Jack P. F. Gremillion
Jack Paul Faustin Gremillion, Sr. (June 15, 1914 – March 2, 2001), was the Democratic Attorney General of Louisiana from 1956 to 1972. He is widely known for his political partnership with the 45th governor of Louisiana, Earl Long. [1]
Jack P.F. Gremillion | |
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.jpg) Gremillion in 1956 | |
| In office May 1956 – May 1972 | |
| Preceded by | Fred S. Leblanc |
| Succeeded by | William J. Guste |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jack Paul Faustin Gremillion June 5, 1914 Ascension Parish, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | March 2, 2001 (aged 86) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 5 |
| Education | Ascension Catholic High School (High school) Louisiana State University (BA) LSU Law Center (JD) |
| Profession | Attorney |
Early Life
Jack Gremillion was born on June 5, 1914 in Donaldsonville, Louisiana to parents, William Kossuth Gremillion (1881-1939) and Genoa Henderson Gremillion (1892-1969). His father was a telegraph operator and his mother was a teacher. Jack attended high school in his hometown of Donaldsonville at Ascension Catholic High School. Due Gremillion's french descent, him and his family spoke French fluently.
Personal Life
Gremillion married Doris McDonald (1920-1989) and had four sons and one daughter; Jack P.F. Gremillion, Jr., William McDonald Gremillion, Wayne Francis Gremillion, Doris H. Gremillion, and Charles Mark Gremillion. Gremillion was known for his confidence, determination, and unique personality. In reference to his described character, Gremillion owned many dachshunds throughout his life, he unexplainably named them all Sam. However, "Sam" was the pen name for when Gremillion submitted articles to various newspapers and media in the Baton Rouge area.
Law Career
Upon graduating from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor's degree, Gremillion attended LSU Law. Gremillion worked in the local district attorney's office and was mentored by Fred S. Leblanc, whom he later succeeded as Attorney General of Louisiana. Gremillion was a member of the American Bar Association. However, his law career took a pause when he served in World War II through the United States Army. After the war, Gremillion continued his law career and worked as a prosecutor. [2]
Military
Landing on D-day +4 Gremillion was an Infantry Company Commander, Company L, (3rd BN) Second Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division. He was severely wounded near Le Perron France leading to the assault of St.Lo. Gremillion used his veteran status from World War II to attract veteran voters. At this day and age, it was rare for veterans to speak up about their time in the military. However, Gremillion talked about his war experience in numerous speeches. Gremillion received a Purple Heart for his bravery during World War II. Bill Dodd mentioned, "I knew he had a good war record and that he had received a Purple Heart. He got it from a gunshot wound he received while leaning over to help a fallen infantry man. The bullet or shrapnel hit Gremillion in the belly and traveled down between his legs. Gremillion liked to talk about his Purple Heart, but he never said where he got shot."
Dodd continued to speak on Gremillion's war record by saying, "Our hero, Jack Gremillion, was breathing gunpowder and killing Germans. Why he almost got killed himself when an enemy shell plowed into one of his most vital organs; if you don't believe Jack Gremillion earned his Purple Heart, he will show you the scars he has to prove it."
Gremillion had an on-character response to Dodd's comments when he said, "Dodd, I appreciate your bragging on my war record, but don't tell the crowds that I will show them where I got shot. Several of those darn rednecks wanted me to show them my scars and got mad when I refused to pull down my pants." [3]
Political Career
Gremillion's rise to Attorney General of Louisiana was a very unique progression. Earl Long tapped Gremillion to succeed his long-time mentor Fred S. Leblanc during his uncle's funeral, where Gremillion was attending as a pallbearer. Soon after, Gremillion defeated Leblanc and became Attorney General in 1952. Gremillion went on to serve 4 consecutive terms as Attorney General of Louisiana. [4]
Landmark Affairs
Tidelands
Gremillion contributed a great amount of effort in the prolonged battle between the state of Louisiana and the U.S. Federal Government in the "Tidelands" issue. The issue was centered around the offshore oil management and royalties on the coast of Louisiana. Gremillion defended Louisiana's right to the Tideland territory which he claimed was 10.5 miles off the coast. In opposition, the United States Supreme Court only granted Louisiana 3 out of the 10.5 miles. Many notable figures claimed that this was a punishment for the state of Louisiana. For example, Ken Dejean (whom was a special assistant to various Louisiana Attorney Generals) stated "This was, in effect, punishment. We should have gotten a much larger piece of the pie. We had strong leadership and some of the brightest legal minds working on this case. … We had strong leadership and some of the brightest legal minds anywhere working on this case.[5]
Awards and Recognition
Gremillion is considered to be one of the most prestigious Attorney Generals of Louisiana through his several awards and leadership history. Gremillion was a member of many organizations, he was especially involved in the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). Gremillion won the organization's most prestigious award, the Wyman Memorial Award, in the year of 1963. This award was presented to the most distinguished Attorney General in the country. Gremillion later served two terms as the NAAG's president in 1965. In 1962 and 1963, Gremillion sat on the board as chairman on the Southern Regional Conference of Attorneys General. As previously noted he was a member of many organizations including: The State Bond and Tax Board, the Pardon Board and the Legislative Bureau. [6]
References
- '"Jack P. F. Gremillion," Who's Who in America, 1968.
- https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Jack_P.F._Gremillion
- https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Jack_P.F._Gremillion
- https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Jack_P.F._Gremillion
- https://www.conservapedia.com/Jack_P._F._Gremillion
- https://www.conservapedia.com/Jack_P._F._Gremillion
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Fred S. Leblanc |
Louisiana Attorney General 1972–1992 |
Succeeded by William J. Guste |
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