Jackson, Noah 1899-1921

JACKSON

Posted By: Constance Diamond, Volunteer
Date: 5/9/2010 at 20:12:00

From: Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, May 31, 1921

DEATH OF A HERO

Helped Clean Out Nests of Enemy Machine Guns

Merrill Record: Mr. and Mrs. John E. Jackson, residing southwest of town, received a sad message Sunday stating that their son, Noah Jackson, had passed away quite suddenly at Camp Jackson, South .Carolina. The body would be shipped at once to Merrill, Iowa.

Noah Jackson has a war record equaled by a very few who lived to tell the story. He enlisted at the first call in 1917 at Madison, Minn. and was among the first who landed in France. Soon after reaching Europe he was sent to the battle front in charge of machine gun experts. In this capacity Noah did some valiant work. On the day he was so badly wounded he had succeeded in silencing four enemy machine nests that were dealing death to thousands of American and allied boys in the Argonne forests. In silencing the last nest several of Jackson's crew were killed or badly wounded and he himself, escaped death by a miracle. Four bullets struck his steel helmet and lodged in his forehead, one passed around the skull and came out near the back of the head. Two other bullets struck him near the right elbow and lodged in the arm. After regaining consciousness he started for the hospital on foot. On the way back, about a mile from the hospital he found a comrade who had a leg shot off. Jackson, as best he could, assisted the lad to the same hospital which they reached after a long and painful walk and crawl.

Noah Jackson was given the best of care possible in France and then sent to New York where he stayed over eight months. Soon after landing in New York his father went there to see him. He came to Merrill May 12, 1919, a nervous wreck. He remained here for several months and he thought he had entirely recovered from his wounds and soon started for California. His health seemed to greatly improve in the far west and he again enlisted with the Regular Army. He was sent to Camp Jackson, South Carolina, last February.

The funeral services will be held in the United Evangelical church near the Hahn place on the Perry Creek and the body will then be laid to rest in the Merrill cemetery.

Noah Jackson was born in 1899, Fayette county, Illinois. He came with his parents to Fort Dodge, Iowa, in 1916 and in 1918 the Jacksons came to Merrill and located on the Mrs. Martha Hahn farm southwest of town.

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From: Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, June 7, 1921

The funeral of Noah Jackson, who died at Camp Jackson, North Carolina, was held in Merrill on Decoration day, with full military honors. Noah Jackson not only demonstrated his bravery and indomitable will power as a machine gun expert as recorded in an article in the paper last week but also has been cited for special honors by the French government as well as by the United States in helping to save the remnant of the famous "Lost Battalion" of which he was a member. It is said that in marching through the forests one of the battalion found a partially wrecked wireless instrument. Noah Jackson was a qualified wireless operator and at once began the task of repairing the instrument and after hours of laborious toil had it in working order. He at once sent out a wireless message in code and shortly afterwards U.S. airplanes came and dropped provisions for the starving boys. Soldiers soon followed and a barrage was laid and the famous Lost Battalion was rescued. It was not long after this that he received the wounds from which he died last week while in camp in North Carolina.