Joe M . Jackson Joe Madison Jackson ( born March 14 , 1923 ) served as a career officer in the United States Air Force and received the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War for a dangerous impromptu rescue operation of three American military personnel . Service in World War II . Jackson , born on March 14 , 1923 , in Newnan , Georgia , was an avid model aircraft enthusiast in his youth . He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in March 1941 , a few days after his 18th birthday , in hopes of learning more about aeronautics . Nine months later , the United States entered World War II and Jackson was assigned to serve as crew chief aboard a B - 25 Mitchell bomber . As a testament to his early flight aptitude , he helped save his fellow crewman by assisting his aircraft ' s pilot during an engine fire . Soon after , Jackson successfully completed Aviation Cadet Training and became a commissioned officer . He flew a variety of aircraft throughout the war , and ended the war at the controls of a B - 24 Liberator bomber aircraft . Service in Korea and early Cold War . During the late 1940s , Jackson returned to flying fighter aircraft . During the Korean War , he successfully flew 107 combat missions in the F - 84 Thunderjet . His accomplishments include : Service in the Vietnam War . After completing a staff tour in Europe , Jackson was assigned to fly the C - 123 Provider over South Vietnam during the Vietnam War . While he flew 298 combat missions during this period , it was his rescue mission on May 12 , 1968 during the Battle of Kham Duc that earned him the nation ' s highest award for military valor . On January 16 , 1969 , President Lyndon B . Johnson presented Jackson with the Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony . Also receiving the Medal of Honor that day was fellow Newnan native Stephen W . Pless , a Marine aviator who , like Jackson , had earned the decoration for an airborne rescue operation . Legend states that , upon realizing that both Pless and Jackson were from the same small Georgia town , President Johnson quipped " there must be something in the water down in Newnan . " Medal of Honor citation . Jackson ' s official Medal of Honor citation for his actions at the Battle of Kham Duc reads : 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 pilot of a C - 123 aircraft . Lt . Col . Jackson volunteered to attempt the rescue of a 3 - 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 . Later life . Jackson continued to serve on active duty in the Air Force for several more years , both at the Pentagon and on the faculty of the Air War College . He eventually retired after 33 years of active duty service . He currently resides in the state of Washington . On May 14 , 2010 , NBC News highlighted his weekly contributions over 18 years to a local church that provides meals to the hungry .