Private First Class Jackson was a member of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 19 September 1951 and died of those wounds on 22 September 1951.

Jackson was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman 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.