Gibbs Timeline - A HypothesisThis is a featured page

NOT UP TO DATE. Main point of issue: According to 8.09 "Enemies Domestic", Gibbs didn't meet Jenny until the mission in Paris.

This is a hypothesis I have in fitting in Gibbs timeline, which is extremely packed with inconsistant facts throughout differing episodes. This hypothesis is based on facts, and being Australian, I don't have Season 6 yet, and can't complete my hypothesis but welcome corrections. I also can't remember every single line that may have happened involving Gibbs history, but welcome additions (preferably through me). This hypothesis is based on the facts, but some guess work is involved. And no accuracy should be based upon this.

Things to note:

1) I account that the events that happen in the episodes happen around the time they were originally broadcast in America.
2) Before it is revealed that Gibbs had 4 wives, we have to assume that when Gibbs referred to Ex-wives 1, 2, 3, that this was part of his lie/act. After the rest of the team become aware of Shannon, the ex-wife comments usually by DiNozzo, become less frequent but we can't assume which wife he is actually talking about.
3) Source A is
http://ncisreferencelibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Gibbs+CBS+Profile which originally came from CBS's website, but some is false, eg Time in service at NCIS is still listed at 19 years. This is only ever mentioned in the JAG pilot.

Compiled by SpecialWindler.

Shannon and Gibbs, young

Gibbs grew up in Stillwater, Pennsylvania. He is a Virgo so was born sometime between 23 August and 22 September. (4.14) In 1976, he joined the United States Marine Corps. In July 1976, he first met Shannon at Stillwater Train Station. Shannon explained she had rules about aspects of life. This would be the inspiration to Gibbs rules. This would also be the last time he was at Stillwater until an investigation led him there in 2008. (6.04) He most likely attended Marine Corps Recruiting Depot at Parris Island. (2.15) At some stage, he completed Sniper Training.

In 1982, he would marry Shannon. In 1984 they had a daughter named Kelly. (3.24) Gibbs was involved in at least two military operations. Operation Just Cause in Panama 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait 1991. (3.01) Around 1985-87, Gibbs was forced to relocate from where they lived to elsewhere. This caused great distress for Shannon's mother Joanne. (7.16) Sometime during this time, Gibbs started creating some rules, which he stored in a wooden box. Shannon found the box and was curious about the rules. Gibbs had started writing some, but generally not in order. (7.24)

His weapon was the Marine M-40A1 Sniper Rifle with hand-loaded Lapua 308 boat tail, full metal jacket, and moly-coated rounds. (3.01) Gibbs Commanding Officer Colonel William Ryan most likely during his military operation in Desert Storm, where Lieutenant Cameron died in Gibbs arms. This death had an impact on Gibbs with him stating "he thinks about Lieutenant Cameron every day". (1.15) During Desert Storm, Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs was involved with a Lieutenant Patrick Kiley, who were based in a base camp in Doha, Qatar. Kiley's Chief of Staff, later as a senator, told Gibbs that Patrick believes Gibbs made him look good in the Marines. (6.03)

Around 1991 while Gibbs was fighting in Desert Storm, Shannon witnessed a murder of a Marine in Oceanside commited by a Mexican Drug Dealer Pedro Hernández. She and Kelly were put into the protection of a NIS agent but Hernández came after her. A sniper shot the protecting agent in the head while he was driving their van and the resulting crash killed Shannon and Kelly. (3.24)

Kelly, Gibbs and ShannonGibbs was then told about their death in Kuwait. Gibbs was subsequently injured in a bomb blast in Kuwait and was in a coma for nineteen days. (3.23) This was probably Gibb's last military involvement with the Marine Corps. Honorably discharged with rank of GySgt. Received a Silver Star for actions against the enemy in Desert Storm. (Source A) Also recieved a Purple Heart, which presumably was for his injury in the bomb blast. (3.23)

