Private First Class Jackson was a member of the 81mm Mortar Platoon, Company H, 2nd Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy at "Christmas Hill, Outpost Queen" near Pau-gol, North Korea, on 3 July 1953, by shrapnel from friendly artillery fire that fell short.

Jackson was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.