by Maj. William Carraway
Historian, Georgia Army National Guard
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| Medal of Honor recipient Col. Joe Jackson accepts a saber from 1st. Lt. Wendall McMillanas a gift from his unit, Troop E, 348th Cavalry during the dedication of the Jackson-Pless Armory in Newnan, Ga. April 22, 1978. Georgia Guard Archives |
As the Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers of Company B, 2nd
Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment attend weekend drill in Newnan, Ga., they
pass through the doors of the Jackson-Pless Armory, which honors the memory of
two Medal of Honor recipients.
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| Colonel Joe Jackson and the family of Maj. Stephen
Pless attend the unveiling of the citation dedicating the Georgia Army National Guard Armory in Newnan, Ga. in honor of the two Medal of Honor recipients April 22, 1978.Georgia Guard Archives. |
On April 22, 1978 the Newnan Armory was dedicated
in honor of Air Force Col. Joe Jackson and U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Stephen W.
Pless, both former residents of Newnan. Colonel Jackson was in attendance as
was the family of Maj. Pless for the official dedication by Georgia Governor
John Busbee.
As the Governor spoke, four F-100 Super Sabre jet
fighters of the Ga. Air National Guard streaked in the skies overhead. Joining
in the aerial honors was a UH-1 helicopter of the Ga. ARNG.
“To place their names on this armory for all
posterity to observe is a fitting tribute to these heroes,” said Governor
Busbee during his dedication address. Busbee also noted the significance of the
occasion because, at the time, only 23 Georgians had been honored with the
nation’s highest award for valor.
Jackson and Pless, both pilots, were on their second
tour of duty when they earned the Medal of Honor for life saving actions while
surrounded by enemy forces in Vietnam. Colonel Jackson, the pilot of a C-123
aircraft was cited for making a daring rescue of three airmen at Kham Duc,
South Vietnam on May 12, 1969. Major Pless, who died in a traffic accident July
20, 1969, was cited for landing a helicopter in the midst of Viet Cong forces
and rescuing four American Soldiers stranded on a beach near Quang Ngai, South
Vietnam on Aug. 9, 1967.
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| Mrs. William Smith, former wife of Maj. Pless is presented a gift
from Col. James O. Hardin, Jr., (Ret.) on behalf of the United
States Marine Corps Reserve during the dedication of the
Jackson-Pless Armory in Newnan, Ga. April 22, 1978.
Georgia Guard Archives |
In addition to the armory dedication Jackson and
Pless were honored with the presentation of ceremonial sabers by 1st Lt. Wendall
McMillan representing Troop E, 348th Cavalry, 48th Infantry Brigade which
occupied the Armory.[i]
Colonel Joe Jackson died Jan. 12, 2019 at his home
in Washington. Company B, 2-121, is currently deployed in Afghanistan as part
of its fourth combat deployment since September 11, 2011.
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