Its a shame that so many who served our country were left to face the mental and physical ailments war may bring in solitude. BY ANCESTRY.COM, Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Charles Jackson French passed away on November 7, 1956 at age 37. Tension was heightened by the use by many companies of blacks as strikebreakers. The New York Post reports . Swimming until sunrise, French and the 15 Sailors on the raft he was towing were spotted by a scout aircraft. Please reset your password. French was also the only African American to appear on World War II patriotic trading cards issued by GUM, Inc. After his military service, French suffered from alcoholism and depression. 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. Charles French was born on September 25, 1919, in Foreman, Arkansas. Washington, DC -On Friday, Rep. Don Bacon (NE - 02) and Reps. Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01) and Adrian Smith (NE-03) introduced H.R. . I get the chance to remember the Share yesterday to connect today & preserve tomorrow, Copyright 1999-2023 AncientFaces, Inc. All Rights Reserved, ADVERTISEMENT Just tell me if Im going the right way, French said as he began to tow the raft full of injured Sailors, according to a 1942 radio dramatization introducing Adrian to tell Frenchs story. Introduction. charles jackson french swam 6-8 hours in 1942nd a saved 15 of his crewmates and died in 1956. Failed to remove flower. It wasnt until 1988 that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was promoted by President Ronald Reagan to the cabinet executive level. #wzCa3H'HnmBfOhS9A^dexl(wu%pp; /[GL] E$ * 0000184407 00000 n Subject specific information for the media, Events or announcements of note for the media, An official website of the United States government. 0000003885 00000 n when he died at the age of 37. 0000125572 00000 n endstream endobj 264 0 obj <>stream F. Baurer, the ships CO. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. STEWARDS MATE 1/C US NAVY [3], French was an orphan from Foreman, Arkansas[4] who learned to swim in the Red River at the age of eight.[5]. He continued his medical studies at the University of Paris, also attending lectures on geology at the Royal School of Mines. 4=yDZ &yK[ #x+T.$P"> Ty\I @44mP_dFI+ Charles R. Jackson was born in Summit, New Jersey on April 6, 1903, the son of Frederick George and Sarah Williams Jackson. On the night of September 5, 1942, French was on board the U.S.S. He served his four years in the Navy working the mess decks of Hawaii-based heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) and returned home to Nebraska in 1941. U[[[[[[[[[[`+{W]wEJ~wE+{WTx{7n4x= FOi4x= FOi|FgT"X,p.R~P;[+m*vi7p\ZOW 8 After his . Learn more about merges. We mourn with the loved ones who are in deep pain post hearing this death news.We request to kindly like and subscribe to our channel, so that in the future as well, we can provide the latest and accurate news at the earliest.In case you share some memories with Charles Jackson, and want the world to know about the same, you are requested to share them here.Please use the share icon to make this news accessible to more people. The world needs to know his story, dead at . 0000007741 00000 n May we all proceed and help others with the courage and strength of Messman Charles Jackson French, a name that will never be forgotten. Born Sept. 25, 1919, French died on Nov. 7, 1956, at 37. [2] With the attack on Pearl Harbor, French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, re-enlisted in the United States Navy. HUKo0WEo@-0cmVbHJO40`~H#)QzU2:A./nnIyU$"b}V$9,%,L3SBC.F6k*\f0tJ-. Little did he know that three weeks before his 23rd birthday, French would become a Navy hero. 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. Charles VII (22 February 1403 - 22 July 1461), called the Victorious (French: le Victorieux) or the Well-Served (le Bien-Servi), was King of France from 1422 to his death in 1461.. Attacked by the Japanese in the South Pacific. The first is unexpected: on a leisurely ride in 1916, Jackson's older sister and younger brother are killed when a train strikes their car. When you share, or just show that you care, the heart Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. The National Archives at College Park, College Park, Maryland. It was called the "Red Summer". 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. 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. This is a carousel with slides. ), Interment Control Forms, 19281962. The AFRO knows what its like to endure challenging times. Charles Jackson French was born Sept. 25, 1919, in Foreman, Ark., and moved to Omaha to live with a sister after their parents died. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. [2] His family moved to Newark, New York in 1907, and nine years later his older sister, Thelma, and younger brother, Richard, were killed while riding in a car that was struck by an express train. trailer 0000010122 00000 n A system error has occurred. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. 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. [2] With the attack on Pearl Harbor, French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, re-enlisted in the United States Navy. Charles Jackson French faced all of this and more during his time of service and helped save many lives through grit and bravery. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. 330 0 obj <>stream 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. r\a W+ Previously, hydrogen bombs had only been tested on the ground. 