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. The ultimate insult! After the death of his parents, he lived with his older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. The Arkansas native had moved to Omaha to live with his sister as a youth after his parents died, and he became one of the most famous Black war heroes of the 1940s. Tucked away from Asheville, North Carolina's busy [Read More] about The Little Mountain Escape-The Biltmore House, As a youngster studying American History, we [Read More] about A Hero, Virtually Unknown to History, Was a Vital Part of Our Nations Independence, Copyright 2023 TheSouthern.Life Site design by: weblotech.com, about The Little Mountain Escape-The Biltmore House, about A Hero, Virtually Unknown to History, Was a Vital Part of Our Nations Independence, Read the story of Paul Bolden, Medal of Honor recipient from Alabama, Read the story of John Pruitt, WWI recipient of two Medals of Honor, The Little Mountain Escape-The Biltmore House, A Hero, Virtually Unknown to History, Was a Vital Part of Our Nations Independence. On Thursday, a billto rename the Benson postal facility at 6223 Maple St. the Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office cleared the Senate by a unanimous vote. French was a swimmer who performed a heroic act that gave others another chance at life. Charles Jackson French was an incredible pioneer in the field of civil engineering. U.S. Navy sailor Charles Jackson French saved 15 shipmates by dragging a life raft through shark-infested waters after the Japanese sank the USS Gregory in 1942. . Thats when French a 22-year-old sailor in the racially segregated messman branch volunteered to tow them to safety, the article states. Story\Experience 43 comments 100% Upvoted This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast Sort by: best Charles French managed to load fifteen injured crew members onto a life raft and then tied a rope to the raft and secured the other end to his waist, after which he swam for eight hours through shark-infested water until they were rescued, but received no recommendation for the Medal of Honor. Itwould ef. The story of the men who fought and served under trying circumstances. Adrian also recommended him for a Navy Cross, the Navys second-highest award for valor, but he received only a letter of commendation. A pool used to train rescue swimmers at Naval Base San Diego also was named in Frenchs honor at the ceremony. The actions of the French will never be forgotten, as will their ultimate sacrifice. He deserves a higher award, and a destroyer named in his honor. French became famous after his commander, Ensign Robert Adrian, told the story on a radio program broadcast across the country. American sailors attempted to separate French from the men he had rescued, but they rebelled, and the American sailors relented. He swam six to eight hours in shark-infested waters before being rescued by marines on a navy landing craft. He was a talented carpenter, a skilled handyman, and a master of DIY projects. This to the scientific notationed! Born in a small town in California, Charles was a man of many talents. Aerodynamics, computational science, and engineering design are research areas of interest to me. The son of a Black minister and a woman who would not admit she was White, James McBride grew up in orchestrated chaos with his 11 siblings in the poor, all-Black projects of Red Hook, Brooklyn. The award was presented during a ceremony in which a pool used for training Navy rescue swimmers at Naval Base San Diego was renamed in Frenchs honor. All DragonDen media is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. French like so many Black men believed that if they showed they were willing to fight for the country that the country would show them and people of their race some gratitude and equality only to return to the same situation they were fighting against. French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. This might be the first time I agree with Malcolm Nance. To see the posts, click here. Born in a small town in California, Charles was a man of many talents. Bloomsbury presents Immortal Valor by Robert Child, read by Vaughn Johseph. The inaugural Hero of the Heartland event, hosted by UNOs Office of Multicultural Affairs and UNOs Military-Connected Resource Center, honored a World War II hero whose acts have been largely forgotten for decades. If they floated ashore, an ensign on the raft later said, they would be taken as prisoners of war, according to an article on the International Swimming Hall of Fames website. It read: 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. Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 - November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. The Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the highest award for heroism not in combat and the non-combat equivalent of the Navy Cross, had only been created by executive order a month before Frenchs actions. French was hailed as the hero of the Solomons and the Human Tugboat for his daring rescue of the Pacific during World War II. Although he demonstrated extreme bravery, instead of the Medal of Honor, all French received was a nice letter from the U. S. Navy. Summary of H.R.1251 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Doris Miller posthumously for acts of valor while a member of the Navy during World War II. U . You can use a link to tennis shoes to buy a refrigerator or anything else. Days later, he went down to his local recruitment office and reenlisted. In June 2022, the President Joe 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. This was one of the few assignments available to Black troops and included stevedores, stewards. To see these posts, click this link, For Womens History Month 2022 we featured 31 amazing Black women we should all know. Rear Adm. Charles Brown presented eight of Frenchs relatives with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal on May 21 in San Diego. French was memorialized on War gum trading cards and in a comic strip. The gunfire hit two of the ships boilers and the Gregory was set ablaze by the fire. Ensign Robert Adrian realized that the currents were pulling the lifeboat back towards a Japanese-held island. Roughly 15 survivors of the Gregory, some injured, were gathered in a life raft. In addition to newspaper and radio accounts, his story was told in