In 1956, in the year of Charles Jackson French's passing, on May 20th, the U.S. tested the first hydrogen bomb dropped from a plane over Bikini Atoll. Perhaps out of fear of global embarrassment, Adm. William F. Halsey Jr. sent French a letter of commendation. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Charles Jackson French. By: Aaron Sanderford - September 9, 2022 3:25 pm. Charles Jackson French has a story thats been forgotten in the pages of history. Charles' immediate relatives including parents, siblings, partnerships and children in the French family tree. A former Playboy model killed herself and her 7-year-old son after jumping from a hotel in Midtown New York City on Friday morning. He had first enlisted in the navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. Please reset your password. . He had first enlisted in the Navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. 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. Soldier. During his youth, he would often swim in the Red River and became quite adept at it. charles jackson french swam 6-8 hours in 1942nd a saved 15 of his crewmates and died in 1956. Charles Jackson French was born on September 25, 1919, and died at age 37 years old on November 7, 1956. the average French family member He gave his country two decades of prosperity under a stable, authoritarian government but . He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. French was one of six Sailors who swam through the night and up to eight hours, rescuing all but 11 members of Gregorys crew. 0000006232 00000 n 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. Charles Jackson French. A BILL TO NAME A U.S. POST OFCEFI JUST PAST THE U.S. SENATE. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. The Biography piece is collaborative, where we work together to present the facts. [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. Search above to list available cemeteries. Many at home believed French should have received more. 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. Subject specific information for the media, Events or announcements of note for the media, An official website of the United States government. His father was an operator for Shell Chemical . 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. [9], French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions. STEWARDS MATE 1/C US NAVY hbbg`b``3 & At 1 a.m., the Japanese opened fire. 0000110559 00000 n After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. Charles Jackson French (25 September 1919 to 07 November 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. In June 2021, he was honored by USA Swimming at the Olympics Swim Trials in Omaha. Wounded and dying, the skipper ordered two companions to leave him and go to the aid of another crewman who was yelling for help, historians wrote. O6z ` ~+ Charles Jackson French, an African American orphan and champion-caliber swimmer, navigated shark-infested waters for about eight hours during World War II on a frigid September 1942 night to pull to safety a raft of 15 sailors. 0000108198 00000 n [3] Growing Up and Early Naval Days. Swimming until sunrise, French and the 15 Sailors on the raft he was towing were spotted by a scout aircraft. (U.S. Navy) 27 Apr 2021 He went into the service as a mess attendant, the only rate then available to . He appeared before enthusiastic crowds at 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. Photograph: JEAN-JACQUES LEVY/AP 0000125638 00000 n Help paint a picture of Charles so that he is always remembered. 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. Just before 1 a.m. on the morning of Sept. 5, the two ships saw flashes of gunfire. 0000186651 00000 n He was born to a Thai mother and a French father. Understanding the actions French took for them, the crew became angry, demanded that French wasnt leaving, and stated that anyone who had a problem could catch hands. 0000009327 00000 n This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. 0000003092 00000 n 0000125572 00000 n Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by Japanese warships near Guadalcanal. 256 75 We have set your language to His bravery, heroism, and toughness are a testament to the best in mankind even when mankind isnt being its best. He also recounted the narrative on the NBC radio program, It Happened in the Service. Although Ensign Adrian received the Purple Heart for being wounded in action during the attack, French received a letter of commendation for meritorious conduct in action instead of a medal. cemeteries found in San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. [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]. Charles Jackson French - saving 15 crewmen. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. 0000002222 00000 n The New York Post reports . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Arkansas native had moved to Omaha to live with his sister as a youth after his . Adrian attempted to talk French into getting out of the shark-infested waters, but French responded that he was more afraid of the Japanese than he was of the sharks. Wars/Conflicts: World War Ii. Her boilers had burst and her mess decks were aflame. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Pictured is Charles with his sister Viola during a public appearance at a football game in Omaha, Nebraska,1943. Arkansas born, African American, Petty Officer First Class, Charles Jackson French didn't imagine he would be completing such a feat at just the age of 23 years-old. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. A generation of Baby Boomers were raised by the advice of Dr. Spock. 0000012998 00000 n As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Newspaper clipping of Naval Hero, Charles Jackson French. The ship was severely damaged after only minutes and began to sink into the shark-infested waters. *(*B)$wHHB3Mg 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 . Close. Like many others at the time, he probably saw it as a way to. The pilot dispatched a Marine landing craft to pick them up. The letter read, in part, 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 Sept. 5, 1942. All Rights Reserved. 0000184779 00000 n 0000102179 00000 n 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. This account has been disabled. However, at 1:23 a.m. on Sept. 5, 1942, French was one of a few uninjured Sailors that found themselves floating on makeshift rafts when the Japanese ships turned their guns from the crippled ships to the crew floating in the water. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. 0000125789 00000 n 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 GREAT NEWS! At 1 a.m., the Japanese opened fire. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. The National Archives at College Park, College Park, Maryland. (.~O|#I=xO7Zz_/p>b;rv6IH/wYI@S* Charles de Gaulle, Julian Jackson insists in the preface of his new biography, "De Gaulle" (Harvard), is "everywhere" in modern France, its undisputed hero.This claim, like some other . 563. He continued his medical studies at the University of Paris, also attending lectures on geology at the Royal School of Mines. Charles Jackson French was discharged from the Navy Nov. 13, 1941, but re-enlisted a month later after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Instead, the Navy sent him a nice letter. Jackson received his M.D. Attacked by the Japanese in the South Pacific. The New York Stock Exchange, is an American stock exchange located at 11 Wall . De Gaulle biographer and one of Britain's leading historians of modern France, Julian Jackson, talks us through some key books to get a sense of France's wartime leader and president, Charles de Gaulle. 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. Learn more about managing a memorial . 0000176236 00000 n 4168 to name the U.S. Post Office in Omaha's Benson area, 6223 Maple St., after Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, a World War II hero with ties to Omaha, who rescued fifteen of his injured shipmates by swimming for hours through shark-infested waters . Can You Name All 8 United States Uniformed Services? Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Despite his heroism, the ignorantly prejudiced United States all but ignored French. On September 5, 1942, United States Navy Messman 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. With Adrian amongst the rescued Sailors on board the raft, French started to tie a rope around his waist. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? A SUNDAY TIMES , THE TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, NEW STATESMAN, SPECTATOR, FINANCIAL TIMES, TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Masterly . Rank attained: STEWARDS MATE 1/C 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. 0000164266 00000 n He was born on September 25, 1919. %%EOF Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. 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. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72213738/charles-jackson-french. Four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, French reenlisted into the Navy and was assigned to Gregory in March 1942. May 18, 2018, 11:38 AM. This is a carousel with slides. Charles Jackson French is a World War II hero with Omaha ties that few people know about. 0 1307. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Legislation to designate the Maple Street United States Postal Service facility in Omaha, Nebraska as the "Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office" passed out of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee today. 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. After his parents died, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with his sister. (U.S. Navy) CITATION: PUBLIC DOMAIN BY U S NAVY. On the night of September 4, 1942, during the Battle of Guadalcanal, the USS Gregory was struck by an attack from multiple Japanese destroyers. 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