0000003649 00000 n Charles Jackson French had first enlisted in the Navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. Try again later. The ship was severely damaged after only minutes and began to sink into the shark-infested waters. Box 6237, in San Diego, California. Sadly, it wasnt much of a fight. Perhaps out of fear of global embarrassment, Adm. William F. Halsey Jr. sent French a letter of commendation. [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. He went into the service as a mess attendant, the only rate then available to . Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. startxref 0000000016 00000 n Sadly, it wasn't much of a fight. After sunrise, French and his fellow Sailors were spotted and eventually rescued. Photos, memories, family stories & discoveries are unique to you, and only you can control. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, re-enlisted in the United States Navy. 0000164266 00000 n 0000106326 00000 n . 0000193082 00000 n Add Charles' family friends, and his friends from childhood through adulthood. ancestry.com, "Chicago Defender Interviews Navy Hero on Rescues," (Chicago), Black Swimming History: Forgotten Hero of WWII, https://ishof.org/assets/charles-jackson-french_article.pdf, "How Charles French swam eight hours in shark waters to save 15 U.S sailors in WWII", "Navy Dedicates Rescue Swimmer Training Pool and Presents Posthumous Award to WWII Hero's Family", "Remembering a Forgotten World War II Hero", "Omaha post office to be renamed in honor of local World War II hero", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Jackson_French&oldid=1116036338, United States Navy personnel of World War II, African-American United States Navy personnel, Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, People from Little River County, Arkansas, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 October 2022, at 13:20. Resend Activation Email. Gregory, a destroyer training ship, when it was sunk by the Japanese navy near the Solomon Islands. Media maven. Many were wounded and killed. 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. Branch of service: Us Navy Charles' immediate relatives including parents, siblings, partnerships and children in the French family tree. I think Charles Jackson French's story of rescue is one of the most amazing I have ever read, and I never heard of him prior to today, March 5, 2021. French, an orphan described as a human tugboat, received a royal welcome from citizens of all races in his sister Violas hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72213738/charles-jackson-french. 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. Mess Attendant 1st Class Charles Jackson French, known only at the time by his last name, was on Gregory that night. "Then French volunteered to swim the raft away from shore. We havent even mentioned the racism yet. endstream endobj 270 0 obj <>stream Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by Japanese warships near Guadalcanal. Interment Control Forms, A1 2110-B. 0000110683 00000 n 734 death records, 32 followers 14.9k+ favorites. In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, Charles VII inherited the throne of France under desperate circumstances.Forces of the Kingdom of England and the duke of Burgundy occupied Guyenne and northern France . Charles Jackson French, an African-American orphan, and championship-caliber swimmer navigated shark infested waters for about eight hours during World War II on a frigid September 1942 night to . Did Charles finish grade school, get a GED, go to high school, get a college degree or masters? In 1932, Charles was merely 13 years old when five years to the day after Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic, Amelia Earhart flew solo from Newfoundland to Ireland, the first woman to cross the Atlantic solo and the first to replicate Lindbergh's feat. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. 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. 0000004154 00000 n You have chosen this person to be their own family member. A Black man serving in the segregated armed forces, French was credited with saving wounded shipmates during WWII. French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. Together they created a platform to offer images and stories of hope to advance their community. He had first enlisted in the Navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. The nations 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. 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. Dr. Frances Toni Draper announces retirement from pastorship at Freedom Temple AME Zion Church, 130 years of excellence: AFRO Gala set to kick anniversary celebration into high gear. French is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. 0000189493 00000 n We have no information about Charles's family. "Once Charles Jackson French was identified, he became a national hero. The story, incredible. His bravery, heroism, and toughness are a testament to the best in mankind even when mankind isnt being its best. Oops, something didn't work. 0000108198 00000 n The U.S. For his actions, French received a letter of commendation from the commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet, Adm. William F. Bull Halsey. Instead, the Navy sent him a nice letter. High school, get a College degree or masters Medal for his heroism 1943! Person to be confirmed when mankind isnt being its best school, get a College degree masters... 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