before being permanently relocated to Richmond Army Air Base in Virginia. The 327th Fighter Group would serve as the parent operational training unit for the Philadelphia Air Defense Wing, which was designated as the training wing for the First Air Force. It comprised the 323d, 324th, 325th, and 443d Fighter Squadrons.
General Glenn O. Barcus, who had also been transferred from the Panama Canal Zone air defenses, was appointed commander of the newly formed Philadelphia Air Defense Wing. He would oversee the training conducted by the 327th Fighter Group and form newly trained fighter groups for combat deployment. Jackson and Gen. Barcus's collaboration would continue throughout World War II.
In February 1943, Jackson was promoted to the rank of major and advanced to colonel in July of the same year, becoming the fourth youngest officer to attain this rank at the time.
The 327th initially trained with P-40 Warhawks, then transitioned to the new Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (nicknamed the “Jug”) in early 1943. The P-47 offered greater speed, improved bomb load capacity, and enhanced survivability against enemy defenses. By October 1943, the first fully trained P-47 fighter group composed of the initial wave of pilots trained by the 327th was ready for combat. Designated by Gen. Barcus as the 358th Fighter Group, it was assigned to the Eighth Air Force and deployed to England. The group would quickly earn a reputation for executing devastating attacks on German aircraft and ground forces in France. Gen. Barcus regarded them as the best-organized and best-trained fighter group sent into combat.$^{:9}$

## WWII: 64th Fighter Wing

In early 1944, Jackson was promoted to chief of staff of I Fighter Command at Mitchel Field, New York, where Gen. Barcus had assumed command a few months earlier. The reassignment was prompted by the decision to introduce the P-47 Thunderbolt into existing fighter groups in the Mediterranean theater. Jackson and Barcus were tasked with training pilots on the new aircraft and developing combat maneuvers suited to its capabilities while operating in an active combat zone. After several months of tactical planning and overseeing the transition of fighter groups to P-47s, Jackson and Barcus deployed overseas in April 1944, arriving in Naples, Italy. There, they joined the 64th Fighter Wing, with Barcus assuming command while Jackson remained on detached service as chief of staff of I Fighter Command until transitioning to chief of staff of the 64th in August 1944..
The 64th Fighter Wing, operating under XII Tactical Air Command of the Twelfth Air Force, had been active since early 1943, participating in the North African and Sicilian campaigns and was presently deeply engaged in the Italian invasions. Equipped with advanced radar technology, including VHF communication and various SCR (Set Complete Radio) radar systems, the wing had played an early role in developing close air support tactics, but with radar still in its early stages, integrating it into battlefield operations had presented significant challenges.$^{:12-13}$$^{:1}$

## WWII: Operation Strangle

The wing’s first major deployment of P-47s under its new leadership took place during Operation Strangle, a campaign aimed at cutting German supply lines beyond the Gustav Line, where Axis forces had stalled the Allied advance toward Rome for months. The 357th Fighter Group, made up of pilots previously trained by Jackson and recently transitioned to P-47 Thunderbolts, was designated as a special task force for the operation and stationed at Alto Airbase on Corsica. Jackson was sent to Corsica to oversee target selection and lead missions with the 357th. Over the course of the campaign, he devised aerial strike tactics and coordinated deep-penetration attacks into northern Italy. The groups P-47 squadrons systematically targeted enemy infrastructure, including railways, supply depots, truck convoys, bridges, and even horse-drawn supply carts. The resulting destruction inflicted by the wing's fighters and their P-47's exceeded the most enthusiastic estimates and became the subject of numerous technical studies to be taught to other fighter groups in the war.$^{:5}$
Jackson flew 29 combat sorties during the campaign. On one mission, his aircraft was heavily damaged by German anti-aircraft fire, nicknamed "Jerry ack-ack" by US pilots. While strafing a German supply train emerging from a tunnel in the Alps, he pulled up to assess the remaining cars on the other side, only to be met with a Nazi railway flak unit positioned at the rear of the train. His P-47 was riddled with shrapnel, and he sustained injuries in the attack. Due to the P-47's rugged design, which allowed it to endure significant damage, he managed to keep the aircraft airborne and reach an emergency landing base within Allied-controlled territory. For his injuries sustained in combat, Jackson was awarded the Purple Heart.

### Thunderbolt! movie

While the group was stationed on Corsica, director William Wyler produced a 45-minute Technicolor documentary titled Thunderbolt!. The film features an introduction by Jimmy Stewart and narration by Lloyd Bridges. It was released for military audiences in 1945 and later for general distribution in 1947. Jackson appears in the documentary, leading a mission briefing at the nine-minute mark.

