102 Year Old Alum, Jack Blackwell, Showing His Sewanee Pride–WATCH
Watch 100+ year old Sewanee alum, Jack Blackwell C’46, give a cheer he learned as a student.
Jack is now 102 and is most likely Sewanee’s oldest living alum.
He started Sewanee in about 1941 and when Pearl Harbor happened he joined the Navy. He steered one of the landing craft into enemy fire at the Battle of Peleliu. He’s a true hero. He returned to Sewanee after the War to finish his degree. VC Guerry told Jack that he had noted Jack was deficient in Chapel attendance, and that Jack would have to attend summer school to make it up in order to return to class. So, this WWII vet then went to summer school, made up his Chapel credits, and graduated from Sewanee. He spent his career at O’Neal Steel in Birmingham, he has a wonderful family, and he loves The University of the South! He’s a great ambassador for Sewanee and well loved by all who know him.