Gibbs was probably quickly returned to the United States after his recovery from injury. He spent some time at Bethesda Naval Medical Centre, as in June 1991, he was released from there and went to see his wife and child's graves. (3.24) Considering this and the fact he was in a coma for nearly 3 weeks, it is likely most of the investigation by Mike Franks was completed. Gibbs was told by Franks what had happened, and Franks left the file about Hernández while he went to take a leak. Gibbs then followed Hernández and killed him by sniper in Mexico. (3.23) Gibbs also left one of his bullets behind as a message which was picked up by
Hernández's daughter. (7.22) Gibbs later said that while some men he has killed or have died still haunt him, Hernandez was not one of them. (7.24)

After Gibbs killed Hernández, he was investigated by a young Lieutenant in the Military Police Lara Macy. Gibbs was the prime suspect into the murder of the Mexican drug dealer. Macy interrogated Gibbs and "didn't hold back" but Gibbs only "wanted closure" and Macy "wouldn't leave his wife and daughter to rest in peace". Macy had got all the evidence together, probably about to prosecute but then she buried it, deciding it was a just killing. Gibbs never knew this but no charges were laid. (6.23) The Mexican authorities also conducted an investigation, but due to shoddy police work, they weren't able to find any suspects. (7.22)

In 1991, after Shannon and Kelly's death, Gibbs was in Columbia doing drug interdiction in a military operation. Gibbs took out a drug dealer/torturer/rapist named Castillo in the heart from 1100 metres (1200 yards). Gibbs came to help Rose's village but a drug cartel came after him and shot Gibbs. Gibbs almost died but Rose hid him and healed him. Gibbs then gave his service number to Rose and to use it if she ever needed help. Rose made her son Thomas remember that number. When Gibbs and Thomas met, Thomas was a Marine, and Gibbs helped him but didn't tell him that the man he took out was his father (6.15)

Franks got Rose and her 1 year old son out of Colombia in 1992. Gibbs was remarried by this time. (6.15) This would suggest that Wife Nº2, whose name is not known but is possibly Ginger Stevenson, married to Gibbs in 1992 or very late 1991. Not much is known about Wife Nº2 and why she divorced. Gibbs states that one of his ex-wives cheated on him while he was on a 3 month deployment as Agent Afloat in the Mediterranean Sea. (1.18) But Gibbs also mentions that Stephanie Flynn, Wife Nº4, is not the cheating type, considering this I would say that Wife Nº2 was the wife he refers to this. (5.03)

From this I would say, that around April 1994, Franks was reassigned from Camp Pendleton/San Diego to Washington D.C. and Gibbs was reassigned to Agent Afloat. After his 3 month deployment, he returned to Washington D.C. with Franks, divorced his second wife, and somewhat quickly married Wife Nº3 named Diane. The date late 1994 comes because in 2004, Ducky had a case 10 years ago on a Lt Jane Doe that Gibbs had no knowledge of. But he has to be in Washington D.C. by 1995 for when he captures infamous serial rapist/killer Kyle Boone. In 1995, when he managed to capture Kyle Boone, Ducky notes that his wife left him because of Gibbs determination to catch Boone. Therefore a divorce happened around 1996. We know this was in D.C., but we also know Franks didn't retire until 1996. (3.03) It seems this is a small inconsistency, or that Franks was away or absent during this time.
Also, Ducky doesn't seem to know Franks as an acquaintance so therefore we can assume they either didn't meet or had very little meetings. (7.06)

Diane left Gibbs practically bankrupt after their divorce due to alimony. (2.23) Diane would later marry Fornell and do a similar leave. Though Ducky states she was "a wonderful woman", (3.03) maybe Diane was waiting for an excuse to leave. Diane hit Gibbs over the head with a left-handed 7-iron golf club. (1.11) On a another matter, I believe when Fornell and Gibbs met in 2003, they didn't know each other. Their friendship only becomes apparent in the episode The Bone Yard, so I'm guessing he didn't marry Diane until 2003/04. They may have had their daughter Emily before they were married. It's the only plausible explanation really.

