AWARDED DFC: 1
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  Vietnam
MODEL:  O-2A

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Michael E. Jackson for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Forward Air Controller near Hue, Republic of Vietnam on 15 May 1972. On that date, Captain Jackson flew his lightly armed reconnaissance aircraft in support of a unit of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, which was in violent conflict with a numerically superior hostile. Despite intense ground fire and marginal weather conditions, Captain Jackson directed tactical air strikes onto the hostile positions which broke the conflict and resulted in one heavy machine gun destroyed, one heavy machine gun damaged, fifteen rifles destroyed, and five large supply caches destroyed, producing one large secondary explosion, eight medium secondary explosions, and three small secondary explosions, with twenty-six hostile personnel killed by air. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Jackson reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.