POW Capt. Chuck Jackson laid to rest at Academy Cemetery
Capt. Charles A. “Chuck” Jackson’s U.S. Air Force Academy graduation photo, Class of 1969. Jackson was laid to rest at the Academy cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colo., Sept. 19, 2025. The date honored Jackson’s life and service and coincided with National POW/MIA Recognition Day (Photo courtesy of Marty Jackson)
By Tech. Sgt. Sahara Fales
U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Capt. Charles A. “Chuck” Jackson was laid to rest at the U.S. Air Force Academy cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colo., Sept. 19, 2025.
The date honored Jackson’s life and service and coincided with National POW/MIA Recognition Day—a title he was all too familiar with.
Established in 1979 by a presidential proclamation signed by President Jimmy Carter, the day honors former prisoners of war and those missing in action.
First photo of Capt. Charles A. “Chuck” Jackson after capture, during a Japanese Press Conference. Jackson spent eight months in captivity, held in various Vietnamese prisons, including the infamous Hoa Loa Prison, known by American POWs as “Hanoi Hilton.” (Photo courtesy of Marty Jackson)
Jackson graduated from the Academy in 1969 and served as a weapons officer and pilot for the F-4 Phantom and C-141 Starlifter. During a mission out of Thailand in 1972, Jackson’s plane was shot down, and he was captured in a village near the Laotian border.
The villagers turned him over to the militia but made sure he had food and rest before doing so. Jackson spent eight months in captivity, held in various Vietnamese prisons, including the infamous Hoa Loa Prison, known by American POWs as “Hanoi Hilton.”
Capt. Charles A. “Chuck” Jackson (left) during Operation Homecoming at Clark Air Force Base, Philippines. Jackson graduated from the Academy in 1969 and served as a weapons officer and pilot for the F-4 Phantom and C-141 Starlifter. During a mission out of Thailand in 1972, Jackson’s plane was shot down, and he was captured in a village near the Laotian border. (Photo courtesy of Marty Jackson)
“During this entire episode, he displayed the Core Values of the Academy despite his many injuries,” said his wife, Marty, in a letter to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Office.
Jackson was eventually released in February 1973 during Operation Homecoming. He credited surviving such a grueling experience to his cellmates and his sense of humor.
Capt. Charles A. “Chuck” Jackson leaving Hanoi. Jackson spent eight months in captivity, held in various Vietnamese prisons, including the infamous Hoa Loa Prison, known by American POWs as “Hanoi Hilton.” (Photo courtesy of Marty Jackson)
After completing medical recouperation, he fulfilled several roles at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and the Military Entrance Processing Command Center in Milwaukee, Wis., where he ultimately retired medically from the Air Force in 1979 due to injuries sustained in combat.
“Capt. Chuck Jackson’s commitment to our country and his bravery during his time as a prisoner of war embody what it means to be a leader of character,” said Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind, U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent. “I hope legacies like his will continue to inspire the next generation of officers.”
“He will be missed as a husband and father, and as an honored member of the Long Blue Line,” he added.
Capt. (ret.) Charles A. “Chuck” Jackson (right) and his wife, Marty. Jackson was laid to rest at the U.S. Air Force Academy cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colo., Sept. 19, 2025. The date honored his life and service, and was chosen by Marty because of its importance as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. (Photo courtesy of Marty Jackson)
Forty-five years after his capture, Jackson and Marty visited the same village in North Vietnam to thank residents for the care they showed him so long ago. The following year, he returned to Vietnam and met the pilot who shot him down, Col. Nguyen Van Nhgia.
Both men shared stories of their missions and lives. For Jackson, the time spent with Nhgia brought his story of war, family, and gratitude full circle, Marty said.
“Chuck was a proud member of [The Academy] Class of 1969,” Marty added. “He loved his Air Force career and the ability to soar with the eagles.”