## WWII: Invasion of Southern France

On August 15, 1944, the Allied invasion of Southern France began. Aboard the main headquarters ship, Barcus and Jackson directed air support for the landing forces. To improve coordination with ground troops, they embedded a 64th Fighter Wing unit alongside the advance paratroopers and glider troops landing just inland from St. Tropez and St. Maxime. This unit was equipped with a glider carrying an SCR radio and a jeep that would deploy upon landing. This tactic enabled rapid movement with advancing forces while directing P-47 Thunderbolts in close air support. It also allowed monitoring of Tactical Reconnaissance reports to relay enemy positions to ground commanders.$^{:95-104}$
Jackson and his staff developed coded messages system to communicate detailed operational updates between the Navy and Army task force commanders. This system ensured coordination and allowed for real-time adjustments to air and ground operations as the invasion progressed.$^{:95-104}$

### Rhone Valley

As Allied forces advanced through the Rhône Valley, the wing’s P-47s were deployed to target retreating German units. Applying tactics learned during Operation Strangle and the German withdrawal toward Rome, the wing's controllers under the leadership of Barcus and Jackson, coordinated airstrikes that destroyed more than 500 German vehicles. Trucks, troop carriers, guns, and wagons were so densely packed that individual vehicles became indistinguishable in the wreckage.$^{:105,107}$$^{:50}$

## WWII: Horsefly plan

In September 1944, General Barcus and Colonel Jackson met with General Gordon P. Saville, commander of XII Tactical Air Command, and Lt. Gen. Lucian Truscott commander of the VI Corps to go over a plan to give greater air cooperation to the ground forces. This would be known as the Ambertieu meeting.
The plan was designed to fully integrate airborne forward controllers within VI Corps, to improve coordination between ground forces and P-47 fighter-bombers. When reconnaissance identified a target, the information was relayed to a VI Corps ground station, which then requested P-47 support from the 64th Fighter Wing. The 64th would dispatch a L-5 Sentinel aircraft, known as "Horsefly," with a flying officer acting as a forward controller linked to the 64th and an artillery observer maintaining communication with VI Corps ground units. Since the P-47 pilots were not pre-briefed on the target, the "Horsefly" controller would visually locate the target and provide direct guidance to the flight leader. Simultaneously, the artillery observer remained in contact with ground units, who would use colored smoke to mark the targets.
To prevent friendly fire incidents, all front-line troops and vehicles in forward zones were required to display identification panels with a white side and a secondary color, either orange or cerise. The system also establishes a Close Support Line (CSL) and a Bomb Safe Line (BSL), positioned along a clearly recognizable terrain feature, beyond which all fighter bomber missions were restricted.$^{:115}$$^{:51}$

## WWII: Nazi intelligence materials and Foo Fighters

On September 21, 1944, the wing’s control center detected an unidentified aircraft traveling nightly from Stuttgart to the Spanish border and returning before dawn. Col. Jackson ordered an interception, with Maj. Julius Goldstein and Capt. Harold F. Augspurger commander of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron assigned to the task. To avoid enemy detection, they developed a silent strategy that allowed a Beaufighter to approach the target without radio transmission. On September 27, they intercepted the target, a German FW-200 transport aircraft, and shot it down. Col. Jackson and Maj. Goldstein rushed to the crash site where they discovered documents, photographs, and other Nazi intelligence materials.$^{:127}$

### Foo Fighters

In late November 1944, pilots of the 64th's 415th Night Fighter Squadron began reporting mysterious lights following their aircraft over the German-occupied Rhine Valley. A Bristol Beaufighter crew near Strasbourg observed bright orange lights moving alongside them, vanishing and reappearing unpredictably. The 415th's intelligence officer Donald J. Meiers dubbed them "foo fighters," borrowing the term from the Smokey Stover comic strip.
Sightings increased through the winter, with pilots frequently encountering glowing red or orange lights moving in pairs, trailing aircraft, or rising from the ground before leveling off. Descriptions varied, with some reporting metallic spheres and others witnessing luminous orbs performing controlled maneuvers. No definitive explanation emerged, though speculation ranged from enemy advanced technology to atmospheric phenomena.
The last foo fighter sighting occurred just before Allied forces secured territory east of the Rhine, where several German experimental research facilities were located. The story gained public attention when Associated Press reporter Bob Wilson investigated and published an article after it passed military censors.

