Edward Jackson, the naval aviator blinded by a cable strung safely landed his F9F
The amazing photos in this post show ENS Edward Jackson Jr. landing his F-9F on the USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) on September 17, 1950, despite being blinded after his plane was damaged during a strike on a Pyongyang airfield during the Korean War.
That day, Jackson struck a cable strung across the Han River just south of Seoul while flying in F9F-2B BuNo 123511 of VF-112, 100 feet over enemy territory.
Knocked unconscious for about 20 seconds
In his book F9F Panther Units of the Korean War, Warren Thompson explains how Jackson remained unconscious for roughly 20 seconds after the fighter’s canopy was smashed. He awoke to find his jet in a steep climbing and his vision nearly completely blurred from blood gushing into his eyes from cuts on his face. Jackson radioed Ens Dayl Crow, his wingman, to ask for guidance and altitude. Then he flew back to CV-47, 120 miles at a slower pace. Crow was replaced by Lt(jg) L K Bruestle, CVG-11’s Landing Signal Officer, who led Jackson via radio commands to an amazingly “routine” landing on the carrier’s short, pitching deck during the descending leg.
After being repaired quickly, BuNo 123511 completed the rest of the cruise. Passed on to VF-191 in September 1951, the jet joined VF-23 in March 1952 and VF-93 five months later. It deployed with the latter unit as part of CVG-9 in December 1952 but was written off in a heavy landing aboard CVA-47 on Jan. 31, 1953—the day CVG-9 commenced combat operations over Korea.
The Panther
Entering the jet age, Grumman obtained a design contract in April 1946 for the XF9F-1. The jet aircraft was a single-seat carrier-based fighter. The fighters’ mission was to destroy opposing aircraft and ground support. As the design of the fighter progressed, a single Nene jet engine was utilized in the fuselage, which brought the XF9F-2 prototype. The XF9F-4 replaced the Nene engine with the Allison J33 engine. As tests continued, the F9F-5 was produced with the Pratt & Whitney J38 version of the Rolls-Royce Tay engine. The first fighter flew in December 1949.
Both Navy and Marine squadrons made considerable use of the F9F Panther during the Korean War. While it was mostly deployed in strike roles, on November 9, 1950, it scored the first jet vs. jet kill in US Navy history. Operating from the deck of the USS Valley Forge (CV-45), Fighter Squadron (VF) 51 and 52 used the Panther for the first time in combat in July 1950. Marine Fighting Squadrons (VMF) 115 and 311 also arrived in Korea at the same time.
The straight-wing F9F Panthers were eventually supplanted by swept-wing F9F-6/8 Cougars, their final service coming as advanced jet trainers.
F9F Panther Units of the Korean War is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.
Photo by U.S. Navy and National Archives via Historynet
The Panther aircraft became a mainstay of the US Navy and US Marine Corps air fleets during the Korean War.