Franks retired after they were unable to stop the Khobar Towers bombings in June 1996. (3.24) From Gibbs was given the reins of his "team" that is unseen. But I believe he was then reassigned to Europe, almost immediately. One possibility is that Gibbs was given his own team in Europe somewhere. I believe he was the boss of a team which involved Jenny Shepard and Stan Burley. It is mentioned both that Burley worked for Gibbs for 5 years, and he had Tony's desk before him. This would mean that he worked sometime in Washington D.C., but also he has worked for five years before Tony which begins in 1996. (1.06) A plausible explanation is that Burley worked with Gibbs while in Europe.

Gibbs and JennyShepard says that they were undercover during their time in Serbia. (4.01) No date is given to this, but I would estimate it happened in 1997 or 1998. I believe it to involve G Callen as it is said that Gibbs saved Callen's life in Serbia. (6.22) I would say they were undercover together. Also for Gibbs to believe enough in Callen to tell him he had four wives, I believe he must have worked with him more, perhaps in his team with Shepard and Burley. Though when he told him he had four wives, a lot more people knew, and he may not have needed to lie.

At some time Brent Langer also worked with Gibbs with no real date given. (5.11) This could have been part of a team during Europe, perhaps after Callens leaving. Or it could have been during his time in Washington later in 2000-2001 (as DiNozzo has no knowledge of him). Or it could have been earlier around 1995-1996, and Gibbs could have had a relationship, similar to DiNozzo and McGee, under Franks. Though, Gibbs tells Langer that this is the third boat he has worked on since he last saw him. Considering it took Gibbs six years (though a lot of interruptions) to build the boat we see in Seasons 1-6, this probably means the 1995-1996 explanation is more plausible. (5.11)

We also know that Ducky worked with Gibbs sometime during his time in Europe, as Jenny Shepard helped Gibbs and Ducky escape by arranging a sailboat for them to sail across the English Channel to England when Ducky pushed someone off a 20 m (60 ft) cliff to the lake below. (1.03 and 4.10) This happened while they were in France evidently. I could hypothesise, that Ducky was reassigned with Gibbs to Europe, maybe because he requested it, or some other reason. It could also just be Ducky on a small trip there (I believe Ducky makes many trips around the world), and wanted to meet Gibbs and had some bad luck. Though I don't think Ducky was with Gibbs the whole time while he was in Europe.

When Gibbs wasn't working undercover, I think he was working as a Case agent at one of Europe's NCIS centres. Stan Burley worked with Gibbs on these occasions when he wasn't working undercover, as was Shepard. Mainly because Jenny Shepard learned all of Gibbs rules, and some of them would not be relevant to undercover cases. They must have worked a lot of crime scene investigations in Europe and maybe even in Washington D.C. as in early 1998, Gibbs caught a serial killer Celia Roberts in the Washington D.C. area. (6.12) This means he must have worked sometime in Washington D.C. and this would also explain Jenny knowing somewhat about Gibbs' boats and his ex-wives. (3.01)

It is also well known about Paris in 1999. Gibbs and Jenny were undercover attempting to infiltrate a Russian Spy Ring. (5.19) In a stakeout in Marseille, France, Jenny and Gibbs had a dinner and it was the first time they had sex. (3.02) Sometime during the mission, Gibbs also covered up for Jenny when she made a mistake shooting a man she wasn't supposed to. (3.10) We also know from a flashback, that Gibbs was arrested by French Police while Jenny looked on. (3.??) This could have been the mistake Jenny made. Presumably, the mission ended when Gibbs and Jenny were meant to kill Anatoly and Svetlana Chernitskaya respectively. Antoly was a former KGB hit man who was selling his services to the highest bidder and Svetlana was his handler. Gibbs killed Anatoly but Jenny was unable to kill Svetlana for reasons unknown (though I believe it to be similar to why Kate didn't kill Ari). Considering Anatoly was said to go missing in 1999, they either removed the body or the local authorities failed to identify him. Gibbs did not verify and presumed that Jenny's kill had been completed.

