Jackson Gibbs

Jackson Gibbs was a retired pilot in the United States Army Air Force and the father of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He was also the husband of Ann Gibbs, father-in-law of Shannon Gibbs, and grandfather of Kelly Gibbs.

Biography

Pre-Series

Born and raised in Stillwater, Pennsylvania, Jackson was the son of an unnamed farm man and a woman although it was never revealed if he had any siblings or if he was an only child, he raised on farm. During his youth, Jackson played chicken.

After graduating from high school, he then enlisted in the United States Air Force and participated in World II, flying in Europe as a pilot of a P-51 Mustang during the Allied Invasion of Normandy. He was member of the Last Man’s Club with John Sydney & others, a group of men from Stillwater High School who served in the war together and vowed that the last man alive would collect all of their military ID bracelets, engraved with the words “Forever Linked,” and be buried with them.

Once the war was over, Jackson left the military and returned to the United States. He then worked in the mines for a few years and later opened up the Stillwater General Store with his best friend, Marine Corps veteran Leroy Jethro Moore

Sometime later, Jackson met Ann and the two got married with Ann becoming Ann Gibbs. He loved her dearly and gave up "the life in the sky" to create a normal life for his family. The life in the skies meaning his career in the Air Force. She later gave birth to a son they named Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Jackson naming his young son in honor of his best friend. From an early age, young Jethro also inherited his father's love of fishing and craftsmanship.

His brother-in-arms John Sydney lived with the family for a time following the war. John take Leroy on fishing trips or baseball games and thought of Leroy was the son he never had & latter thought of him as part of his family. But John after returned from the war with problems, but the drinking and carousing got to be too much, so Ann told John he had to leave. John doesn’t blame Ann for tossing him out and so John left without a goodbye to young Leroy. He was so angry and ashamed that day, he threw away his own ID bracelet and quit the Last Man’s Club.

When Leroy was fourteen years old, however, things changed when Ann was diagnosed with an unknown form of cancer with the cancer's pain proving too much for her to take and she ultimately committed suicide by overdosing via morphine. Jackson learnt that Moore had known of the plan and hadn't stopped Ann, leaving him angered and unable to forgive the two of them fell out. As a result, Jackson severed his ties with Moore, bought him out of his half of the store they had originally opened together and refused to speak him, something that would last for over 40 years. His son Gibbs was also revealed to have changed drastically after his mother's death and was fueled with anger and vengeance. Jackson believes that Shannon was the reason Gibbs found happiness again.

Jackson and Gibbs then got into a fight following Gibbs's decision to join the Marine Corps and it was only thanks to Gibbs's girlfriend/wife, Shannon Gibbs that the father and son remained in contact with each other instead of remaining estranged for years like Jackson and Moore. She made sure they got into contact again and sent him Christmas cards among other things. When Gibbs and Sharon had a daughter, Kelly, Jackson adored her.

In February 1991 after getting call about thier deaths of Shannon and Kelly, cause his son Leroy can't be there due to being fighting in the Desert Storm and later been in coma state, he flew to the California, he meet Cliff Wheeler, who introduced him to Mike Franks, called him best agent they have. During investigation of their murder, he was standing on porsh of Franks' house and Franks avoided answering his questions about progress of investigation and arresting of Pedro Hernandez. Deaths of Shannon and Kelly Jackson was left devastated and grief-stricken. Meanwhile during the investigaton, he was around his son during his time in coma state and he was there when he woke up in the Bethesda hospital.

After his son discharged from the hospital, Jackson asked his son about should still go in Nepal, he said yes and then Jackson left to get his head cleared right in Nepal.

Later on (presumably) June's Thursday Leroy called him on the General Store's phone and wanted leave voice message about leaving Marines, knowingly that they closed on Tuesday mornings and his dad call back later, but Jackson answered the call. After hearing that his son went back on base today, he assumed he get cleared for duty, but lied to him saying he have other call, because of that Jackson unknowns that his son left the Corps ('cause Leroy fell after killing Hernandez he doesn't deserve uniform and have full-blown indentety crisis) and later joined NIS.

NCIS: Origins

In "Enter Sandman. Part 2", after he tried calling his son, but he don't answered on calls, he starts worried about him, he decided visited his son in his new apartment in Oceanside. After reunionted with his son, he asked him about arrest of Hernandez and after learning about Leroy joined NIS, he was shocked saying that his son not built for this. In end of episode Lwe seen Jackson slept on couch.

In "Bend, Don't Break" he confronted Franks about Pedro Hernandez and his recruitment of Leroy to NIS, saying his son needs time to heal and he has a death wish. Then he asked Mike to tell his son that the job didn't pan out and Mike refused saying this job is what his son wants.

