US Army Corporal Jefferson "Jeff" Franklin Jr. was born in Pensacola, Florida on August 25, 1928, the son of Jefferson Franklin Sr. and Pansie Page (1895-1983). There is very little information concerning his father but what we do know is that he was a boilermaker in 1927 and he and Pansie were living at 426 West LaRua Street. Two children, Jefferson Jr. and Elizabeth (1927-2018) were born from this union. His mother would remarry Walter James (1872-) and give birth to his half-brother Pierce James Jr. (1924-1999). She would marry a third time to Grover Cleveland McWilliams (1894-1948) and gave birth to Pansie Veronica (1936-1984). In 1940, Pansie and her children were living at 213 East Brainard Street while she earned a living doing laundry from her home. Sometime after 1946 she moved into a house at 3311 North Alcaniz Street where she was living when Jefferson was killed in Korea.
Jeff would finish the 11th grade at Washington High School in 1946 and then married Miss Alline Carter on September 24, 1948. The young couple would set up housekeeping at 207 West Liberty Street in Pensacola. He may have or may not have enlisted prior to their marriage because we have two enlistment dates. His US government headstone application says he enlisted on February 2, 1948, and his newspaper article says February 19, 1947. Either way he was sent to basic training and assigned to Company "M" of the 9th Infantry Regiment attached to the 2nd Infantry Division.
All went well for young Jefferson to include a promotion to the rank of corporal on February 21, 1950. The increase in pay to $95.00 per month, even though meager, helped out with Alline's rent and other living expenses while he was away in the Army. Then everything started crashing down. On May 31, 1950, his wife Alline was killed in an automobile accident on the Big Bayou Bridge. He hardly had enough time to see to her funeral arrangements before North Korea invaded the south and the Korean War was on. Then on June 27, his regiment immediately embarked for Korea and entered the town of Pusan, Korea on July 31, 1950. They were immediately thrust into the "Jamestown" line of defense with their only objective to impede the enemy juggernaut pushing the UN forces backwards. Their job was to slow the enemy down until more UN forces could come to their aid and they paid for it with their lives.
Then came the Second Battle of Naktong Bulge, which was an engagement between UN forces and the North Korean Army from September 1 - September 15, 1950, along the Naktong River in South Korea. This battle was part to the larger fight that comprised the entire Pusan Peninsular. After the First Battle of Naktong Bulge, the 2nd Infantry Division was moved up to defend the Naktong River defensive line. The division had yet to engage the enemy after disembarking from their troop transport from the US. But before they knew it, they were hit by a strong attack by several enemy divisions from across the river. The attack split the 2nd Division entirely in half, as the North Koreans broke through to Yongsan. Of all the attacks in the Pusan Perimeter, this battle was considered the greatest historical threat. This was because the North Koreans were so close to breaking through to the rear thus threatening the entire US supply lines and storage depots.
The urgency of this threat to the Pusan Perimeter prompted the US Marine Corps 1st Provisional Marine Brigade to be brought in to reinforce the US Army troops. However, the UN forces finally counterattacked on September 3 west of Yongsan with casualties on both sides mounting by the minute. Fighting devolved to hand to hand in some areas as the North Koreans threw every thing they had to break the UN forces. Both sides remained locked in battle all along the Naktong River for several more days. But in the end, the North Korean offensive capability was shattered. The Marine landing at Inchon on September 15 served to outflank the enemy forces and cut off their entire main supply line and reinforcement routes. On September 16, the US Eighth Army began its breakout from the Pusan Peninsular forcing the enemy to abandon their defensive positions during the night. In response, enemy units began conducting delaying actions as they tried to get as much of their army as they could back into North Korea. They retreated first from the Masan area on the night of September 18–19, followed by the remainder of their army. The UN forces pursued them aggressively keeping them on the run and not giving them a chance to regroup. It was in this pursuit that Corporal Jefferson Franklin was killed in action on September 19, 1950.
Jefferson's remains were buried in a military cemetery before being disinterred and brought home to Pensacola where he was buried with military honors in the Mount Zion Cemetery in 1952.
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