PFC Earl Foster Jackson

PFC Earl F. Jackson was a U.S. Army soldier killed in action at the Anzio beach head.

Data from Young American Patriots (1946) via Ancestry:

• Name: Earl F. Jackson
• Gender: Male
• Rank: Private First Class
• Age: 18
• Birth Date: 18 Jan 1925
• Birth Place: Horry, South Carolina
• School: Green Sea High School
• Enlistment Date: 28 Jul 1943
• Enlistment Place: Fts. Jackson, South Carolina
• Branch of Service: US Army
• Theater of War: McClellan, Ala., Meade, Md.; Europe
• Type of Medal: PH, VM, Amer., EAME
• Father: A. B. Jackson
• Mother: Jackson
• Killed in Action: Anzio Beach head

Per his Army enlistment record index, he had three years of high school and was classified in the "Skilled asbestos and insulation workers" category when he enlisted at Fort Jackson (Columbia, South Carolina) on 29 July 1943.

From FindAGrave:

WORLD WAR II
KIA

Son of Aubrey Brooks and Tressie Lee Todd Jackson. Earl was killed in action at Anzio Beachhead.

CONWAY SOLDIER IN BIG PATROL ACTION
Story of the Action in Which Earl Jackson Engaged Against Nazis

With the Fifth Army, Italy. - As a climax to eight consecutive weeks of frontline fighting on the Allied Fifth Army's Anzio beachhead in Italy, Private Earl Jackson, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Jackson of Conway, S.C., a rifleman, recently took part in an outstanding combat patrol into the German lines.

While clearing a wooded ravine of enemy troops, Private Jackson and his handful of 3rd "Marne" Division comrades knocked out two machine-gun nests, killed 10 Germans, wounded several more and captured 12 prisoners. The entire action was completed in four hours in total darkness.

"Moving out, we had to crawl on our bellies nearly all the way," related Private Jackson, "sometimes for hundreds of yards in the dark across open fields.

"The Krauts in the ravine were really surprised to see us. We sneaked down and nabbed several of them before they could get out of their holes. Once we jerked a German's shelterhalf right off him. Some of the Krauts fired back at us but we shot them on the spot.

"We stirred up quite a hornet's nest," Private Jackson continued, "and coming back we had to crawl most of the way again to keep under the machine gun fire. One of our prisoners made a break for it but we shot him."

"During the night I had no idea what time it was or how far we had gone. We were all so tense every minute. It seemed like a dream the next day."

For successfully accomplishing this dangerous mission, Private Jackson and other members of the special patrol were highly commended by the officers of their unit, who pronounced it a "perfectly executed patrol action."

- Sent to SuzanneTF from Earl's brother, Eugene Jackson.

Grave Inscription:

Pfc 30 Inf 3 Div
North Carolina

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56305762/earl_foster_jackson
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GHS9-CLV
• "United States, Census, 1930", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPCK-YTL : Sun Mar 10 05:27:09 UTC 2024), Entry for Aubrey B Jackson and Tressie Jackson, 1930.
• "United States, Census, 1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4DJ-83F : Sat Jan 11 02:38:10 UTC 2025), Entry for Aubery B Jackson and Tressie Jackson, 1940.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. < link > Accessed 18 January 2025.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2005. < link > Accessed 18 January 2025.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. < link > Accessed 18 January 2025.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019. < link > Accessed 18 January 2025
• Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Young American Patriots, 1941-1945 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.
  • Original data: Young American Patriots. Richmond, VA, USA: National Publishing Co., 1946.