Jackson Jambalaya

Veterans: Funeral is Sunday. See below for more information.  

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

PFC Charles Noel Milam, age 20, was killed in action on January 31, 1944, as a result of probable enemy artillery fire during WWII.  His unit, Company F, 2^nd Battalion, 7^th Infantry Regiment, 3^rd Infantry Division, landed at Anzio, Italy and was charged with helping to cut off supply lines to the enemy forces near Cisterna di Latina, Italy. He was killed while on patrol but his body was not recovered for some time due to continued heavy combat in the area. When his remains were finally recovered, he could not be positively identified, so he was listed as non-recoverable and buried in an American cemetery in Italy. In September, 2021 his remains were removed from Italy and returned to the US where he was positively identified in May, 2025. He was awarded many service accommodations including the Purple Heart.

Charles was born on July 19, 1923, in Greenville, Mississippi to his late parents, Jarrett Carrol Milam and Alve Olive Overton Milam. He, as most of his siblings, worked in his father’s logging operation. When his siblings were joining the military during WWII, he joined the Army where he served in Northern Africa before becoming part of the Mediterranean Campaign.

He had five brothers, Wilmer, Homer, John, Jesse and David, and four sisters, Mildred Turner, Joy Blackmon, Inez Hartman, and Carroll Milam all of which have since deceased.  He has many surviving nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Sun. Oct. 5, 2025, from 2pm-5pm and on Mon. Oct. 6, 2025, from 10am until 11am at Ott & Lee Funeral Home located at 1360 West Government St. Brandon, MS 39042. Funeral Services are 11am on Mon. Oct. 6, 2025, at the Ott & Lee Funeral Home Chapel in Brandon, MS. Committal Services are 2pm on Mon. Oct. 6, 2025, at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Newton, MS located at 248 Honor Circle Newton, MS 39345. Charles will be supplied full military honors at both the funeral and cemetery ceremonies.