bubble gum cards, comic strips, a calendar, even a verse by a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. The information that we present to everyone is extremely important, and a small donation can help us keep it that way. He served two stints in the Navy. The story of men who served their country when to do so was to endure, or to appear to accept the humiliating admission of ones own inferiority. The waters were shark-infested. In the end, there were fifteen additional sailors on the raft with the mess attendant. urging Congress and President Joe Biden to posthumously award French the Medal of Honor . Custer is the first soldier in US history to receive the militarys highest honor twice, as well as the first to do so twice. C harles Jackson French, a Black Navy swimmer and petty officer finally gets recognition for his courage to save his White teammates during World War II. We also posted a 5 part mini-series on the 100th anniversary of one of the most horrific massacres in the history of America. On November 7, 1956, in San Diego, California, Charles Jackson French, 37 at the time, died. He told the story frequently to family and tried for the rest of his life to get Charles Jackson French, the mess attendant, who was from Omaha, the valor award he was denied during the war. French had been hailed as the hero of the Solomon Islands after the sinking of his ship, the USS Gregory, on Sept. 5, 1942, near Guadalcanal. Charles Jackson French was born in 1919 and grew up in Foreman, Arkansas. Navy Chief of Information Rear Adm. Charles Brown retweeted the post, thanking Nance for highlighting Frenchs heroic story and promising to work with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday to see whether the service could do anything more to recognize the sailor. French enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served four years. Additionally, it has continued to pursue advocacy objectives that are in line with policies and plans pertaining to veterans of African heritage. According to VSC President Robert Barnette, black veterans have made important contributions over the years to the military might of this country. French was memorialized on War gum trading cards and in a comic strip. For generations, those of us native to the South have taken great pride in our heritage, our traditions, and in the telling of our stories. This blog was created to share a passion for all things Southern. The mess attendant died in 1956 at only 37 years of age. French was a swimmer who performed a. Or even going back to the 90s when a lot of this (blacks finally getting the awards they deserve) started to happen. . Since they were taking direct fire, Id feel the Navy Cross the more appropriate of the two. 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 . The living quarters were strictly segregated as was housing for family members. His story was largely forgotten until Bruce Wigo, a former director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, unearthed it several years ago. He was a true patriot whose dedication and dedication to country served as a model for future generations. These sailors and soldiers were welcomed back to American soil with signs that pointed one way for Whites and the other way for Blacks. The waters were shark-infested. We encourage you to share the site on social media. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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. The first was an enlistment was in 1937 when he served four years before receiving an honorable discharge in 1941. Charles will be remembered fondly for his generous spirit, his kind and gentle nature, and the lasting impact he left on those he loved. When the sailors were rescued, the Master at Arms attempted to separate French from the men he had just saved. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. Virginia State Conference NAACP, Doris (Dorie) Miller, is a Black veteran, who demonstrated such dedication to his duty on December 7, 1941, when his ship was attacked in Pearl Harbor, Doris Miller showed little regard for his safety when he dragged his wounded captain and several shipmates to safety before manning an anti-aircraft gun that he had never been trained to use, and brought down several Japanese planes, but was not recommended for the Medal of Honor. Weeks later, he told the story of a heroic mess attendant named "French" who towed a raft full of about 15 wounded sailors including Adrian all night through shark-filled waters until they were rescued. He disrobed and with assistance tied the tow rope around his waist and swam what is estimated to be six to eight hours. When Adrian told him that the swim would be arduous and the water was full of sharks, French responded that he was more afraid of the Japanese than he was of the sharks. But French said he wasnt afraid. Social media posts over the weekend began highlighting the story of Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, who became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by Japanese warships near Guadalcanal. He remembers meeting his uncle during World War II just after the famous rescue and being inspired to learn to swim. 2023 A Month of Tribute to 31 Women We Should All Know, Rosewood A Typical Race Riot in America. The VSC NAACP is in full support of Thomass campaign. Charles Jackson French is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. On September 5, 1942, United States Navy Petty Officer First Class 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 after the ship on which he was serving, the USS Gregory, was hit by Japanese naval fire near Guadalcanal. The Southern.Life is a publication of Emerson Parker Press, which is owned and operated by Jim Harris and his wife, Marian. It is a fact that the victors in battle or those in power in peace write the history of past events to support their views of what should have happened versus the cold hard facts. This post office renaming is important to his family, the community of Omaha, and the state of Nebraska. Thems the devils fish. It would seem to me well past the point to review Frenchs case. French was also the only African American to appear on World War II patriotic trading cards issued by GUM, Inc. The injustices of 1940s Jim Crow America are brought to life in this extraordinary blend of military and social history, an account that pays tribute to the valor of an all-black battalion whose crucial contributions at D-day have gone unrecognized to this day. The remarkable story of the seven African American soldiers ultimately awarded the World War II Medal of Honor, and the 50-year campaign to deny them their recognition. The omission remained on the record for more than four decades. S. House of Representatives: Demand a Congressional Medal of Honor for Petty Officer Charles Jackson French - Sign the Petition! It was amplified on social media in spring 2021, prompting USA Swimming to honor him during the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha last June. