Finishing in the top 3 percent on an army exam, he won a regular army engineering commission. He served with two combat engineer units in the European Theater during World War II and commanded three heavy pontoon battalions at Remagen. He gained the temporary rank of colonel just days before V-E day. During the Korean War, he commanded two engineer aviation groups. In the early 1950s, he served as the Corps of Engineers' chief of personnel. Later in his career he was district engineer in Portland, Oregon, and then in 1963 as a brigadier general he became commander of the Ohio River Division, in charge of all civil and military construction for 14 states. He became a major general in 1965 and was posted to Director of Civil Works. However, also in 1966, he underwent open-heart surgery to replace his Aortic Valve and retired in 1967 from the army with full disability.[1][2]
WMATA General Manager
Jackson and his wife, Mabel Lee were planning a retirement in the motor home when approached by WMATA Chairman Walter Tobriner and NCTA Administrator Walter McCarter about taking the position of General Manager. Accepting after repeated pleas and after satisfying himself that the subway was going to be built, he accepted and was sworn in on March 17, 1967. He retired in late 1975.
Honors
Oregon State University Distinguished Service Award (1977)[2]
Inductee into Oregon Stater Engineering Hall of Fame (1999)[2]
