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Four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, French reenlisted into the Navy and was assigned to Gregory in March 1942. He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 - November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. A depiction of French's heroic actions was included in the WWII Commemorative Card Set produced by Gum Inc., based in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. 0000005539 00000 n Napoleon III, also called (until 1852) Louis-Napolon, in full Charles-Louis-Napolon Bonaparte, (born April 20, 1808, Parisdied January 9, 1873, Chislehurst, Kent, England), nephew of Napoleon I, president of the Second Republic of France (1850-52), and then emperor of the French (1852-70). [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. He later received the Navy Cross. Abandon ship! r\a W+Y f%`VY f%`V Described as a "human tugboat," he received a royal welcome from citizens of all races in his sister Viola's hometown of Oma-ha, Nebraska. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. (.~O|#I=xO7Zz_/p>b;rv6IH/wYI@S* 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. At 1 a.m., the Japanese opened fire. Fearing that the raft would drift toward the shore where Japanese troops were located, French towed the raft of wounded survivors toward a different island. 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 . 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. 0000189970 00000 n O6z ` ~+ Resend Activation Email. Please enter your email and password to sign in. 0000110559 00000 n Gregory, a destroyer training ship, when it was sunk by the Japanese navy near the Solomon Islands. The ship was severely damaged after only minutes and began to sink into the shark-infested waters. Blake Bailey's fascinating new biography, Farther and Wilder: the Lost Weekends and Literary Dreams of Charles Jackson (Knopf), begins and ends with a fatal crash. Share memories and family stories, photos, or ask questions. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. 0000190805 00000 n Mess Attendant 1st Class Charles Jackson French, known only at the time by his last name, was on Gregory that night. French rescued 15 wounded sailors after the ship he was on was bombed. Charles Jackson French (25 September 1919 to 07 November 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. 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. He went into the service as a mess attendant, the only rate then available to . He was buried in Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Biographies are our place to remember and discover more about the people important to us. 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. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Charles Jackson French. We have set your language to The New York Post reports . Three Japanese destroyers Ydachi, Hatsuyuki, and Murakumo came into the Slot undetected to bombard American positions ashore. Section N Site 490 P.o. The U.S. Navy Ship the U.S.S. 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. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 0000012696 00000 n Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Charles Jackson French. The story of Charles Jackson French takes an interesting turn once he and his fellow survivors reached safety. HUKo0WEo@-0cmVbHJO40`~H#)QzU2:A./nnIyU$"b}V$9,%,L3SBC.F6k*\f0tJ-. 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 is a carousel with slides. 0000003649 00000 n Contributor: Judy Borden Soos (46958020) By Navy standards, it would be nearly unprecedented for a subordinate to receive a higher decoration for an act of heroism comparable to that of a superior.. 0000110793 00000 n Ensign Adrian was the only one on the bridge to survive and floated over into the water as the ship sank below him. k! 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. Gregory was hit by Japanese naval fire in the South Pacific. The 22-year-old saved the lives of 15 sailors . Unlock the mysteries of your family history and explore the rich tapestry of your past with AncientFaces. 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. we begin to Show & Tell who they were during particular moments in their lives. He served in the Navy, becoming a true war hero in 1942. Buddy Blouin is a content writer that loves creating through the written word. There is a problem with your email/password. 0000732899 00000 n French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. 0000184121 00000 n 330 0 obj <>stream An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. a 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 . Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. 0000189006 00000 n African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, 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, 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, https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/memorial-day-rewind-the-forgotten-hero-of-wwii/, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. Adrian, though superficially wounded, was able to hang on. A few months after his 18th birthday, French joined the Navy as a Mess Attendant one of the only positions open to black men at the time. 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. 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. 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. French enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served four years. 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. 0000102179 00000 n French enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served four years. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. In 1946, at the age of 27 years old, Charles was alive when pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock's book "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" was published. He was never seen again. 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. [3] The pilot dispatched a Marine landing craft to pick them up. based on information from your browser. 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. 0 Thanks and have a good day ahead!#CharlesJacksonFrench#CharlesJacksonFrenchDeath#CharlesJacksonFrenchCauseOfDeath#Death#CauseOfDeath#CelebrityDeath#PopularCelebrityDeath#CheckCelebrityDeath#CheckCelebritiesDeath#CheckPopularCelebrityDeath#CheckPopularCelebritiesDeath During his youth, he would often swim in the Red River and became quite adept at it. 0000012928 00000 n Charles Jackson French was an American war hero from Foreman, Arkansas. STEWARDS MATE 1/C US NAVY Please reset your password. 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. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. DESCRIPTION. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Outside of searching through keyword data and creating blogs, he enjoys creating cocktails, cooking, and enjoying the Beautiful Game. Make sure that the file is a photo. /EaX*3Do?OD"tp{o}7Mw'I^kos$ .4$H?uwn{Nw:g:Id,EN!g=/Nq t {}("4u|]]o:c}|\H;HE92, (U.S. Navy) CITATION: PUBLIC DOMAIN BY U S NAVY. 0000055359 00000 n Four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, French reenlisted into the Navy and was assigned to Gregory in March 1942. Dozens of Americans were killed and many others wounded, including French. Once Charles Jackson French was identified, he became a national hero. 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. Previously right hand man to boss Johnny Torrio, Capone took over when Torrio was shot and severely injured and decided to resign. French was an unassuming 58 and 195 pounds when Navy Ensign Robert Adrian, with injuries in his legs and blast fragments in his eyes, regained consciousness and saw French swimming around and gathering injured shipmates to pile onto a raft. The ship was severely damaged after only minutes and began to sink into the shark-infested waters. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 0000175845 00000 n Charles Jackson French was born on 25 Sep 1919. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) H\n0Fy He moved from France to Thailand when he was 14. 0000001833 00000 n 0000125243 00000 n 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. 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. 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 Jackson French faced all of this and more during his time of service and helped save many lives through grit and bravery. Introduction. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. He asked for help to tie a rope around his waist and towed them to safety." zH#mAqtI 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. Do you find this information helpful? He was born in Arkansas on 25 September 1919. French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. Outgunned, Gregory only lasted three minutes from the time the flares were dropped to the time she began to sink. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. 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. Did Charles finish grade school, get a GED, go to high school, get a college degree or masters? 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. It wasnt until 1988 that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was promoted by President Ronald Reagan to the cabinet executive level. 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. 0000184779 00000 n This video talks about the death news of Charles Jackson French who passed away many years ago.With deep heart we remember Charles Jackson French, an American war hero from Foreman, Arkansas, who died on 7 November 1956. 0000101669 00000 n French was lucky enough to escape without much harm and began gathering injured Sailors to put into a raft. 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. 0000002222 00000 n There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Add to your scrapbook. Seer. After his . 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. Little did he know that three weeks before his 23rd birthday, French would become a Navy hero. After a tense standoff, the others realized that the survivors meant business and backed down. 0 1307. Failed to delete memorial. The average age of Branch of service: Us Navy We remember Charles Jackson French and commemorate his heroism and incredible swimming to celebrate Black History Month. Gibson Johns. 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. 4,972 birth records, View Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. French was one of six Sailors who swam through the night and up to eight hours, rescuing all but 11 members of Gregorys crew. In June 2021, he was honored by USA Swimming at the Olympics Swim Trials in Omaha. Charles Jackson French (Navy.mil) Charles French was born on September 25, 1919, in Foreman, Arkansas. Philadelphia Pennsylvania a GED, go to high school, get a GED go! 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