## WWII: First Tactical Air Force (Provisional)

In late 1944, multiple Army Air Force and French Air Force units merged into the First Tactical Air Force (Provisional) to provide close air support for U.S. forces advancing into Germany. Combining units from the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces, it brought together the most effective air-ground coordination techniques developed throughout the war. It was established following the link-up in Eastern France of the US Army forces that had invaded from Normandy and from Southern France earlier that year. Its command structure was led by XII Tactical Air Command with the 64th Fighter Wing operating fighter-bomber coordination and the 42nd Bomb Wing overseeing bomber operations. The 64th would now command 9,000 airmen and five P-47 groups, reuniting Jackson and Barcus with the 358th Fighter Group, composed of pilots they had trained in 1942-43.
In January 1945, Gen. Barcus was appointed commanding general of the XII Tactical Air Command and Col. Nelson P Jackson was promoted to commander of the 64th Fighter Wing.$^{:163}$$^{:49}$

## WWII: Nazi counteroffensive

On December 16, 1944, the Germans launched the Battle of the Bulge counteroffensive in the Ardennes, while across from the 64th Fighter Wing’s headquarters in Nancy, German Field Marshal Walter Model simultaneously attempted to retake Alsace and Lorraine. The counteroffensive was timed to coincide with severe winter conditions, which the Nazis anticipated would limit Allied air support. The winter of 1944-45 was one of the harshest in years, and initially, the poor visibility worked in the Germans favor, significantly reducing the number of daily sorties, with some days seeing no air missions at all. To counter this, Col. Jackson introduced two new aerial procedures that allowed P-47 fighter-bombers to resume operations despite the poor conditions.$^{:147,150,154}$

### The "Eggbasket" procedure

Previously, fighter-bombers unable to complete missions in poor visibility would jettison their bombs blindly over enemy territory, hoping for a hit. Jackson implemented a new procedure using the SCR-584 radar system, allowing pilots to request an "Eggbasket" strike when they couldn't locate their targets. Forward controllers then directed them to pre-selected targets, such as fortified towns, rail stations, or supply depots, using radar guidance. Operators tracked the aircraft on the SCR-584 scope while controllers guided them through a precise bombing run with instruments like the Norden Bombsight and wind-drift calculator. Controllers provided a countdown, adjusted for wind drift, and confirmed the release point before calling "Bombs away."$^{:49,117}$$^{:157}$

### The "Pop-Eye Letdown" navigational procedure

To assist aircraft in returning to base during poor visibility and overcast conditions, an SCR-527 Ground-Controlled Interception (GCI) station was assigned to guide pilots to the Dieuze Lakes area northeast of Nancy. These flat lake areas, free of obstructions, allowed pilots to descend below the cloud cover and navigate safely back to their airfields. After Col. Jackson personally tested the system, it was successfully used by hundreds of pilots during the unpredictable winter and spring weather of 1944-45.$^{:163}$$^{:49-50}$
With P-47 pilots knowing that they could safely return to base despite the poor weather conditions using the "pop-eye letdown" procedure, fighter-bomber missions increased considerably. While most of the wing's aircraft remained engaged along the Seventh Army front, those that could be spared were diverted to strike the southern flank of the Bulge. The wing's aircraft now launched in rapid succession, guided by Forward Controls to strike enemy gun positions, tanks, strongpoints, trains, and motor transport.$^{:49-50}$

## WWII: Achtung Jabos!

In early March Gen. Alexander Patch, commander of the Seventh U.S. Army, visited Wing Headquarters to brief Col. Jackson on the details of the Seventh Army’s planned offensive into Germany. To meet Gen. Patch’s request for maximum air support, Col. Jackson ordered the wing’s fighter groups to fly every available P-47 as many times as possible each day. On 15 March, as the Seventh Army launched its offensive into Germany, 943 fighter-bomber sorties were flown, 96% in direct support of ground forces, setting a new record. The next day, another record was broken with 974 sorties. P-47 fighter-bombers relentlessly targeted enemy command posts, with 18 destroyed, including one in Morsbronn that killed 21 members of the 47th Volksgrenadier Division’s headquarters staff.$^{:168-174}$$^{:66-67}$

