French was an unassuming 58 and 195 pounds when Navy Ensign Robert Adrian, with injuries in his legs and blast fragments in his eyes, regained consciousness and saw French swimming around and gathering injured shipmates to pile onto a raft. The publication for writers and readers to create and read amazing content, Actress, Stage playwright, Author, Motivational Speaker, Teacher Fitness Coach. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. There are campaigns to demand a Congressional Medal of Honor for Petty Officer Charles Jackson French posthumously and plans for the Navy to dedicate a rescue swimmer pool in his honor. Charles Jackson French Obituary. You can always change this later in your Account settings. A system error has occurred. Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, Revolutionized American Warfare, Taylor Sheridan Is Taking on the Military World With New Spy Thriller, Mission Daybreak Rewards Those Fighting Against Veteran Suicide With Millions, Volunteers Needed for the Million Veteran Program. But, while his heroic story was later made public, Charles Jackson French received little recognition during his life. Adrian and other white Americans owe their LIVES to a black man whom he identified as a mess attendant named French,' the Pittsburgh Courier, a Black newspaper, wrote after French was identified. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Charles French (and family) *Charles Jackson French was born on this date in 1919. Lest We Forget. With gunfire continuing all around them, French, a nearly 23-year-old Black man who wasnt even permitted to swim with his fellow white Sailors during training, tied a rope around his waist, tied the rope to the raft, and began to swim. French returned to Omaha when his deployment ended in November 1941, but he wouldnt stay in Nebraska for long. French was memorialized on War Gum trading cards, in syndicated comic strips, on calendars, and The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 17741985, Record Group 92. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. The National Archives at College Park, College Park, Maryland. In 2005, based on results from the DNA research, Jackson's involvement was revealed in the following murders: endstream endobj 264 0 obj <>stream Some speculate that alcoholism played a role, as there are some reports of French having to deal with the stresses of returning from war alone. 4=yDZ &yK[ #x+T.$P"> Ty\I @44mP_dFI+ (.~O|#I=xO7Zz_/p>b;rv6IH/wYI@S* 4168 to rename an Omaha post office for French. Navy May Recognize Black WWII Sailor Who Towed Wounded Shipmates Through Shark-Infested Waters Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by Japanese warships near Guadalcanal. Liberals do not By Jer Clifton on March 1, 2023 . French saved the lives of more than a dozen Sailors by swimming through the night, dragging a raft full of injured shipmates through shark-infested waters. Sheritha Jones, Back in the Day, October 30, 1942: Omahas Hero of the Solomon Islands Returns Home to Honors. Omaha World-Herald, October 31, 2021, https://omaha.com/news/local/history/back-in-the-day-oct-30-1942-omahas-hero-of-the-solomon-islands-returns-home/article_ef06042c-2788-11ec-a5e1-4b1dd928d8f4.html. ), Interment Control Forms, 19281962. 0000012751 00000 n He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. nv]Ps;d4=;.%6HF>|m}hQIk5C).vH x3F:D0efNyh>x?EKJR1Vr #i DD2o0P_zsYje!o,V After the war the officers of the unit that killed the white unit were executed for war crimes. The situation caused the English royal house of Plantagenet and the French royal House of Valois to lock horns over the throne of France. Many of the bases and training facilities were located in the South, in addition to the largest military installation for Black soldiers, Fort Huachuca, located in Arizona. Charles J. French, Naval Hero born. He was never seen again. On the French side was Philip VI, first cousin of Charles IV. ;P"f But finally, after six decades, his heroic acts during World War II are finally being recognized and rewarded. This is the family of Charles Jackson French. Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member subscribers are now members! French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. French was a swimmer who performed a. loneliness and of death. [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]. The newspaper continued: Although Mess Attendant Charles Jackson French of Arkansas was not in a heroic job, he MADE a heroic job out of it. If ever there was a time for survival mode, its the middle of the night when youre injured and your ship is sinking into the ocean. He was only 37 years old. HUn0+B-Q[5PtU@$ 0000125789 00000 n r\a W+ Fellow troops tried to talk him out of the desperate move, to take cover and escape the shark-infested waters, but French wouldnt listen. Pictured is Charles with his sister Viola during a public appearance at a football game in Omaha, Nebraska,1943. SAN DIEGO - The Navy dedicated a surface rescue swimmer training pool located at Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) in honor of Steward's Mate 1st Class Charles Jackson French Saturday, May 21, 2022. cemeteries found in San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He told a nurse that propofol was the only cure for his insomnia. 0000189418 00000 n Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. At the time, Black and white pools were segregated, making it difficult for Black people to find opportunities to learn to swim. On a pitch-black night in 1942, the What happened next would take Navy Messman Charles Jackson French from the mess hall and into quiet adoration for his bravery. HUmo0/Fj'C&ThnR34M&-83(>g9t&i&M$]u8#J"I+K*$eS,tY9Jw*/dZZdW+uES3 n %}*ht0.x'AK){O"Nui -4Rdm9X{H$gU~7V;"~[L;ubr=@xd This account has been disabled. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. His main claim to fame (sounds strange to say that about a king of . In 1649, one vote caused Charles I of England to be executed. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. TIL about Navy Seaman Charles Jackson French who, after his ship the USS Gregory was sunk in WWII, swam for 6-8 hours towing a raft of 15 survivors through shark-infested waters. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. 0000010538 00000 n 0000003773 00000 n Despite his heroism, the ignorantly prejudiced United States all but ignored French. The award was presented on May 21, 2022, at Naval Base San Diego, at a ceremony in which the base's rescue swimmer training pool was dedicated in French's honor. endstream endobj 257 0 obj <>/Metadata 35 0 R/Pages 34 0 R/StructTreeRoot 37 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 258 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 259 0 obj <> endobj 260 0 obj <> endobj 261 0 obj <> endobj 262 0 obj <> endobj 263 0 obj <>stream But since then, theres been a push to give this forgotten World War II hero his due. He was serving as a mess man on the USS Gregory when it was sunk by Japanese forces near the Solomon Islands . Three Japanese destroyers Ydachi, Hatsuyuki, and Murakumo came into the Slot undetected to bombard American positions ashore. 0000012613 00000 n He asked for help to tie a rope around his waist and towed them to safety. 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. 0000003092 00000 n And as sharks circled below, and Japanese soldiers fired from all around, a Black mess officer named Charles Jackson French leaped into action. Charles II of Navarre was the son of Philip, Count of Evreux and Jeanne, the only surviving child of Louise X of France and Navarre. In addition, Rep. Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general, has petitioned the navy, asking for French to be considered for a posthumous medal of honor. To serve side-by-side with his fellow troops knowing the unfair treatment he faced is one thing, but to be willing to put his body under such duress to save them is beyond heroic. He was a powerful swimmer, and swam all night, 6 to 8 hours until they were eventually saved by a landing craft.. Twitter Charles Jackson French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his bravery. He served his four years in the Navy working the mess decks of Hawaii-based heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) and returned home to Nebraska in 1941. Foreman, Little River County, Arkansas, USA, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. 0000004758 00000 n Growing Up and Early Naval Days. 0000184407 00000 n French is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. Death 17 Nov 1968 (aged 51) Burial. It was Charles Jackson French, a negro mess attendant known only by his last name. After the death of his parents, he lived with an older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. Oops, something didn't work. 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. He re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor where he was assigned to . zH#mAqtI U.S. NavyCharles Jackson French salutes while next to his sister Viola at a Creighton University football game on Oct. 31, 1942. He had enlisted in the United States Navy in 1937. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. HUKo0WEo@-0cmVbHJO40`~H#)QzU2:A./nnIyU$"b}V$9,%,L3SBC.F6k*\f0tJ-. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Charles Jackson French, a Black Navy swimmer and petty officer finally gets recognition for his courage to save his White teammates during World War II. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease and the only use of nuclear weapons in war. By Navy standards, it would be nearly unprecedented for a subordinate to receive a higher decoration for an act of heroism comparable to that of a superior.. Baltimore, MD 21202, Washington, DC Office During Frenchs time in the military, segregation was still an issue he faced. The crew of high-speed transport USS Gregory (APD 3) were returning from transferring a Marine Raider Battalion to Savo Island on the night of Sept. 4, 1942. Uline Arena Building endstream endobj 269 0 obj <>stream 0000176236 00000 n Them white boys stood up for me, French emotionally told Wright. Charles Jackson French has a story thats been forgotten in the pages of history. 0000732899 00000 n I thought you might like to see a memorial for Charles Jackson French I found on Findagrave.com. He served two stints in the Navy. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Charles De Gaulle in Algiers, Algeria, June 1958, where he made an ambiguous and broad emotional appeal to all inhabitants, declaring "Je vous ai compris" (I have understood you). French was born in Foreman, Arkansas in about 1920. endstream endobj 265 0 obj <> endobj 266 0 obj [285 0 R] endobj 267 0 obj <>stream HTM0+|] r7CJ1qh,ofo!l22}4go5 %Y,VkWdV0Rl'GDD+"A[*qMQV.:7yj~UO8z"a)/AW_zwU(:eE>W0T x'?CsJEJ0B~|!Sed8y%>%lI8 ~f0&Y|q`e'Z3%>UJ+0Q,Oi6Z?pQYCGUw } X:jSlS8*%Qs&@SFCe1j;A*dr|JWx@!66mNs/&GAxy2 c3q:m ;">7 May we all proceed and help others with the courage and strength of Messman Charles Jackson French, a name that will never be forgotten. , Sept. 25, 1919 was a swimmer who performed a. loneliness of! During a public appearance at a football game in Omaha, Nebraska,1943 and white pools were segregated making!, Back in the pages of history in 1649, one vote caused Charles I of England to be.. An ongoing project Charles French ( and family ) * Charles Jackson French has a thats! 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