Later, after seen Leroy tackled Dougie without his permission, Franks puted him on desk job till he adjusted to new circumstances, that caused Leroy confronted Jackson about it. Then Jackson asked his son about his family house, saying that he can help him packed it up stuff and he very shocked learning that Leroy throwaways things from the house. He also asking his son to come back to Stillwater and rebuilds his life here, but Leroy refused saying he's fine here in Oceanside. Then Jackson confronted Leroy about him joining NIS to hunt Hernandez down and he not let his son throw his life away for vengeance (unknowning Leroy already did that couple months ago). After hearing this, Leroy become angry with him, saying that do not tell him what it's worth it and he wants Jackson out by the time he get back form work and get back in Stillwater. Later Jackson granted his son wishes and leaves Oceanside, but on his way in the airport he picks up his son's box with rules from his trush can near his family house and gets them with him to home.

Internum Years

He also attended a memorial service, one that saw him get into a fight with his son due to he having brought a date to the service.

Jackson had spent years fixing up a car Gibbs had brought home as junk to fix into his dream car. He has even put in a R/T suspension package like his son wanted and even the color Gibbs wanted. Gibbs thought his dad had gotten rid of the "junk" and was very surprised when it turned out he had instead fixed it. The car is a yellow 426 Hemi with a black stripe on the hood of the car.

NCIS Season 6

In "Heartland", Gibbs along with Ziva and McGee travel to Stillwater, Gibbs' hometown after a Marine that has ties to the town ends up badly beaten in the hospital. Jackson shows up to the house of a family member the team is interviewing after learning his son was in town. He invites them all back to his General Store. It is apparent that the atmosphere between Gibbs and his father is strained, and that they do not have any contact. In fact they haven't talked since the funeral of his granddaughter and daughter-in-law, over 15 years ago.

In this episode Jackson is trying to make amends with his son, talking about the past together. The two eventually make up in the episode, and Jackson even helps him bring in the suspect and close the case. There is still some old unresolved issues between them, but they have gotten closer again. At the end of the episode they hug and Gibbs drives away in his car, having a flashback on how he first met Shannon.

He makes an appearance again in the 11th episode of the season.

NCIS Season 7

NCIS Season 8

NCIS Season 9

NCIS Season 10

NCIS Season 11

In episode 24, the season finale Honor Thy Father, NCIS Director Leon Vance informs Gibbs his father has passed away from a stroke.

Personality

Jack was depicted as being somewhat set in his ways and way of thinking. When Gibbs arrived home in the episode Heartland to investigate an attack, Jack was upset at many of Gibbs' methods and somewhat contradictory of how he should handle things and his approach with people. An example being that Jack was upset that Gibbs thought everyone was lying to him and not taking people's word. He then contradicted himself by later telling his son to gather more evidence and DNA.

When dealing with family matters, he always tried to look out for Gibbs as best he could although he knew his son was incredibly upset by his mother's passing and how his father handled things after. Jack also saw how the deaths of Shannon and Kelly weighed on him.

Despite being stubborn, he was polite and charismatic with a pleasant demeanor.

Physical Appearance

Jackson Gibbs was a man in his 90s, roughly 6 feet and slightly portly. He had silver-grey hair and very blue eyes that he passed onto his son, Leroy.

Relationships

Leroy Jethro Gibbs

Jackson is the father of Leroy Jethro Gibbs whom he named after his best friend Leroy Jethro Moore. Leroy got his love for building things since he was a boy from his father.

Ann Gibbs

Ann was Jackson's wife and Leroy's mother. She was diagnosed early in life with cancer and committed suicide.

Shannon Gibbs

Jackson was the father-in-law to Gibbs' first wife Shannon until her untimely death in February 1991. She was the witness of a murder of a Marine killed by Pedro Hernandez and was killed in a car accident when a sniper killed the NIS agent driving the van carrying Shannon and Kelly.

Kelly Gibbs

Kelly was only granddaughter of Jackson until her untimely death in February 1991.

Leroy Jethro Moore

Jackson and Moore were best friends for the longest time. Leroy was African American and Jackson was Caucasian. After working in the mines, Leroy and Jackson opened a store in Jackson's hometown called Stillwater General Store. Jackson severed all ties with Leroy Moore when he found out that Leroy knew about Ann wanting to end her life and did nothing to stop her. Jackson and Leroy had not talked for more than 40 years until Jackson's son Gibbs put a stop to their feud and made them work out their differences.

Walter Beck

Jackson was a pilot in WWII and was having problems with his plane and it was smoking. Walter Beck was a pilot for the enemy "Germans" when he saw Jackson's plane smoking and going down. Walter had lead Jackson and his plane until Jackson was finally able to reach the control tower and land his plane safely.

Mike Franks

Trivia

• On his Twitter, Jesse Stern revealed that actor James Garner was originally cast to play Jackson Gibbs but later suffered a stroke after reading the script for the NCIS Season 6 episode, Heartland (episode). As a result of that, Ralph Waite was given the role instead. Coincidentally, Waite and Garner died five months apart in the same year.
• Ralph Waite passed away in February 2014 from an unnamed age-related illness. Consequently, his character died of a stroke as well to explain his absence from the show.

References

Appearances

For a more detailed list, see Jackson Gibbs/List of Appearances.