### Achtung Jabos!

The 64th's P-47 fighter-bombers, under the command of Col. Jackson, ensured the enemy could not move, resupply, regroup, or retreat. German roads bore warning signs: Achtung Jabos!—a growing acknowledgment of the terror these aircraft inspired. "Achtung" the German word for warning and "Jabos" the shortened version of "Jagdebombers" or "fighter-bomber". Troops in fortified positions surrendered in droves, emerging from bunkers and cellars in shock as American infantry advanced. To Germans in the ranks, as well as on the highest level of command, P-47 fighter bombers were the most terrifying Allied weapon on the western front. When they were asked what weapon they feared most, German captives in the prison cages invariably answered "Jabo."$^{:60}$ Some soldiers refused orders to return to their posts; others were too shaken to fight. Between 15 and 23 March, the toll on enemy forces was staggering: 40 locomotives, 208 rail cars, 2,542 motor vehicles, 51 tanks, 284 horse-drawn wagons, 1,218 buildings, two bridges, and 46 guns destroyed. Roads were blocked, rail lines severed, command posts demolished, and strongpoints obliterated. The P-47 fighter groups commanded by the 64th Fighter Wing had turned the tide.$^{:168-174}$

### Crossing the Rhine

As the Allied advance accelerated, the wing relocated to Edenkoben, Germany, in April 1945. The Control Centers were established in buildings on the wooded slopes of the Harz Mountains, with Col. Jackson’s headquarters and operations housed in Villa Ludwigshoehe a former summer palace of King Ludwig of Bavaria.$^{:179-180}$
In the final two weeks of the war, P-47s dismantled the last remnants of the German air force. Nazi Me-262 jet aircraft were operating from temporary strips on the Autobahn near Munich and Augsburg. To conceal them, highway sections were painted green and covered with removable shrubbery, while air parks were hidden in the surrounding trees. Wing fighters, escorting medium bombers on strikes against southern German airfields, spotted the camouflaged jets and Col. Jackson ordered the attack. In a single day, 157 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground, with more eliminated in the days that followed.$^{:60}$$^{:183}$
On April 29th Jackson and the wing Headquarters moved to Schwäbisch Hall. This was the location of the Hessental air base, where the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters were manufactured and stationed. He would remain in occupied Germany handling post-war duties such as dismantling enemy aircraft and overseeing the inactivation of combat units until September 1945 when he returned to the United States.

## Post War: Strategic Air Command (SAC)

In February 1946, Jackson was assigned to the Air Defense Command and assumed the role of Deputy Chief of Staff for the Second Air Force, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, under the command of Gen. Charles B. Stone III. On March 30, 1946, the 2nd Air Force was inactivated, and its headquarters staff and resources were repurposed to reactivate the Fifteenth Air Force, which became the first Numbered Air Force within the newly formed Strategic Air Command (SAC), established just ten days earlier. Col. Jackson continued in his role as Deputy Chief of Staff now under the command of General Charles F. Born.

### Strategic Air Command

SAC’s immediate postwar mission was to transition into America’s primary nuclear deterrent force. As part of the Fifteenth Air Force, Col. Jackson's was tasked with overseeing atomic weapons management and conducting strategic reconnaissance missions using B-29 bombers to gather intelligence on the Soviet Union. The 15th's geographic responsibility included the western half of the United States, extending coverage across the American Southwest, the West Coast, and strategic locations in the Pacific.

## Post War: Operation Crossroads atomic weapons test

With the establishment of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the United States placed its strategic atomic weapons delivery capabilities under its control and within the Fifteenth Air Force. In May 1946, the Army Air Forces assigned SAC the task of delivering an atomic bomb for the planned nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946, known as Operation Crossroads. These tests were the first U.S. nuclear detonations since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. At the time, only the 509th Bombardment Group, now under the Fifteenth Air Force, was trained and prepared for an atomic mission, having previously carried out the atomic bombings in Japan.
In April 1946, under the supervision of Fifteenth Air Force headquarters staff, the 509th Bombardment Group deployed to Kwajalein with a number of Boeing B-29 Superfortress aircraft. In addition to delivering the atomic bomb for the test detonation, B-29s were used for tracking and monitoring the explosion, including the first-ever B-29 drone capable of being remotely controlled from takeoff to landing. This was the first atomic test in which the Fifteenth Air Force and Col. Jackson were involved, but they would go on to play key roles in future tests.

