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. We have set your language to This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. He was buried in Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Section N Site 490, San Diego, California. Find the nearest body of water to you. 1140 3rd St., 2nd Flr, NE He later received the Navy Cross. After his release, Macmillan Publishers gave him an advance for a new book. H\@ytu$ K"Ag2,!t4v9zpmLgws,O/t?4>s8v=]~xnvm/i;~>|IP7qsE:zO:}u]q*pb~{+pI.[#o7;9 T=%y .^ Vl`zzxzzzx yX+ As noted at history.com, the 1.2 million African Americans who served in World War II fought for democracy overseas while being treated as second-class citizens by their own country. endstream endobj 265 0 obj <> endobj 266 0 obj [285 0 R] endobj 267 0 obj <>stream Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Charles Gilpin Jackson to pay them a last tribute. "Then French volunteered to swim the raft away from shore. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. After a Japanese attack in the Pacific during WWII, the Navy petty officer swam through shark-infested waters towing a life raft that was tied around his waist. U.S. NavyCharles Jackson French salutes while next to his sister Viola at a Creighton University football game on Oct. 31, 1942. Charles J. French, Naval Hero born. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Charles Gilpin Jackson (Downingtown, Pennsylvania), who passed away on February 23, 2023 at the age of 73. . 0000125572 00000 n Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 - November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. And white soldiers and local white residents routinely slurred and harassed them.. Charles Jackson French - Unknown Hero. Hearing voices, he found a life raft filled with 15 wounded men. 0000005708 00000 n 0000002550 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. Foreman, Little River County, Arkansas, USA, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. French, according to Adrian, replied: Just keep telling me if Im goin the right way.. The Navy, like swimming pools across the country, was strictly segregated. 0 cemeteries found in San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. All Rights Reserved. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. The story of Charles Jackson Frenchs heroism was later made public by Adrian, who described it on a radio program called It Happened in the Service in October 1942, according to Swimming World Magazine. Charles French was an orphan from Foreman, Arkansas who learned to swim in the Red River at the age of eight. [10], In June 2022, President 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.[11]. ;P"f He died on November 7, 1956, in San Diego, California; he was only 37 years old. French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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. The U.S. Navy Office Of Information reports that the Gregory, outgunned, sank after just three minutes. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Charles Jackson French I found on Findagrave.com. (.~O|#I=xO7Zz_/p>b;rv6IH/wYI@S* In April 2021, a post about French from the International Swimming Hall of Fame revived his story. He was survived by his sister Viola. Gregory, a destroyer training ship, when it was sunk by the Japanese navy near the Solomon Islands. In the aftermath, French helped fifteen wounded survivors from the ship into a life raft. After his parents died, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with his sister. Born Sept. 25, 1919, French died on Nov. 7, 1956, at 37. [2] Contents 1 Meritorious conduct in action 2 Resting place 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External links Meritorious conduct in action John H. Murphy, Sr., a former enslaved man founded the AFRO in 1892 with $200 from his wife, Martha Howard Murphy. <<4EEFF01CF8009C438CF4B522CFC4463C>]/Prev 1234002/XRefStm 2222>> After the death of his parents, he lived with an older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men was adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 0000003092 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. 256 75 0000110718 00000 n To serve side-by-side with his fellow troops knowing the unfair treatment he faced is one thing, but to be willing to put his body under such duress to save them is beyond heroic. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. A jury must decide if AEG Live contributed to his death by . Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Following the death of his parents, Louis' tutors provided him with poor interpersonal skills. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. 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. 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. 0000189418 00000 n Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent. A United States Navy messman, French courageously acted after the Japanese navy struck a U.S. ship in the South Pacific during the conflict. The letter read, in part, 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 Sept. 5, 1942. 0000010122 00000 n %%EOF He was a native of Foreman, Arkansas and moved to Omaha to live with his sister after the death of their parents. 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. 