Jackson, Carl F.

CARL FRANCIS JACKSON

PRIVATE 1st CLASS
U.S. ARMY

Carl Francis Jackson was born to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Jackson on June 17, 1917 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has two sisters Beulah Egly and Erma Geyer. Carl graduated from South Side High School. Jackson had a love for the land that eventually brought him to Adams County where he farmed. 

Carl was inducted into the Army at the Decatur Public Library November 13, 1941 under the selective service program. Nine other area youth were inducted that day and a large crowd gathered at the draft board headquarters in the Decatur Library to send them off. As part of the ceremony, the Gideon Bible Society presented each youth a bible and the American Legion presented each of them a souvenir legion pencil. Recruit Jackson underwent basic training at Fort Bragg, NC. He then went to advanced training at Camp Gordan, GA; Fort Still, OK; Fort Dix, NJ; Fort Jackson, SC and Camp Johnson FL. 

Upon the completion of his training, Carl was sent oversees in December 1943 to England in preparation for the liberation of France (Operation Overlord). He was a part of the 4th Infantry Division, Battery "B" 29th field artillery, and as it would turn out the 4th would land on a stretch of French coast code named Utah on H- Hour (6:30) on D-Day. In a letter home Carl had made the remark "It was rough, but we made it!" After the landing of D-Day, He and the 4th fought though Cotentin Peninsula to take the critically important port of Cherbourg. From June 6 to June 28 the 4th was involved in continuous action until the last resistance around Cherbourg France was eliminated. With little rest the 4th continued to attack and with the help of the 2nd Armored Division, spearheaded the assault at St. Lo France on July 25,1944 as apart of the battle of the hedgerows.Two days later Jackson was killed near St. Lo. A  memorial service was held September 10, 1944 in Fort Wayne Indiana at the First Evangelical Church.

The fourth exploited the break in the German line at St. Lo, and used it as a foothold to advance across France. They eventually freed Paris from Nazi rule and made further advancements against the Germans. Fighting across the Siegfried line followed. Soon after the the 4th found them selves in the Hürtgen forest fighting across dense pine and fir trees. Advancing past the forest, and by December they found themselves in a defensive position in Luxembourg fighting back the bulge created by the German offensive. Eventually they fought past the Siegfried line, and returned home after V-E day to prepare for the Pacific. They trained for the Pacific, but victory in Japan came before they were deployed.

For his service and sacrifice, Private 1st Class Jackson earned the Purple Heart, American Defense Medal, American Theatre Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal. PFC Jackson also earned the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Information researched and collected by Spencer Shoup 2014. 

SOURCES

Cox, Jim, ed. "Carl F. Jackson." Find a Grave. N.p., 27 Sept. 2009. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.

           “Decatur Daily Democrat 13 November 1941 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana’s Digital Historic Newspaper Program.” Newspapers.library.in.gov, newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=DCDD19411113.1.1&e=-------en-20-DCDD-1--txt-txIN-carl+jackson------. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

"Division History." National 4th Infantry (ivy) Division Association. National 4th Infantry (ivy) Division Association, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.

Indiana Historical Bureau, comp. Gold Star Honor Roll: Adams County. Bloomington: Indiana War History Commission, 1949. Print. Vol. 1 of Indiana in World War II.

"Jackson Killed near St. Lo." Decatur Daily Democrat 2 July 1994: n. pag. Print.

"U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945 for Carl F Jackson." Ancestry.N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.

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