## Post War: Fort George Wright and Hanford Site

In August 1946, less than a month after Operation Crossroads, Col. Jackson led a team of 40 officers and 60 enlisted personnel to Fort George Wright in Spokane, Washington. The mission was presented as an evaluation of the fort’s suitability for relocating the Fifteenth Air Force headquarters.. The potential relocation generated widespread attention in Spokane, with local newspapers highlighting the economic and community benefits the move could bring. Jackson and his large advance echelon were tasked with securing housing for the personnel who would be assigned to the new headquarters.
Within a day of arriving, Jackson informed the press that the housing situation looked bleak, with available accommodations lacking both in quantity and quality to support the relocation. He stated that alternative housing options within the local community would be considered to assess whether additional support could make the move feasible. Despite a strong response from the community offering available housing, Jackson concluded that the situation remained insufficient. As a result, plans to transfer the Fifteenth Air Force headquarters to Spokane were abruptly abandoned. The sudden cancellation, coming less than a month after arrival and despite the 15th's significant investment in personnel and logistics, raised questions in the local community about the decision-making process behind the proposed move. Colonel Jackson and his team stayed at Fort George Wright for three more months before returning to Fifteenth Air Force headquarters in December 1946..

### Hanford Engineer Works

Fort George Wright’s most strategic significance was its proximity—just 130 miles from the Hanford Site, the primary facility producing plutonium for the Army’s atomic bombs. With the Fifteenth Air Force overseeing atomic weapons delivery across the western half of the country, Hanford's production was a key asset. Colonel Jackson and his team of 40 officers and 60 enlisted men arrived in Spokane just days after the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 was signed on August 1, transferring control of nuclear materials from the military to the newly established Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). The transition, set to take effect on December 31, 1946, would bring an end to direct military oversight of plutonium production at Hanford.
At the same time, Hanford was undergoing another major transition. DuPont, which had built and operated the site under the Manhattan Project, opted not to continue its contract obligations beyond the initial postwar period and would cease to operate the facility. With DuPont’s departure, General Leslie Groves ultimately negotiated an agreement with General Electric. GE assumed operational control of Hanford on September 1, 1946, with full authority transferring on September 30.
In 1954, after retiring from the Air Force, Colonel Jackson became the General Electric Atomic Energy Division representative in Washington, D.C. The following year, in 1955, he authored a paper for the American Water Works Association Journal titled Atomic Energy and the American Economy, in which he provided detailed insights into the inner workings of the highly classified Hanford Site.

## Post War: Operations Fitzwilliam and Sandstone

In January 1948, Col. Nelson P. Jackson was assigned to oversee Operation Fitzwilliam, a highly classified U.S. Air Force initiative aimed at developing methods for long-range detection (LRD) of nuclear detonations. This operation was conducted in conjunction with Operation Sandstone, the 1948 atomic tests at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Marshall Islands. Operation Fitzwilliam was a last-minute addition to the Sandstone tests, introduced by General William E. Kepner, co-commander of Joint Task Force 7 (JTF-7), the military division responsible for conducting the nuclear tests. In September 1947, President Truman had tasked Kepner with developing an LRD capability in response to growing concerns among military and scientific officials that the U.S. lacked a system for monitoring Soviet nuclear activity. The urgency of this issue led to the rapid integration of Operation Fitzwilliam into Sandstone.$^{:17}$$^{:166-169}$
To facilitate this effort, General Kepner established Air Force Materiel Special Weapons-1 (AFMSW-1) on December 31, 1947, appointing General Albert P. Hegenberger as its military commander and Dr. Ellis Johnson as its technical director.$^{:166-169}$
Col. Jackson, already assigned to JTF-7 and familiar with its operational framework, was selected to serve as Fitzwilliam's Operations Officer reporting directly to General Kepner. Given the tight timeline and complex logistical and technical challenges, his position as Deputy Chief of Staff of the 15th Air Force and his expertise in high-level military coordination made him a key figure to integrate Fitzwilliam with Sandstone. Additionally, he served as the primary liaison between the two operations and the Pentagon. In this role, Jackson collaborated closely with two of his USMA Class of 1933 (“M” Company) classmates—Col. Alfred D. Starbird, Deputy Chief of Staff for JTF-7, and Col. Milton F. Summerfelt, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at the Atomic Energy Office.$^{:11}$

### Coordinating logistics

On February 10, 1948, Col. Jackson departed Washington, D.C., and arrived at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, on February 12. Over the following weeks, he worked extensively to coordinate the personnel, equipment, and resources needed for Operation Fitzwilliam. This involved collaboration with several key military units, including the Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army Pacific, Hawaiian Air Materiel Area, the Pacific Fleet, the 308th Reconnaissance Group (Weather), and the Army Security Agency.$^{:185,202,203,235}$

