Frenchs story was soon told by the War Gum Trading Card Company. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Charles Jackson French was born in 1919 and grew up in Foreman, Arkansas. The award was presented on May 21, 2022, at Naval Base San Diego, at a ceremony in which the bases rescue swimmer training pool was dedicated in his honor. French, who moved to Omaha as a teen, first enlisted in the US Navy in 1937. Weeks later, he told the story of a heroic mess attendant named "French" who towed a raft full of about 15 wounded sailors including Adrian all night through shark-filled waters until they were rescued. French was a swimmer who performed a heroic act that gave others another chance at life. During the battle, the Bunker Hill was struck by two kamikaze planes which caused the ship to suffer a massive explosion. Charles Jackson French was discharged from the Navy on Nov. 13, 1941, but reenlisted a month later after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A man willing to fight in defense of his country. Darn guys a stud. Linda Thomas of Bowling Green, Virginia, wants President Joe Biden to award the Medal of Honor to Black World War II Navy heroes Doris Miller and Charles Jackson French. Continue scrolling down for more amazing information, videos, books and value items. To see the posts, click here. This meant that if there were family members they had to live in ghettos like the general public. For generations, those of us native to the South have taken great pride in our heritage, our traditions, and in the telling of our stories. A pool and a letter of commendation dont seem like enough for this true American hero. He was recognized locally in September 2022 with the renaming of a Benson post office in his honor. Maybe they can stop naming warships after politicians and go back to naming them after actual heroes? A Black sailor swam against sharks to save his White shipmates. French would go on to earn the name "The Human Tugboat" and garner immense respect from his fellow military peers. French was memorialized on War gum trading cards and in a comic strip. French, who was manning the anti-aircraft guns, was killed in the ensuing explosion, making him one of the first casualties of the battle. Omaha, NE, 68182. Messman Charles French became a hero to his shipmates after their destroyer USS Gregory (DD-82) was sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy ships on 5 September 1942. 2022 State Convention | NAACP: The Urgency of Now, 2023 Virginia NAACP Legislative Priorities, Copyright 2023 French was a swimmer who performed a. Change.org Uh oh. French had only been out of the Navy for a couple of months when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Both Miller and French have been highly decorated for their service, but Thomas wants to see them awarded the top honor. Chester French, nephew of Charles Jackson French, shares remarks at the Hero of the Heartland event. Within days, French, 22, reenlisted. I guess Pedo Joe has already forgotten about Alwyn Cashe. Now, 80 years later, the Navy is finally catching up. French finished a four-year Navy tour in November 1941 and was visiting family in Omaha when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. This is a close as you can get to a system of slavery as it is forced on the service member. He deserves at least the Navy Cross. According to the U.S. Navy Press Office, French had moved to Omaha from Arkansas, but re-enlisted in the Navy days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. French had been hailed as the hero of the Solomon Islands after the sinking of his ship, the USS Gregory, on Sept. 5, 1942, near Guadalcanal. French may have been denied the medal because a Silver Star was awarded to one of his superiors and it was unprecedented to award a higher medal to a subordinate. This cartoon by Black artist Charles Alston for the U.S. Office of War Information celebrates the wartime valor of Charles Jackson French and two other Black sailors, Doris "Dorrie" Miller and Ervin Bell. He will be missed dearly by his family and friends. The story of Charles Jackson French's World War II valor was told and retold, especially in Black newspapers. Organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Veteran Organizations have also shown their support. This is the story of Charles Jackson French, who rescued several soldiers during the Battle of Guadalcanal. In addition to newspaper and radio accounts, his story was told in bubble gum cards, comic strips, a calendar, even a verse by a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. In this story can be found the heretofore-unwritten chapters of one phase of the Negroes march toward freedom in America, written by a man who participated in it. He died in 1956, at age 37, of depression and alcoholism from untreated post-traumatic stress, family members say. Now many feel that a letter of commendation for a heroic eight hour swim through sharks and enemy shell fire is not enough. French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions in 1942. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. Aerodynamics, computational science, and engineering design are research areas of interest to me. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. Award of a Medal of Honor would require congressional intervention, but award of a Navy Cross or a Navy and Marine Corps Medal would not. Use our links to Amazon anytime you shop Amazon. A man discriminated against by the country that he loved, was willing to put his life on the line for. His own father served in the war, too. The mess attendant died in 1956 at only 37 years of age. Charles French managed to load fifteen injured crew members onto a life raft and then tied a rope to the raft and secured the other end to his waist, after which he swam for eight hours through shark-infested water until they were rescued, but received no recommendation for the Medal of Honor. The story of Charles Jackson French is little known and marred by the inevitable racism that permeates our history in America. French swam against the current for between six and eight hours. We know of this story because of the courage demonstrated by Ensign Robert N Adrian, the only officer from the bridge of the Gregory to survive. In his interview with Wright, French described the intense racism he encountered, even after he helped save his shipmates. Jobs People Learning Dismiss Dismiss. Charles Jackson French: Hero Without a Medal. When he is not sitting in front of a laptop, Todd enjoys soaking up everything the Jersey Shore has to offer with his wife, two sons and American Foxhound, Wally. Interspersed in these are items from partners with Amazing Black History that allow you to support our work without cost to you as we are paid a small royalty by the partner. To see these posts, click this link, For Womens History Month 2022 we featured 31 amazing Black women we should all know. The nation's hierarchy denied French the Medal of Honor and did not consider him for a Silver Star, two of the highest honors bestowed for such self-sacrificing bravery. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said in a statement: The story of Charles Jackson French needs to be told and shared for generations to come. The VSC NAACP is in full support of Thomass campaign. The ships first class is the Petty Officer 1st Class. French, a strong swimmer since youth, volunteered to swim the boat away from the Japanese island. This activity includes urging President Biden to posthumously confer the Medals of Honor on Doris Miller and Charles French.. Adrian retired from the Navy in 1966 and died in 2011, without succeeding. French became famous after his commander, Ensign Robert Adrian, told the story on a radio program broadcast across the country. The omission remained on the record for more than four decades. The rescued men angrily reacted to this decision, threatening a fight if it wasnt reversed. The living quarters were strictly segregated as was housing for family members. Inspiring Stories of Black History and Achievement. French was also the only African American to appear on World War II patriotic trading cards issued by GUM, Inc. The mess attended tied a rope around his waist and the boat and began the journey. Born in a small town in California, Charles was a man of many talents. As a result, he is an inspiring example of the bravery and commitment of our youth. Charles Jackson French with his sister, Viola, at a Creighton football game on Oct. 31, 1942, at which he was honored. Charles Jackson French was a Navy Mess Specialist 1st Class Petty Officer the night the USS Gregory (APD 3) was sunk by Japanese destroyers during the Battle of Guadalcanal. French was a swimmer who performed a heroic act that gave others another chance at life. Charles Jackson French is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. The ship sailed on the Pacific Ocean heading towards Guadalcanal. He was a talented carpenter, a skilled handyman, and a master of DIY projects. 80 years later, Omaha hero who swam in shark-infested waters receives Navy honor. The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) launched a new series to recognize the courage and heroic deeds of the heroes who call the Omaha area home. American sailors attempted to separate French from the men he had rescued, but they rebelled, and the American sailors relented. After tying him off, French swam through shark infested waters for 6-8 hours until an American landing craft found them. Yet, history has overlooked him. French volunteered to tow the raft to another island that was safer, however, these were shark infested waters and those on board the raft attempted to talk French out of the mission, but he believed that death by shark would at least be quick and merciful. But after his parents died, he moved to. Charles Jackson French is another unsung Black veteran who demonstrated extreme heroism after his ship was attacked in the early morning of September 5, 1942. Future Hero of the Heartland events may be held during other heritage months to celebrate heroes among a broad array of diverse ethnic groups. You must know this HERO Charles Jackson French, Charles Jackson French survived the destruction of the USS Gregory and then swam for hours dragging a life raft full of his shipmates through Shark infested waters. He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. I like TOWs suggestion too. Eric Ewing, executive director of the Great Plains Black History Museum, shares remarks at the Hero of the Heartland event. Charles Jackson French with his sister, Viola, at a Creighton University football game on Oct. 31, 1942, at which he was honored. Thomas has also been in communication with other senators and members of Congress asking them to support this effort. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The New York Times best-selling story from the author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction. This post office renaming is important to his family, the community of Omaha, and the state of Nebraska. U . He also had a passion for gardening and was an avid reader. Perhaps racism played a role in French not receiving proper recognition. On November 7, 1956, in San Diego, California, Charles Jackson French, 37 at the time, died. French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. In Omaha, French was honored at a Creighton University football game and was selected to lead a crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance at an Armistice Day (now called Veterans Day) event. He deserves a higher award, and a destroyer named in his honor. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it. On September 4th of 1942, the USS Gregory found itself under attack from Japanese destroyers. The Navy mess attendant was credited with swimming for several hours through shark-infested waters while towing a lifeboat filled with wounded shipmates, all of whom were White, until they could be rescued. The bravery that he demonstrated serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that can be made at any age. French was hailed as the hero of the Solomons and the Human Tugboat for his daring rescue of the Pacific during World War II. This might be the first time I agree with Malcolm Nance. He was awarded both the Army and Navy Medal of Honor, the French Mdaille militaire and Croix de Guerre as well as decorations from Italy, Montenegro and Portugal. 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 . 2023 A Month of Tribute to 31 Women We Should All Know, Rosewood A Typical Race Riot in America. charles jackson french swam 6-8 hours in 1942nd a saved 15 of his crewmates and died in 1956. His story was retold in comic strips and trading cards, and he traveled the country to help sell war bonds before enthusiastic crowds. Virginia NAACP President Robert Barnette was pleased to have his Executive Committee give its unanimous support to Mrs. Thomas effort. The night that propelled Charles Jackson French into the role of hero was September 5, 1942, when enemy bombs sank the U.S.S. It took so long.. Steve is the military affairs reporter for The World-Herald. After his military service, French developed alcoholism and depression. Award for Fiction, subscribe to receive more just like it sailed the. 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