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service. We depend on your support and thank you for it! You must know this HERO Charles Jackson French, Charles Jackson French survived the destruction of the USS Gregory and then swam for hours dragging a life raft full of his shipmates through Shark infested waters. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he noted that part of his job is to make sure that our veterans receive the recognition they deserve for their courage and dedication to our country. Charles Jackson French saved 15 men from the USS Gregory in September of 1942. He was a generous and kind soul who was always willing to lend a helping hand. Dismiss. Phone: 402-444-1186. According to the U.S. Navy Press Office, French had moved to Omaha from Arkansas, but re-enlisted in the Navy days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Its the kind of narrative that captures your imagination regardless of which side of the aisle you are on., Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has supported Thomas request. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. French finished a four-year Navy tour in November 1941 and was visiting family in Omaha when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. He was only referred to as French on the card, though. 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. 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Despite the fact that more than one million African Americans served, not a single Black soldier received the Medal of Honor. 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. And while were at it can we please award Alwyn Cashes family his much deserved MOH.please. 18 February 2022 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. Charles Jackson French, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on June 17th, 2020. He quickly went to work pulling other sailors aboard with him. But his story will be told during a ga, A Virginia woman is trying an unconventional approach to secure the Medal of Honor for two WWII heroes, including Charles Jackson French, who , The University of Nebraska at Omaha honored a long-unsung World War II hero once lauded as a human tugboat during a Black History Month even, Metropolitan Community College is seeking to take over a Marine Corps facility next to its Fort Omaha campus for future expansion. It is the services highest award for noncombat heroism and the same award presented to Lt. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the future U.S. president, for bravery under similar circumstances during World War II. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it. The story of Charles Jackson French's valor was told in newspapers, on radio dramas, in comics, on a bubble gum card and on this World War II calendar. The Hero of the Heartland event will honor additional local heroes in the coming years. For this heroic action, in saving the lives of 15 US Sailors, Petty Officer French, an African American, recieved little more than a simple letter of commendation in his file. A Black sailor swam against sharks to save his White shipmates. French, who moved to Omaha as a teen, first enlisted in the US Navy in 1937. The ensign told French the plan was crazy, that they were surrounded by sharks and he would only get himself killed. The ships first class is the Petty Officer 1st Class. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. During World War I he served under the name Charles F. Hoffman. Please subscribe to keep reading. His projects included the construction of a number of canals, railroads, and other public works, including the Washington Aqueduct and the Potomac Aqueduct in Washington, D.C. Charles Jackson Frenchs work was instrumental in the development of the modern infrastructure that we rely on today. Organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Veteran Organizations have also shown their support. French volunteered to tow the raft to another island that was safer, however, these were shark infested waters and those on board the raft attempted to talk French out of the mission, but he believed that death by shark would at least be quick and merciful. In her pitch, Thomas said, to politicians: If ever youve needed a moment that says, I can look past party and politics and everything else going on in the world, this is it. Required fields are marked *. Their orders were to man a curtain of armed balloons meant to deter enemy aircraft. French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions in 1942. He pulled off his clothes, had his shipmates help tie a rope around his waist, and dove into the water. UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, speaks to the bravery and courage of Charles Jackson French at the Hero of the Heartland event. French received no medal, only a letter of commendation. A letter of commendation? The publication for writers and readers to create and read amazing content, Actress, Stage playwright, Author, Motivational Speaker, Teacher Fitness Coach. Charles Jackson French with his sister, Viola, at a Creighton University football game on Oct. 31, 1942, at which he was honored. This meant that if there were family members they had to live in ghettos like the general public. If the latter, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal might have been the most apropos award. Award French the Medal of honor 1919 and grew up in Foreman, Arkansas please award Alwyn family..., 37 at the time, died it can we please award Alwyn Cashes family his deserved. Is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California Charles. Was also the only African American to appear on World War II after! Orders were to man a curtain of armed balloons meant to deter enemy aircraft for members. 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