### Developing secure communications

On March 9, 1948, Jackson help a high-priority meeting with Lieutenant General John E. Hull and Major General William E. Kepner, co-commanders of Joint Task Force 7, where he was assigned to develop a secure messaging system for transmitting nuclear detonation countdowns and test results. To address these security concerns, he implemented a system of dummy-coded messages and time signals to prevent unauthorized access to highly classified information.$^{:185,202,203,235}$

### Plan development & deployment

On March 13, 1948, Jackson and his team boarded the USS Mount McKinley, the flagship of Joint Task Force 7, and departed for Eniwetok Atoll. During the transit, he worked on the final details of the operational plan. Upon arrival at Eniwetok on March 16, he began setting up Fitzwilliam Forward, the operational hub for the mission. Over the next two days, he conducted a command post exercise aboard the USS Mount McKinley, testing detection and response procedures. On March 21, he issued "Operations Plan Serial No. 1-48", the official directive outlining the procedures for Operation Fitzwilliam.$^{:185,202,203,235}$

### Operation execution

Between April 15 and May 15, 1948, three nuclear detonations were carried out as part of the operation. Col. Jackson was responsible for overseeing monitoring teams stationed at the test site and in key locations worldwide, including Japan, Germany, Alaska, Washington, D.C., and the Azores. To collect radiological data and track nuclear debris, he coordinated an extensive network of aircraft, balloons, ground stations, and naval vessels. A total of twelve B-29 Superfortress aircraft were deployed for airborne sampling, tracking, and reconnaissance. These aircraft were strategically positioned across the globe, with some operating near the test site while others monitored atmospheric nuclear particles at distant locations. Among them was a drone B-29, remotely controlled by a "mother ship" to conduct high-risk data collection.$^{:185,202,203,235}$
Additionally, high-altitude balloon monitoring stations were set up throughout the Pacific on islands and naval vessels. These stations operated in collaboration with the scientists from Project Mogul, the same team connected to the Roswell UFO incident months earlier. Each station was tasked with launching eight balloons per nuclear detonation, leading to at least twenty-four balloon launches per station over the course of the three tests.$^{:185,202,203,235}$
On May 13, 1948 Major General Kepner returned to Washington, D.C. and assigned Col. Jackson as the commander of Operation Fitzwilliam. Jackson would oversee the Zebra detonation test and would conduct all the post-test briefings to senior military and government officials.$^{:306}$

## Post War: Joint Chiefs of Staff and NATO

In mid-1949, Col. Nelson P. Jackson was reassigned to Washington, D.C., to take up a position at the Pentagon. His reassignment placed him within the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) structure, where senior officers were increasingly being prepared for strategic and joint-service roles in the early years of the Cold War. In August 1951, Jackson began a one-year officer program at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. This was a standard course for senior officers preparing for advanced military planning roles.
Jackson completed the program and graduated in June 1951, after which he was assigned to the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force.

### Gen. Hoyt S Vanderberg and Col. Jackson

Jackson and Vandenberg had extensive prior experience working together in various capacities.
* In 1933 Vandenberg was a flight instructor and deputy stage commander at Randolph Field, Texas when Col. Jackson took his primary flight training there.
* In 1942, Vandenberg was appointed operations and training officer of the Air Staff, overseeing the development of training programs for new pilots and fighter groups entering into combat. As part of this role, he was involved in the creation of the 327th Fighter Group, which Jackson commanded, as the parent training unit for I Fighter Command.
* During World War II, Vandenberg played a key role in organizing the 12th Air Force and later commanded the Ninth Air Force in Europe. In 1945, both those Air Forces were combined under the First Tactical Air Force (Provisional) and the Col. Jackson commanded 64th Fighter Wing.
* After the war, Vandenberg was appointed Director of the Central Intelligence Group, the predecessor to the CIA, where he played a key role in establishing the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and advancing the U.S. strategic atomic weapons program, both of which Jackson was also actively involved in.

### Joint Chiefs of Staff, NATO liaison officer

In his new role at the Pentagon, Col. Jackson was assigned as a NATO liaison officer for the U.S. Air Force, within the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He would serve as the US Air Force representative at NATO Military Representatives Committee (MRC) meetings within NATO’s Standing Group, which was responsible for military coordination and strategic planning among alliance members. His role involved working directly with senior military officials, including General Omar N. Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).
During his tenure as NATO liaison, the United States was expanding its nuclear deterrence capabilities across Europe. Jackson was tasked in planning the integration of U.S. nuclear weapons into NATO’s collective defense strategy, including basing, logistics, and delivery systems. His role included advising on the placement of nuclear-capable aircraft and infrastructure at NATO air bases. Jackson was also involved in the ongoing Korean War, where he participated in airpower strategies as well as resource allocation between the conflict in Asia and NATO’s commitments in Europe.
He remained in this position until his retirement from the Air Force in 1954.

