Do you find this information helpful? Charles Jackson French was discharged from the Navy Nov. 13, 1941, but re-enlisted a month later after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. hl/CQ?!yEAb [$~$HH5" ? However, on February 15, 2002, Charles Jackson died from a heart attack in his cell in Folsom State Prison, he was 65 years old. 0000001833 00000 n A staff writer for All That's Interesting, Kaleena Fraga has also had her work featured in The Washington Post and Gastro Obscura, and she published a book on the Seattle food scene for the Eat Like A Local series. He was a powerful swimmer, and swam all night, 6 to 8 hours until they were eventually saved by a landing craft.. 0000190410 00000 n Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Jump in and swim for two hours straight, then come back and tell us how you feel. He had first enlisted in the United States Navy in 1937 and had completed his . 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 . There are no volunteers for this cemetery. 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. Seer. Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French was hailed as the hero of the Solomons and the Human Tugboat after a heroic rescue in the Pacific during World War II. He served two stints in the Navy. The U.S. Navy Ship the U.S.S. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, French promptly re-enlisted. 20072023 Blackpast.org. At the time, Black and white pools were segregated, making it difficult for Black people to find opportunities to learn to swim. 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. On the night of September 5, 1942, French was on board the U.S.S. While we may never hope to be in such a perilous situation, life will inevitably throw uncomfortable situations our way. 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. Even after all of his heroics, once he and the others made it to a rest camp, the authorities at this camp insisted on having French segregated from the whites in the group. More like this: New Study Surfaces Detailing Racial Discrimination in the Military, Filed Under: Military History Tagged With: Black military history, Charles Jackson French, Navy. z:RA" ERAZC@ The memoirs are in three volumes that came out successively in 1954, 1956, and 1959. 0000101640 00000 n 0000189970 00000 n No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. 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). He was serving as a mess man on the USS Gregory when it was sunk by Japanese forces near the Solomon Islands . After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. We mourn with the loved ones who are in deep pain post hearing this death news.We request to kindly like and subscribe to our channel, so that in the future as well, we can provide the latest and accurate news at the earliest.In case you share some memories with Charles Jackson, and want the world to know about the same, you are requested to share them here.Please use the share icon to make this news accessible to more people. After his service on the USS Gregory, Charles Jackson French didnt rest on his laurels. -- The story of Charles Jackson French captured the attention of Omaha in the weeks ahead of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials. Charles Jackson French is a World War II hero with Omaha ties that few people know about. Midwin Charles, who also appeared on CNN and contributed to Essence magazine, died at the age of 47, her family said Tuesday. And all the author could get from him was "Them white boys stood up for me." French was born in Foreman, Arkansas in about 1920. Baltimore, MD 21202, Washington, DC Office The pilot dispatched a Marine landing craft to pick them up. 0000005681 00000 n TwitterCharles Jackson French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his bravery. Charles Jackson French 1919 - 1956 . 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. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. On 1 February 1685, instead of walking his spaniels as usual in St James's Park, a park whose construction he had himself funded, Charles, plagued by a leg ulcer, perhaps secondary to gout, went for a carriage ride. This video talks about the death news of Charles Jackson French who passed away many years ago.With deep heart we remember Charles Jackson French, an American war hero from Foreman, Arkansas, who died on 7 November 1956. The AFRO provides readers with good news about the Black community not otherwise found. For his bravery, Navy Messman Charles Jackson French was provided a letter of commendation from Adm. William F. Bull Halsey, the Commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet, and the Navy Cross, the second-highest award available. 256 75 Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Liberals do not By Jer Clifton on March 1, 2023 . 0000005539 00000 n Charles French was an orphan from Foreman, Arkansas who learned to swim in the Red River at the age of eight. 0000004758 00000 n Baltimore, MD Office 0 The Famous Canals Of Venice Are Drying Up Due To Drought Conditions And Unusually Low Tides, 2,000-Year-Old Phallic Wooden Object Found In England Likely Oldest Roman Sex Toy Ever Found, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. 0000189418 00000 n [9], French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions. trailer The ship was severely damaged after only minutes and began to sink into the shark-infested waters. . French, one of the only uninjured sailors, discarded his waterlogged clothing, tied a rope around his waist, and started to swim. After sunrise, French and his fellow Sailors were spotted and eventually rescued. There was a problem getting your location. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. Verify and try again. And as sharks circled below, and Japanese soldiers fired from all around, a Black mess officer named Charles Jackson French leaped into action. The night was black as ink and a haze was obscuring any landmarks, so the crews of Gregory and her sister ship USS Little (APD 4) were patrolling the area between Savo Island and Guadalcanal. It didnt stop the Foreman, Ark., native and avid swimmer since the age of 8, from tying a rope around his waist, jumping into the waters and defying the multitude of sharks that hungrily searched for prey. 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. Adrian, though superficially wounded, was able to hang on. 0000190335 00000 n Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Charles French (72213738)? On a pitch-black night in 1942, the waters of the Pacific Ocean near Savo Island and Guadalcanal suddenly lit up with gunfire. Its a story of the best of who we are.. 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. His former co-stars shared the story of young French's death on social media. [8] 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. 0000007046 00000 n Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. And a year later, Rear Admiral Charles Brown, the Navy public affairs officer, presented eight of Frenchs relatives with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal just like Kennedys. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? On September 5, 1942, U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French navigated through shark-infested waters with a rope around his waist, towing 15 wounded sailors to safety from the . 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. After his parents died, he left Arkansas and moved in with his married, older sister Viola in Omaha, Nebraska. French made public appearances after the rescue, including attending a Creighton University football game with his sister in 1942. The story, incredible. French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. 0000190880 00000 n 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. Just tell me if Im going the right way, French said. Born Sept. 25, 1919, French died on Nov. 7, 1956, at 37. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Thanks for your help! 256 0 obj <> endobj Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French passed away on November 7th, 1956 at the age of 37. Louis Auguste was ill-prepared for the throne he was soon to inherit. A system error has occurred. This browser does not support getting your location. He who had been looked down upon as a caste man, frozen in status, suddenly was looked up to as a SAVIOUR.. After World War II ended, French faded from the public eye. 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