Jackson Gibbs was a retired pilot in the United States Army Air Force and the father of Gunnery Sergeant-turned-NCIS Special Agent, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He was also the husband of Ann Gibbs, father-in-law of Shannon Gibbs, and grandfather of Kelly Gibbs.
He was born and raised in Stillwater and this is also Gibbs' hometown. He still lives and works there when he makes his first appearance in season 6. He is not mentioned or seen in the seasons before due to the fact that Jackson and his son had a falling out and did not talk for 15 years.
Biography
Pre-Series
Born 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. 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. 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 building and craftsmanship.
When Gibbs 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 mothers 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. After their deaths in a car accident in February 1991, Jackson was left devastated and grief-stricken. He also attended a memorial service, one that saw him get into a fight with his son due to Jackson having brought a date to the service, presumably a woman his son didn't approve of. He expressed in the first meeting with his son after their death that he adored them both and is sorry for what happened to them.
It is shown in Jackson first appearance in the second half of Heartland (episode) that he 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. Gibbs smiles for what could be the longest time in a scene throughout the series when he first gets to drive it with his father past the other team members that looks gobsmacked.
NCIS Season 6
He is first present in episode 4 of season 6, Heartland (episode). 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 wives and kid, 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
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.
Physical Appearance
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.
Appearances
For a more detailed list, see Jackson Gibbs/List of Appearances.
| NCIS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | # | |
| Season 6 | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Season 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | X | 2 | |
| Season 8 | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | |
| Season 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | |
| Season 10 | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | |
| Season 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | X | 2 | |
| Total | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 - Jackson was the grandfather of Kelly Gibbs 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.
Jackson had three more daughters-in-law when Gibbs married each of them. Each of the marriages didn't last very long and Gibbs and each of his ex-wives divorced shortly after getting married.