## Post military service

Nelson P. Jackson voluntarily retired from the United States Air Force in 1954 after 21 years of service. He subsequently became a practicing attorney in Washington, D.C., and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court and the United States Court of Military Appeals. Jackson also worked as the Washington, D.C. manager for the Atomic Products Division of General Electric Co. From 1954 to 1958, he handled nuclear-related activities for General Electric and chaired an atomic energy advisory group. He published articles on nuclear topics, including "Nuclear Powerplants," "Atomic Energy Economics," and "The Disposal of Atomic Wastes." He was a member of the Atomic Industrial Forum and the American Nuclear Society.
He gave public lectures on atomic energy, including a 1954 speech at the Lowell Institute in Boston on "Atomic Energy in Industry and Research." In 1955, he wrote Atomic Energy and the American Economy for the American Water Works Association Journal, which discussed the Hanford Site. In 1956, he chaired a panel in San Antonio on "Putting the Atom to Work."
In 1957, Jackson co-founded the National Rocket Club, later renamed the National Space Club. In 1959, he became the government office manager for Joy Manufacturing Company, now Joy Global, which produced heavy equipment used in missile systems, launch platforms, aircraft, submarines, mining and construction projects.$^{:870}$
He was also the legal officer for the National Capital Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.

## National Space Club

In 1957, Nelson P. Jackson co-founded the National Rocket Club, later renamed the National Space Club, alongside Erik Bergaust and Wernher von Braun. At the time, Jackson was an attorney specializing in space law and had written papers on “Education for the Space Age” and “The Law of Outer Space.” He was also a member of the American Rocket Society and the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences. The launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union in 1957 sent shockwaves through the western world, especially among those involved in the defense of the United States who had long advocated for a stronger national commitment to the Space Race. Jackson, Bergaust, and von Braun, were all collaborators with this same shared ambition.
Bergaust and von Braun considered Jackson the ideal candidate for president of the Club because of his extensive experience and connections. His military service, involvement in atomic energy programs, legal expertise in space law, and lobbying work positioned him as a central figure linking government, the military, private industry, and the public in space-related initiatives..
Jackson served as the club’s president from January 1958 until his death in a plane crash in November 1960.
Nelson P. Jackson Aerospace Memorial Award
In 1960, the National Space Club created the Nelson P. Jackson Aerospace Memorial Award to recognize Jackson’s role as a founder and president of the Club. It is the Club's second most prestigious honor, awarded for significant contributions to the advancement of missile, aircraft, and space technology.
Described by NASA as "the space world's equivalent of an Academy Award" it is presented annually by the National Space Club during the Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner in Washington, D.C.
List of past Nelson P. Jackson Aerospace Memorial Award winners.

## "Review of the Space Program" Congressional testimony

On February 23, 1960, Nelson P. Jackson appeared before the U.S. House Committee on Science and Astronautics as the president and representative of the National Rocket Club. The committee was conducting hearings to gather input from scientific and private industry leaders involved in aeronautical and space-related research and development.
The panel included the National Rocket Club, the American Astronautical Society, the American Rocket Society, Dr. William H. Pickering, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Dr. H. Guyford Stever of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences.
Jackson's testimony emphasized the necessity of increasing space funding, fostering a business-friendly government contracting environment, and maintaining a balance between military and civilian space efforts.$^{:870-880}$
Jackson called for an additional $4 billion in annual funding for space and missile programs, arguing that this investment, representing less than 1 percent of the U.S. gross national product, was a necessary and reasonable expenditure given the strategic and scientific stakes involved.$^{:870-880}$
Jackson also discussed the challenges posed by existing government contract policies, which he believed were discouraging private industry from engaging in defense contracting. He criticized procurement regulations, excessive audits, and restrictions on patents obtained through NASA contracts, arguing that these bureaucratic burdens made commercial sales more attractive to private firms than government contracts. He advocated for reforms that would incentivize industry participation and sustain the private sector’s contributions to national defense and space development.$^{:870-880}$
When asked whether military space activities could be effectively separated from peaceful, scientific exploration, Jackson acknowledged that this was a complex and unresolved question. He referenced the historical pattern in which military applications had often preceded civilian advancements, remarking that "plowshares have followed swords." However, he suggested that this trend might be reversed if NASA received adequate funding, allowing civilian space initiatives to take the lead.$^{:870-880}$
The restructuring of the U.S. space program was another topic of discussion. Some committee members questioned whether greater control should be placed under the military, following the Soviet model. Jackson opposed such a change, stating that maintaining a civilian-led space agency was in the country’s best interest. He stated that a well-funded and independent NASA would provide the best framework for advancing both scientific exploration and national security objectives.$^{:870-880}$
Finally, Jackson proposed that March 16 be designated as "Goddard Day" in honor of Robert H. Goddard, the pioneer of liquid-fueled rocketry. He and the National Space Club believed that this designation would serve as an inspiration for future American generations by highlighting Goddard’s foundational contributions to America’s space exploration.$^{:870-880}$

