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Holloman holds services for pilot DeathsBy CAL STANKE Weekly News EditorA memorial service was conducted March 11 at the Holloman Air Force Base Chapel for the F-15 pilot who crashed in the desert three miles south of the baseMarch 9,The pilot, who died upon impact according to reports, was Lt. Col. Gene E. Jackson, 40, the chief of safety for the 833rd Air Division.Jackson was flying a routine mission when he went down with his jet under some electrical power lines on Bureau of Land Management land. Fragmented remains of the $20 million 1977 F-15 were strewn over hundreds of yards.Eye witnesses said a cloud of thick black smoke billowed over a field of grass and desert brush which burned when the jet’s fuel tank exploded.Jackson is survived by his wife, Nelda, and children Jeffrey, 19; Cory, 16; and Craig, 13; and his parents Joe and Louise Jackson of Lufkin, Texas. Lt. Col. Jackson is a native of Lufkin.U. S. Sen. Pete Domenicitoday expressed condolences to Jackson’s family. After calling the family, the senator said, “In addition to being a fine member of the United States Air Force, Lt. Col. Gene Jackson was a marvelous citizen who spent his extra time doing fine things for his community.“He served on my review board on military academy selections, helping find our best young people for future military service. He will be missed. I mourn his loss.”A spokesman from HAFB’s public affairs department said he could provide no additional information about details of the crash since too much information was unconfirmed or not allowed to be released.In a telephone interview last week, TSgt. Fred Dennison of Holloman public affairs said HAFB received several calls regarding the incident. Some callers said Jackson directed his jet away from base housing when he realized it was going down in effort to prevent property damage and save human lives.The Daily News hadreceived similarcalls. However, Dennison said there is no way to confirm that.“The only one who knows that is Jackson,” he said.Dennison said it is difficult to tell what happened from the ground. He said many non-flyers assume details which may not be correct.“Any guessing of what happened would be speculation, especially by nonflyers. They would be assuming a lot,” Dennison said.Dennison said the investigation could last as long as three weeks to three months.Meanwhile, residents in Tularosa, Cloudcroft, Car-rizozo, Ruidoso and Capitan lost power for 15-20 minutes as a result of the damage to the power lines incurred by the crash.Otero County Electric Cooperative general manager Bill Mershon said a line from Plains Electric based in Albuquerque that feeds the cooperative power was damaged. Mershon said power was “tripped” for a minute or so at 8:32 a.m. when the jet crashed and went out again about an hour later.Kent Mikkelson, director of engineering services from Plains Electric, said one of its 115,000-volt lines was damaged after being struck by the jet. None of Plains Electric poles were damaged, according to Mikkelson, but a conductor was slightly damaged.He said power has been indefinitely restored by switching lines in a substation near Alamogordo. Further repairs cannot be made until the Air Force finishes its investigation, Mikkelson said.A second line and pole belonging to Texas-New Mexico Power Company was damaged also. T-NMP district electrical superintendent Rick Lessentine said an H-frame structure burned up when the jet struck it yesterday morning. He said power T-NMP purchases from Plains Electric to serve Tularosa and Ruidoso was out temporarily as a result.Lessentine said a temporary fix has been made and will do until the Air Force ends its investigation and allows T-NM P employees to make necessary repairs.Gene E. JacksonFuneral services were conducted in Houston, Texas, for Lt. Col. Gene E. Jackson, 40, Holloman Air Force Base, who died March 9 near the base in an aircraft crash.Born Sept. 20, 1946, in Nacogdoches, Texas, Jackson was stationed at Holloman since July 1,1985, and was the 833rd Air Division’s chief of safety. Jackson entered the Air Force Sept. 11, 1967, after receiving his commission through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. He had received threedistinguished flying crosses, two meritorious service medals and 27 air medals.Survivors include his wife Nelda D. Jackson, Holloman Air Force Base; sons Jeffery Jackson, U.S. Marine Corps, Beaumont, Texas, Cory Jackson and Craig Jackson, both of Holloman; parents Mr. and Mrs. Joe Jackson, Lufkin, Texas; brothers Carl Jackson, Jackie Jackson and Terry Jackson.Services were conducted 2 p.m. Friday in the Houston National Cemetery Chapel. Full military honors were provided by Bergstrom Air Force Base, Capt. Wilfred R. Bristol, chaplain, Holloman Air Force Base, will officiate. Burial followed in the Houston National Cemetery.Lt. Col. Jackson’s body will be taken to McCoy and Harrison Funeral Home in Houston. Should friends desire, contributions may be made to the United Negro College Fund, 15290 E. Sixth Ave., Suite 216, Aurora, Colo., Attention Ms. Sterr.| THINK CLASSIFIEDS Week// News
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Alamogordo Weekly News
Alamogordo, New Mexico, US
Wed, Mar 18, 1987
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