During World War II, he served as a U.S. sailor. After his military service, French developed alcoholism and depression. It is the service's highest award for noncombat heroism . Notably, the letter reduced the hours French spent swimming from six-eight to two. Itwould ef. . During World War II Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French swam 68 hours in shark-infested waters near Guadalcanal while towing a life raft with 15 USS Gregory survivors of an attack by the Japanese Imperial Navy. A self-declared light-skinned woman evasive about her ethnicity, yet steadfast in her love for her 12 Black children. We receive a small royalty without cost to you. 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When Adrian told him that the swim would be arduous and the water was full of sharks, French responded that he was more afraid of the Japanese than he was of the sharks. charles jackson french swam 6-8 hours in 1942nd a saved 15 of his crewmates and died in 1956. He also had a passion for gardening and was an avid reader. 6001 Dodge Street, Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. Yeah, I know, not with this illegitimate regime in place. French was a swimmer who performed a. The Omaha World-Herald reported that Frenchs story was brought back to prominence through a social media post by the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Rear Adm. Charles Brown presented eight of Frenchs relatives with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal on May 21 in San Diego. The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. urging Congress and President Joe Biden to posthumously award French the Medal of Honor . Dismiss. The story of Charles Jackson French's World War II valor was told and retold, especially in Black newspapers. I nearly peed on myself when one of them sharks [touched] my feet. 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. Another of Frenchs nephews, 89-year-old Roscoe Harris of Omaha, also attended, along with two of his own sons and three of his grandsons. French was born in Arkansas in 1919, but moved to Omaha as a youth to live with his married older sister, Viola. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Continue for more information on the site and posts that may be of interest. The server is misbehaving. American sailors attempted to separate French from the men he had rescued, but they rebelled, and the American sailors relented. Perhaps it was that he wasnt considered to be in combat. I guess Pedo Joe has already forgotten about Alwyn Cashe. Virginia NAACP President Robert Barnette was pleased to have his Executive Committee give its unanimous support to Mrs. Thomas effort. www.epmcknight.wixsite.epfitspiration Follow me: Tiktok, imdb.me/epmcknight. Ensign Robert Adrian realized that the currents were pulling the lifeboat back towards a Japanese-held island. 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. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. Rep. Don Bacon Honors Navy Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Winners of World War II. It is not necessary to purchase the item in the link. In cases where you shop at Amazon for example you are encouraged to use our links anytime you shop there. He was also featured in a 1943 comic book and was honored at halftime during a Creighton University football game. This is the story of Charles Jackson French, who rescued several soldiers during the Battle of Guadalcanal. I [just] froze and tried to surface and float, [get] my feet outta the water.. Her husband, Floyd, has served on the Caroline Board of Supervisors for. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Don Bacon,cleared the House of Representatives in March. Follow him on Twitter @SteveLiewer. U . Retroactive to 7 December 1941, the criteria and procedure for award of the medal were likely not yet formalized when word of Frenchs heroics came in. You gotta be kidding me. 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. 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. French became famous after his commander, Ensign Robert Adrian, told the story on a radio program broadcast across the country. Took the thoughts right outa my head SFC D. And if the shark had of tried to bite this Hero in those big brass ones, the shark woulda broke off a few teeth. In May 2022, the Navy finally presented French'srelatives with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal in recognition of his heroics. French, a Black man from Foreman, Arkansas, worked as a mess attendant on a destroyer transport ship named the USS Gregory, according to a 1943 Associated Press article. 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. Category: Historical, Navy, Valor, War Stories, We Remember. This activity includes urging President Biden to posthumously confer the Medals of Honor on Doris Miller and Charles French.. French made public appearances after the rescue, including attending a Creighton University football game with his sister in 1942. The publication for writers and readers to create and read amazing content, Actress, Stage playwright, Author, Motivational Speaker, Teacher Fitness Coach. Please subscribe to keep reading. The waters were shark-infested. UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, spoke at the event, pointing to how his actions can inspire us all to be heroes in our own way. 