## Personal life and family

In April 1934, Jackson married Patricia M. L. Tucker, the daughter of Colonel and Reverend Royal K. Tucker, who was involved in the American Legion alongside Jackson’s uncle, Horatio Nelson Jackson. In 1937, Jackson’s 1933 USMA classmate, Dwight Divine, who was stationed with him in Panama, married Patricia’s sister, Juliet L. In March 1935, Jackson and Patricia’s daughter, Lael, was born in Ancon, Panama. In 1939, they had a second daughter, Margaret, who died three days after birth.
In August 1939, Jackson and Patricia divorced, and in November of that same year he married Virginia Grey Thornton, who was born and raised in Panama to an American family involved in the construction of the Panama Canal and railroad. Their first two sons, Wells T. and Bruce P., were born in Panama in 1940 and 1941. In 1943, while Jackson was stationed in Richmond, their daughter Virginia G. was born, and in 1946, while in Spokane, their youngest son, Glenn H., was born.
Nelson P. Jackson had one younger brother, Samuel Hollister Jackson II (1916–1995), who served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. During World War II, he was an intelligence officer who served as a US Air Force liaison to the British military and to China’s 5th Army in the Burma-India theater, for which he was awarded the China Star Medal. In 1947, the brothers were reunited when they were both stationed at the 15th Air Force headquarters in the 201st AAF Base Unit, where Samuel served as the provost marshal for the 15th’s HQ. He later spent several years stationed in Ankara, Turkey.
Nelson Parkyn Jackson was a long practicing Freemason as a member of the Knights Templar within the York Rite Masonic Order.

## Death

On November 13, 1960, Nelson P. Jackson died in a plane crash on Spruce Mountain, West Virginia. His assistant, Roger Bell, was also killed.
Jackson took off from Friendly, Maryland, at 6:25 p.m. in a Pentagon owned single-engine Ryan L17 Navion plane operated by the Pentagon Aero Club. He was flying to New Philadelphia, Ohio, a trip expected to take two and a half hours. When no contact was made and the plane had not arrived by 9 p.m., the Washington Flight Service of the Federal Aviation Agency notified Jackson’s wife at 11 p.m. that the aircraft was missing.
The next morning, Civil Air Patrol units from Maryland, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia launched a search. About 50 Civil Air Patrol members took part, but freezing temperatures and six inches of snow made the search difficult. Two days later, Bell’s badly burned body was found on U.S. Route 33, several miles from Spruce Knob, the highest peak in a four-state area. The next day, searchers found the wreckage on Spruce Mountain near Riverton, West Virginia, close to the Virginia-West Virginia border. The plane had crashed at night on a snow-covered peak and burned on impact. Jackson’s body was found in the wreckage. Searchers found Bell's belt midway between the crash site and nine miles away where his body was discovered, indicating he had survived the crash and attempted to walk for help.
Colonel Jackson had more than 3,500 flying hours with aerial experience in 23 different types of airplanes including seven fighters, three bombers, six transports, three liaison and four training airplanes.
In 1961, Jackson’s family sued the federal government, claiming the Pentagon owned aircraft had been negligently maintained. The case resulted in a $1.2 million settlement.
Jackson was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

## Awards and decorations

* Legion of Merit (2) – one awarded for his leadership of the 327th Fighter Group and another for the training of I Fighter Command to a high rate of efficiency
* Distinguished Flying Cross
* Bronze Star Medal
* French Croix de Guerre (2)
* Air Medal with One Cluster
* Purple Heart
* Army Commendation Ribbon
* Distinguished Unit Citation
* Five Battle Stars on the European Theatre Ribbon
* American Defense Ribbon with One Star (denoting service at the start of WWII)
* American Theatre Ribbon with One Star (for participation in anti-submarine warfare off the coast of Panama)