0000175553 00000 n The ensign told French the plan was crazy, that. 0000176236 00000 n Just tell me if Im going the right way, French said. 0000163762 00000 n Many were wounded and killed. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. He was celebrated in the black press and was even the subject of a syndicated comic strip. Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French was hailed as the hero of the Solomons and the Human Tugboat after a heroic rescue in the Pacific during World War II. Charles Jackson French salutes while next to his sister Viola at a Creighton University football game on Oct. 31, 1942. HUKo0WEo@-0cmVbHJO40`~H#)QzU2:A./nnIyU$"b}V$9,%,L3SBC.F6k*\f0tJ-. 0000003885 00000 n With Hazel Gordy, Jackson had three children: Jermaine Lu Juane Jr., Autumn Joy and Jaimy. Many at home believed French should have received more. He was a talented carpenter, a skilled handyman, and a master of DIY projects. 0000012696 00000 n Charles Jackson French is a World War II hero with Omaha ties that few people know about. He had first enlisted in the Navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. When Adrian told French that the current was carrying them toward the Japanese occupied island, French. 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. Washington, DC 20002, Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent, AFRO endorsements for the 2022 midterm elections, A time to dance: Rev. Baltimore, MD 21202, Washington, DC Office French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. In addition, Rep. Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general, has petitioned the navy, asking for French to be considered for a posthumous medal of honor. Midwin Charles, who also appeared on CNN and contributed to Essence magazine, died at the age of 47, her family said Tuesday. 0000002403 00000 n Adrian had never learned Frenchs full name he and the others only knew him as French but he fully credited him for their rescue that day. 0000190535 00000 n Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. After a tense standoff, the others realized that the survivors meant business and backed down. Make sure that the file is a photo. The U.S. Navy Ship the U.S.S. 0000190335 00000 n or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Can You Name All 8 United States Uniformed Services? Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. In the work, titled "Vita Karoli Magni (Life of Charles the Great)," he described . His main claim to fame (sounds strange to say that about a king of . French saved the lives of 15 of his shipmates by swimming through shark-infested waters near the Solomon Islands. He asked for help to tie a rope around his waist and towed them to safety. Adrian told him it was impossible that he would only be giving himself up to the sharks that surrounded them French responded that he was not afraid. 0000164084 00000 n He was survived by his sister Viola. 0000001833 00000 n Steve Liewer, Nebraska Reps Seek to Name Benson Post Office for Black Omaha WWII Hero. Omaha World-Herald, June 29. 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. CNN's legal analyst Midwin Charles died aged 47 Credit: Getty. 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/. Photo of Charles Jackson French and his sister Viola, appeared in the Omaha Star on 11/6/1942. Charles De Gaulle in Algiers, Algeria, June 1958, where he made an ambiguous and broad emotional appeal to all inhabitants, declaring "Je vous ai compris" (I have understood you). k! 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 system error has occurred. He has seven children. French may have been denied the medal because a Silver Star was awarded to one of his superiors and it was unprecedented to award a higher medal to a subordinate. When three Japanese destroyers attacked the USS Gregory as it sailed off the coast of the Solomon Islands in September 1942, a Black cook from the ship plunged into shark-infested waters and with a rope tied around his waist swam for eight hours, dragging a lifeboat full of injured shipmates away from Japanese territory. memorial page for Jettie Mae French (4 Dec 1916-17 Nov 1968), Find a Grave Memorial ID 3400830, citing Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego . You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. flagship of the Asiatic Fleet. 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. Many of the bases and training facilities were located in the South, in addition to the largest military installation for Black soldiers, Fort Huachuca, located in Arizona. A staff writer for All That's Interesting, Kaleena Fraga has also had her work featured in The Washington Post and Gastro Obscura, and she published a book on the Seattle food scene for the Eat Like A Local series. The ship was severely damaged after only minutes and began to sink into the shark-infested waters. There is a problem with your email/password. French was assigned to the mess (kitchen) as an attendant. 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. And a year later, Rear Admiral Charles Brown, the Navy public affairs officer, presented eight of Frenchs relatives with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal just like Kennedys. 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