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. It wasnt until 1988 that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was promoted by President Ronald Reagan to the cabinet executive level. Add Charles' family friends, and his friends from childhood through adulthood. Gregory was hit by Japanese naval fire in the South Pacific. AncientFaces is a place where our memories live. The 22-year-old saved the lives of 15 sailors . U[[[[[[[[[[`+{W]wEJ~wE+{WTx{7n4x= FOi4x= FOi|FgT"X,p.R~P;[+m*vi7p\ZOW 8 The pilot dispatched a Marine landing craft to pick them up. 0000003773 00000 n Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. 0000055359 00000 n The crew of high-speed transport USS Gregory (APD 3) were returning from transferring a Marine Raider Battalion to Savo Island on the night of Sept. 4, 1942. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. 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. Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by Japanese warships near Guadalcanal. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. charles jackson french swam 6-8 hours in 1942nd a saved 15 of his crewmates and died in 1956. 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. At 1 a.m., the Japanese opened fire. 0000125789 00000 n When you share, or just show that you care, the heart There was a problem getting your location. 0000104051 00000 n Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 - November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. 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. r\a W+ [6] Adm. Halsey was then commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet. 4,972 birth records, View As the attacks continued and the ship began to sink, many Sailors suffered injuries. Weve updated the security on the site. John H. Murphy, Sr., a former enslaved man founded the AFRO in 1892 with $200 from his wife, Martha Howard Murphy. 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. Washington, DC 20002, Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent, AFRO endorsements for the 2022 midterm elections, A time to dance: Rev. zH#mAqtI Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. He enlisted in the Navy shortly after turning 18. These flares became a backdrop for the silhouettes of Gregory and Little who now became the targets of the Japanese destroyers and a Japanese cruiser that had joined them. O6z ` ~+ 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. GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS 0000102129 00000 n Rank attained: STEWARDS MATE 1/C Charles Jackson French was a 23 year-old orphan from Foreman, Arkansas who had enlisted in the navy in 1937. 0000125638 00000 n For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. In 1919, in the year that Charles Jackson French was born, in the summer and early autumn, race riots erupted in 26 U.S. cities, resulting in hundreds of deaths and even more people being badly hurt. 0000164150 00000 n We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. French was lucky enough to escape without much harm and began gathering injured Sailors to put into a raft. endstream endobj 329 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/Index[37 219]/Length 30/Size 256/Type/XRef/W[1 1 1]>>stream Undoubtedly, there were other forms of racism and discrimination that also accompanied such treatment. Biographies are our place to remember and discover more about the people important to us. Halsey was then commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. The Biography piece is collaborative, where we work together to present the facts. endstream endobj 264 0 obj <>stream Buddy Blouin is a content writer that loves creating through the written word. French had enlisted . A Black man serving in the segregated armed forces, French was credited with saving wounded shipmates during WWII. A system error has occurred. 0000003092 00000 n 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. Dozens of Americans were killed and many others wounded, including French. [3], French was an orphan from Foreman, Arkansas[4] who learned to swim in the Red River at the age of eight.[5]. After the death of his parents, he lived with his older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. 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. 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 . You need a Find a Grave account to continue. I have a new hero and his name is Charles Jackson French. 0000106326 00000 n 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 . Try again later. Try again later. He is also recognized by the International Swimming Hall of Fame. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 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. 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. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. Charles Jackson French was born Sept. 25, 1919, in Foreman, Ark., and moved to Omaha to live with a sister after their parents died. 0 cemeteries found in San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. Gibson Johns. He said that he was more afraid of the Japanese shooting at him than the sharks, and he continued on his way. 2021, https://omaha.com/news/local/nebraska-reps-seek-to-name-benson-post-office-for-black-omaha-wwii-hero/article_66699ca0-d8ff-11eb-aee6-474cdd1763ba.htm; Bruce Wigo, Memorial Day Rewind: The Forgotten Hero of WWII, SwimmingWorld.com, May 30, 2021, https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/memorial-day-rewind-the-forgotten-hero-of-wwii/. I get the chance to remember the Share yesterday to connect today & preserve tomorrow, Copyright 1999-2023 AncientFaces, Inc. All Rights Reserved, ADVERTISEMENT Her boilers had burst and her mess decks were aflame. 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. French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. Jump in and swim for two hours straight, then come back and tell us how you feel. Outgunned, Gregory only lasted three minutes from the time the flares were dropped to the time she began to sink. Mess Attendant 1st Class Charles Jackson French, known only at the time by his last name, was on Gregory that night. Add to your scrapbook. 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. z:RA" ERAZC@ After his . (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) The email does not appear to be a valid email address. After his parents died, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with his sister. *(*B)$wHHB3Mg He was born on September 25, 1919. He grew up as an orphan and enlisted in 1937. There was an error deleting this problem. [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. The Navy plans to dedicate a rescue swimming training pool in May 2022 at Naval Base San Diego to French in honor of his heroic actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal. H\n0Fy Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. French made public appearances after the rescue, including attending a Creighton University football game with his sister in 1942. Charles Jackson French, a Black sailor in World War II, may soon be recognized by the Navy for rescuing 15 men after Japanese soldiers sunk their ship. 0000102179 00000 n Oops, something didn't work. Media maven. 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. With the attack on Pearl Harbor . 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