Four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, French reenlisted into the Navy and was assigned to Gregory in March 1942. I have a new hero and his name is Charles Jackson French. Instead, he received a letter of commendation from Adm. William F. Halsey, Jr. in May 1943. He had first enlisted in the navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. Just tell me if Im going the right way, French said as he began to tow the raft full of injured Sailors, according to a 1942 radio dramatization introducing Adrian to tell Frenchs story. What is Charles' ethnicity and where did his parents, grandparents & great-grandparents come from? 0000190535 00000 n Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men was adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. Try again later. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, re-enlisted in the United States Navy. Dozens of Americans were killed and many others wounded, including French. French enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served four years. He had first enlisted in the navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. m>5(hWbr09kl~UY_+`/Nm3nkJ@/9ByIm%*lnQylK1i%{#iptztv2l#1!@9P zk2zdhCF d8znYGE(0Lt(C5M3F+|tx$Cwp5rqbCL lHo5V}U; GW@OV-'ig%}6;]/kUuFX=ue` ^ You can always change this later in your Account settings. Help paint a picture of Charles so that he is always remembered. [Charles Jackson French's name might not be a household one, but he was once named the Hero of the Year by the Chicago Defender. And white soldiers and local white residents routinely slurred and harassed them.. French was lucky enough to escape without much harm and began gathering injured Sailors to put into a raft. On the night of September 4, 1942, during the Battle of Guadalcanal, the USS Gregory was struck by an attack from multiple Japanese destroyers. "Then French volunteered to swim the raft away from shore. A depiction of French's heroic actions was included in the WWII Commemorative Card Set produced by Gum Inc., based in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Sadly, it wasnt much of a fight. In June 2021, he was honored by USA Swimming at the Olympics Swim Trials in Omaha. @Ll&F"|s^`l"1~#L-;x?z>G6?QUTNA/"yVb]-ef6&u&:3'rjW7D]UH)PpA-+vKN|Vz1Jb#c BF6P)cjTu #A Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 - November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. recommended by Julian Jackson. He said that he was more afraid of the Japanese shooting at him than the sharks, and he continued on his way. 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G Postal Service held a ceremony Friday in Omaha to formally rename the Benson branch post pffice for World War II Navy veteran Charles Jackson French. French family member is 72. Who is Charles French to you? In addition to the War Gum trading card, his story was told in syndicated comic strips, on calendars and he made public appearances across the country to promote the sale of War Bonds. Archived. The Navy plans to dedicate a rescue swimming training pool in May 2022 at Naval Base San Diego to French in honor of his heroic actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal. In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, Charles VII inherited the throne of France under desperate circumstances.Forces of the Kingdom of England and the duke of Burgundy occupied Guyenne and northern France . The commendation stated: For meritorious conduct in action while serving on board of a destroyer transport which was badly damaged during the engagement with Japanese forces in the British Solomon Islands on September 5, 1942. On the night of September 5, 1942, French was on board the U.S.S. Steward's Mate 1 st Class Charles Jackson French was sailing aboard the USS Gregory early on the morning of Sept. 5, 1942, when Japanese destroyers opened fire on the high-speed transport. Charles Jackson French was a United States Navy sailor. Just tell me if Im going the right way, French said. endstream endobj 265 0 obj <> endobj 266 0 obj [285 0 R] endobj 267 0 obj <>stream He is also recognized by the International Swimming Hall of Fame.Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French passed away on November 7th, 1956 at the age of 37. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Adrian told him it was impossible that he would only be giving himself up to the sharks that surrounded them "French responded that he was not afraid. Charles Jackson, one of the most successful failures in American letters, wished as fiercely as any writer for literary immortality. His father skipped out on the family when he was 10 and the boy completed his elementary education in Newark, then began college at Syracuse University but abruptly quit. On September 5, 1942, Charles Jackson French swam through the night for almost 6 - 8 hours and pulled a raft of 15 wounded sailors using a rope around his stomach through shark infested waters.May Charles Jackson Frenchs soul rest in peace. 0000164150 00000 n Charles Jackson French was born on 25 Sep 1919. Born Sept. 25, 1919, French died on Nov. 7, 1956, at 37. We have no information about Charles's family. After his parents died, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with his sister. While the crews of Gregory and Little debated whether to engage the Japanese destroyers or depart quietly, a Navy pilot also spotted the flashes of fire. According to Swimming World Magazine, French's rank was elevated above a mere mess mate, but he and others were still derided in the Black press as "seagoing bellhops.". Who were the people in Charles' life? Still, the man that we know and remember is one whos a testament to doing the right thing even when its not easy and putting others before yourself. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Select the next to any field to update. [6] Adm. Halsey was then commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet. French, who moved to Omaha as a teen, first enlisted in the US Navy in 1937. It wasnt until 1988 that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was promoted by President Ronald Reagan to the cabinet executive level. Foreman, Little River County, Arkansas, USA, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. Family members linked to this person will appear here. He had first enlisted in the navy in 1937[1] and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. 