The name of Charles Jackson French resurfaced in 2009, when his story was part of an exhibit on Black Swimming History at the International Swimming Hall of Fame, in Fort Lauderdale. 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. Search above to list available cemeteries. Select the next to any field to update. He was never seen again. On September 5, 1942, Charles Jackson French swam through the night for almost 6 - 8 hours and pulled a raft of 15 wounded sailors using a rope around his stomach through shark infested waters.May Charles Jackson Frenchs soul rest in peace. Of the many acts of bravery among the men of Gregory during its final battle (including the mortally wounded skipper ordering his crew to abandon him and help other . 18 February 2022. Charles Jackson French is a World War II hero with Omaha ties that few people know about. What happened next would take Navy Messman Charles Jackson French from the mess hall and into quiet adoration for his bravery. He served in the Navy, becoming a true war hero in 1942. 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. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. zP|CY`oRHw`)UV\[|d/X3"{JrX1}qI_ji7`;LZ2[!x7)X+f$'^"#au"jJm&?i+ Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Charles Jackson French. Charles Jackson French was memorialized on War Gum trading cards, in syndicated comic strips, on calendars, and The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. During World War II Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French swam 6-8 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. 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. 0000190805 00000 n A Black man serving in the segregated armed forces, French was credited with saving wounded shipmates during WWII. 734 death records, 32 followers 14.9k+ favorites. Washington, DC -On Friday, Rep. Don Bacon (NE - 02) and Reps. Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01) and Adrian Smith (NE-03) introduced H.R. 4,972 birth records, View Share what Charles did for a living or if he had a career or profession. 0000125572 00000 n French performed valiantly on September . Resend Activation Email. 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. 0 Attacked by the Japanese in the South Pacific. Where was Charles born and where did he live? (U.S. Navy) CITATION: PUBLIC DOMAIN BY U S NAVY. 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. He said that he was more afraid of the Japanese shooting at him than the sharks, and he continued on his way. 0000000016 00000 n 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 pull to safety a raft of 15 sailors. A photo of French is shown outside the building at 63rd and Maple Streets. May 18, 2018, 11:38 AM. Aside from the Bible, it became the best selling book of the 20th century. 0000055359 00000 n John H. Murphy, Sr., a former enslaved man founded the AFRO in 1892 with $200 from his wife, Martha Howard Murphy. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 - November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. Steve Liewer, Nebraska Reps Seek to Name Benson Post Office for Black Omaha WWII Hero. Omaha World-Herald, June 29. 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. 0000004758 00000 n Messman Charles French became a hero to his shipmates after their destroyer USS Gregory (DD-82) was sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy ships on 5 September 1942. This he was denied, though for a brief moment in the mid-1940s . 256 75 Instead, the Navy sent him a nice letter. French, who moved to Omaha as a teen, first enlisted in the US Navy in 1937. 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. Despite African American soldiers eagerness to fight in World War II, the same Jim Crow discrimination in society was practiced in every branch of the armed forces, historians at the website wrote. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. [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. episode was complicated by the issuance of a posthumous Silver Star to Lt. Cdr.H. Charles' immediate relatives including parents, siblings, partnerships and children in the French family tree. Black WW2 hero's story of pulling 15 men to safety through shark-infested waters gets a new audience. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. 0000733291 00000 n This was during a period of American history when segregation was active, which means black men and white men were not permitted to swim together, even during Navy swim calls in the ocean. Previously, hydrogen bombs had only been tested on the ground. He is also recognized by the International Swimming Hall of Fame.Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French passed away on November 7th, 1956 at the age of 37. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS However, as in the case of many other African-American war heroes, he would receive a lesser reward than anticipated. Just before 1 a.m. on the morning of Sept. 5, the two ships saw flashes of gunfire. Washington, DC 20002, Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent, AFRO endorsements for the 2022 midterm elections, A time to dance: Rev. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. 0000101669 00000 n 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. 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. 0000164084 00000 n ), Interment Control Forms, 19281962. 