I believe the Paris undercover mission happened in early 1999 for around 3-4 months. Some guesswork here, but we know that Wife Nº4 Stephanie Flynn thought there was an affair happening between Gibbs and Jenny before they were married. (5.03) I would anticipate they got married mid 1999, and Gibbs was reassigned to Moscow, unlikely undercover. I doubt Jenny came with him to Moscow, after she wrote him the 'Dear John' letter, but I believe Stan Burley would have. Also to note is that according to Ducky, he introduced Stephanie to Gibbs. (2.11) Now, this could mean that Ducky was in Moscow as well and knew Stephanie, though she doesn't talk to Ducky anymore, or that they met in France, where Ducky we know has been with Gibbs.

It is said that Gibbs lived a year in Moscow with Stephanie. They were also only married for 14 months confirmed.(5.03) Now, according to Ducky, in late 1999 he states his [fourth wife] hit Gibbs over the head with a baseball bat, and Ducky stitched him up while working on a ant-eaten Marine. (1.05) Gibbs also states that he has slept on a convertible sofa for seven months, which DiNozzo remarks confidently in accuracy that it was his [fourth wife]. This to me, would say, if he went to Moscow around May 1999 and if he married in say July 1999. He spent 9 months (7 married), rounded up to a year by Gibbs, in Moscow and early 2000 was recalled to Washington D.C. Ducky also noted that Gibbs was extremely angry during the divorce, similar to that when trying to find Ari Haswari's name. Gibbs was tracking down a child murderer and rapist, but it took him nearly a year to track the killer down by which time the murderer had attacked again. Ducky noted that Gibbs was hard to live with at that point. (1.23) I'm guessing Stephanie didn't like this and maybe not the new scene in Washington D.C. and hit him with a baseball bat and was stitched up by Ducky in early 2000. And for the next seven months was sleeping on a convertible sofa, while the divorce was in process. We know that Stephanie in the years succeeding their divorce got drunk on their anniversary and repeatedly called Gibbs. (1.02) I believe that Stephanie would have stopped this after their meeting and slight reconciliation in October 2007.

Meanwhile, he and Stan were back in Washington D.C. Major Case Response Team. Using the term 'team', 2 people seems more of a partnership like Franks and Gibbs than a team concept. Therefore, some other member probably filled the void. Judging by the pilot episodes, quite a few personnel may have filled the position. Abby and Ducky were probably there in that building as well from when Gibbs came back. As I believe this is the time when Abby and Gibbs meet, I note that over the next few years Abby had a tendency to talk to Gibbs' ex-wives. (3.15) Gibbs also knows the number of one of his ex-wives at the Jackson hotel of a permanent resident. This means he had contact with at least one of his ex-wives, though this may have been more about the alimony. (1.10)

Now we know Stan Burley left in 2001 and he was replaced by Anthony DiNozzo in circumstances unknown. (1.06) DiNozzo came onto the team around October 2001. (1.05) Probably again, there were a few different personnel that filled the third spot (similar to the number of agents they get in Season 7 episodes 1 & 2). Kate Todd joined in mid 2003, and the rest is on our television screens in the form of NCIS seasons 1-8.


SpecialWindler
SpecialWindler
Latest page update: made by SpecialWindler , Dec 14 2010, 4:42 AM EST (about this update About This Update SpecialWindler Edited by SpecialWindler

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Tuvok101 Nice job ! 8 Apr 12 2010, 7:15 AM EDT by Tuvok101
Thread started: Apr 11 2010, 12:09 PM EDT  Watch
Pretty impressive.

To fill in what you have'nt seen yet, since your inAUstralia, I suggest you read through the episodes' synopsis on the site, concentrating on the section ""New chartacters developments" that may help you find more details.
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Roxdavis gibbs relationships 1 Feb 18 2010, 11:32 PM EST by Willow22
Thread started: Feb 17 2010, 10:11 PM EST  Watch
what ever happened to him and Cornal Mann? I never seen the break up. Are they still together or is he dating now, and it's just not on the show, as yet?
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