0000110683 00000 n He died on November 7, 1956, in San Diego, California; he was only 37 years old. 0000164266 00000 n Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. %PDF-1.4 % 0000012613 00000 n French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. 0000012998 00000 n STEWARDS MATE 1/C US NAVY WORLD WAR II On September 5, 1942, United States Navy Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, of Omaha Nebraska, swam through the night for 6 - 8 hours pulling a raft of 15 wounded sailors with a rope around his stomach through shark infested waters after the USS Gregory was hit by Japanese naval fire near Guadalcanal. episode was complicated by the issuance of a posthumous Silver Star to Lt. Cdr.H. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. He enlisted in the Navy shortly after turning 18. Thank you for your service and your valor, Mr. French. "Omaha Negro Hero of Ship Disaster," (Columbus, Neb. ), Interment Control Forms, 19281962. "Once Charles Jackson French was identified, he became a national hero. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. H\n0Fy 0000009327 00000 n 0000054932 00000 n When twenty-four or twenty-five of his injured shipmates were unable to swim to safety, French tied a rope around his . 734 death records, 32 followers 14.9k+ favorites. Julian Jackson reads a biography that helps to solve de Gaulle's mysteries Charles de Gaulle speaks at a ceremony in Bruneval in 1947. the average French family member Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. By the feat, French should have become the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroic feat in 1943, however, he was denied the Medal of Honor or Silver Star. Adrian, though superficially wounded, was able to hang on. Mess Attendant 1st Class Charles Jackson French, known only at the time by his last name, was on Gregory that night. zH#mAqtI ancestry.com, "Chicago Defender Interviews Navy Hero on Rescues," (Chicago), Black Swimming History: Forgotten Hero of WWII, https://ishof.org/assets/charles-jackson-french_article.pdf, "How Charles French swam eight hours in shark waters to save 15 U.S sailors in WWII", "Navy Dedicates Rescue Swimmer Training Pool and Presents Posthumous Award to WWII Hero's Family", "Remembering a Forgotten World War II Hero", "Omaha post office to be renamed in honor of local World War II hero", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Jackson_French&oldid=1116036338, United States Navy personnel of World War II, African-American United States Navy personnel, Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, People from Little River County, Arkansas, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 October 2022, at 13:20. Previously, hydrogen bombs had only been tested on the ground. m1zQ+Q=,m ZpS#Ar4HB|jP;eKKFZIz loT~Lwz8XZ+ $2=CWH#r#Tm#e4Y#jW#QX:0;"-Q:HA@(2+dh!`Z6-$Hh1bS{RoQ#-2 G=A}k 8B9Ns~#^Z-0I0L%%l^UjT7;Bw0 29iGjoU6[QqgYB6,)-$tWga(PC`[ImnM!bxyghkxH> ' W French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943.French's story first came to light when Robert N. Adrian a young ensign, told a reporter from the Associated Press about how Charles braved the Pacific Ocean to bring the men to safety.Ensign Adrian was the only one on the bridge to survive and floated over into the water as the ship sank below him. Jump in and swim for two hours straight, then come back and tell us how you feel. She flew over 2,000 miles in just under 15 hours. Writer: The Lost Weekend. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. (NNPA Newswire) It remains by far one of the most heroic acts performed in war, and it also counts as one of the most underappreciated sacrifices in American history. *(*B)$wHHB3Mg (U.S. Navy) CITATION: PUBLIC DOMAIN BY U S NAVY. Lest We Forget. trailer He asked for help to tie a rope around his waist and towed them to safety." 0000003092 00000 n Adrian told him it was impossible that he would only be giving himself up to the sharks that surrounded them "French responded that he was not afraid. The bill can now proceed to the Senate floor. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) If you are interested, you are suggested to go through this video, Charles Jackson French Cause of Death.Post going through the entire video, you will get a better idea about the real and accurate news. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.. When 2 or more people share their unique perspectives, Lest We Forget. 0000001833 00000 n Charles de Gaulle had 'a certain idea of France' which even he didn't manage to articulate clearly. O6z ` ~+ This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Outgunned, Gregory only lasted three minutes from the time the flares were dropped to the time she began to sink. Do you find this information helpful? Contributor: Judy Borden Soos (46958020) To use this feature, use a newer browser. awesome reading . Attacked by the Japanese in the South Pacific. 0000003885 00000 n Swimming until sunrise, French and the 15 Sailors on the raft he was towing were spotted by a scout aircraft. 0000125572 00000 n [2] With the attack on Pearl Harbor, French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, re-enlisted in the United States Navy. And in June 2022, President Joe Biden signed a bill renaming the US Post Office in Omaha, Nebraska, the Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office. Wars/Conflicts: World War Ii. 0000102129 00000 n French was also the only African American to appear on World War II patriotic trading cards issued by GUM, Inc. After his military service, French suffered from alcoholism and depression. Three Japanese destroyers Ydachi, Hatsuyuki, and Murakumo came into the Slot undetected to bombard American positions ashore. %%EOF You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. 0000163762 00000 n [10], In June 2022, President Biden signed into law (H.R.4168) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6223 Maple Street, in Omaha, Nebraska, as the Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office.[11]. 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