0000005681 00000 n Charles Jackson French was 10 years old when The New York Stock Exchange crashes in what will be called the Crash of '29 or "Black Tuesday", ending the Great Bull Market of the 1920s and beginning the Great Depression. Still, the man that we know and remember is one whos a testament to doing the right thing even when its not easy and putting others before yourself. When we share what we know, together we discover more. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. When twenty-four or twenty-five of his injured shipmates were unable to swim to safety, French tied a rope around his . 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. Charles Jackson French WW II Hero. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. 0000101640 00000 n You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Charles Jackson French was born in 1919 and grew up in Foreman, Arkansas. After his parents died, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with his sister. 0 1307. With Adrian amongst the rescued Sailors on board the raft, French started to tie a rope around his waist. 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. 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. Regardless of the region, at all the bases there were separate blood banks, hospitals or wards, medical staff, barracks and recreational facilities for Black soldiers. Sadly, it wasnt much of a fight. . "Then French volunteered to swim the raft away from shore. 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. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. It wasnt until 1988 that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was promoted by President Ronald Reagan to the cabinet executive level. 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. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. [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. Not many people can say they have swam for 6-8 hours straight while tugging a raft full of 24 wounded men away from Japanese capture and through shark infested waters to safety, but Charles Jackson French can. Charles de Gaulle had 'a certain idea of France' which even he didn't manage to articulate clearly. 0000189418 00000 n He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Welcome to AncientFaces, a com "Thank you for helping me find my family & friends again so many years after I lost them. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. and you'll be alerted when others do the same. He later received the Navy Cross. Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, Revolutionized American Warfare, Taylor Sheridan Is Taking on the Military World With New Spy Thriller, Mission Daybreak Rewards Those Fighting Against Veteran Suicide With Millions, Volunteers Needed for the Million Veteran Program. endstream endobj 264 0 obj <>stream A generation of Baby Boomers were raised by the advice of Dr. Spock. (j/p> dO~"$3$i'FwKk9Evhr-R|(}@4rY$^'\h? /EaX*3Do?OD"tp{o}7Mw'I^kos$ .4$H?uwn{Nw:g:Id,EN!g=/Nq t {}("4u|]]o:c}|\H;HE92, In 1937 he enlisted in the Navy. #CharlesJacksonFrench #CharlesJacksonFrenchOfDeath #CelebritiesCauseOfDeathCharles Jackson French Cause of Death (Mar 2021) Obituary, Death, ReasonCharles Ja. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. 0000110793 00000 n Box 6237, in San Diego, California. Charles R. Jackson. Charles Jackson French has a story thats been forgotten in the pages of history. His father skipped out on the family when he was 10 and the boy completed his elementary education in Newark, then began college at Syracuse University but abruptly quit. endstream endobj 257 0 obj <>/Metadata 35 0 R/Pages 34 0 R/StructTreeRoot 37 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 258 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 259 0 obj <> endobj 260 0 obj <> endobj 261 0 obj <> endobj 262 0 obj <> endobj 263 0 obj <>stream 0000054932 00000 n The bootlegging and brothel organization was massive and when asked what he did, Capone often replied "I am just a businessman, giving the people what they want". His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service. 0000110718 00000 n 0000190535 00000 n Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 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. m1zQ+Q=,m ZpS#Ar4HB|jP;eKKFZIz loT~Lwz8XZ+ $2=CWH#r#Tm#e4Y#jW#QX:0;"-Q:HA@(2+dh!`Z6-$Hh1bS{RoQ#-2 G=A}k 8B9Ns~#^Z-0I0L%%l^UjT7;Bw0 29iGjoU6[QqgYB6,)-$tWga(PC`[ImnM!bxyghkxH> ' W 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. Despite never completing college, Jackson had a passion for literature and at various . 0000012751 00000 n trailer Outside of searching through keyword data and creating blogs, he enjoys creating cocktails, cooking, and enjoying the Beautiful Game. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. He was celebrated in the black press and was even the subject of a syndicated comic strip. See What AncientFaces Does to discover more about the community. 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. 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. 0000184779 00000 n Failed to delete memorial. Growing Up and Early Naval Days. startxref Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. SAN DIEGO - The Navy announced plans today to dedicate a rescue swimming training pool at Naval Base San Diego to Mess Attendant First Class Charles Jackson French in honor of . He had first enlisted in the Navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. He was born to a Thai mother and a French father. 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