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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. Still, a letter of commendation is completely inadequate for what French did and I dont buy that this cant be considered combat. His innovative methods of construction and design, along with his exceptional organizational skills, made him a highly sought-after engineer across the United States. Correction: This story has been corrected to state that the bill passed by the Senate was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon. Dismiss. A world class collection of Black History inspired by a 5th grade teacher who told Arturo Schomburg that there was NO African history. The ships first class is the Petty Officer 1st Class. French, who was manning the anti-aircraft guns, was killed in the ensuing explosion, making him one of the first casualties of the battle. During the attack on the USS Gregory, a destroyer, he was aboard in 1943. Charles will be remembered fondly for his generous spirit, his kind and gentle nature, and the lasting impact he left on those he loved. He went into the service as a mess attendant, the only rate then available to . French was memorialized on War gum trading cards and in a comic strip. French was hailed as the hero of the Solomons and the Human Tugboat for his daring rescue of the Pacific during World War II. The New York Times best-selling story from the author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction. While the ship attempted to fight back, the enemy fire was too much. On September 5, 1942, United States Navy Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, 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 ship on which he was serving, the USS Gregory, was hit by Japanese naval fire near Guadalcanal. Organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Veteran Organizations have also shown their support. It is a fact that the victors in battle or those in power in peace write the history of past events to support their views of what should have happened versus the cold hard facts. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The story of Charles Jackson French is little known and marred by the inevitable racism that permeates our history in America. During World War I he served under the name Charles F. Hoffman. Omaha, NE, 68182. He disrobed and with assistance tied the tow rope around his waist and swam what is estimated to be six to eight hours. During his youth, he would often swim in the Red River and became quite adept at it. 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. It read: 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. Either wouldeasilybe warranted in my opinion. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service. The ensign told French the plan was crazy, that they were surrounded by sharks and he would only get himself killed. UNOs Hero of the Heartland event continued the long overdue recognition of Frenchs heroism. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. Thats a portrait of a hero. But after his parents died, he moved to. 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. To comment or make suggestions on future posts, use Contact Us. This is his jaw-dropping story. He was a talented carpenter, a skilled handyman, and a master of DIY projects. Maybe they can stop naming warships after politicians and go back to naming them after actual heroes? He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history. Note: when French was in the Navy, it was not permitted for there to be Blacks and Whites in the water at the same time. 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. Charles Jackson French with his sister, Viola, at a Creighton University football game on Oct. 31, 1942, at which he was honored. All DragonDen media is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. He told the story frequently to family and tried for the rest of his life to get Charles Jackson French, the mess attendant, who was from Omaha, the valor award he was denied during the war. German prisoners of war were allowed to ride with White soldiers while the Black fighters were relegated to open, drafty, smelly cattle cars. Eric Ewing, executive director of the Great Plains Black History Museum, shares remarks at the Hero of the Heartland event. Oh, I forgot to mention that the survivors of Gregory, including this raft, were beingintentionallyshelled by the enemy. You are now armed with knowledge, but for a deeper dive, continue to scroll down and watch amazing videos of French and books to allow for greater understanding. During his service, he received a letter of commendation from the commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet, Adm. William F. Halsey, Jr. Im proud we could come together to recognize his legacy of service and sacrifice.. Military.com reports; A movement is gaining steam to recognize a heroic Black sailor from World War II, who towed a raftload of wounded shipmates through shark-infested waters after their ship was sunk in 1942. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. This is a close as you can get to a system of slavery as it is forced on the service member. Japanese destroyers sank the ship he was on, the USS Gregory, in the South Pacific in September 1942. It took so long.. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. He remembers meeting his uncle during World War II just after the famous rescue and being inspired to learn to swim. Charles Jackson French, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on June 17th, 2020. A man willing to fight in defense of his country. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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