256 75 French had enlisted . French was one of six Sailors who swam through the night and up to eight hours, rescuing all but 11 members of Gregorys crew. Despite never completing college, Jackson had a passion for literature and at various . 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. Gregory, a destroyer training ship, when it was sunk by the Japanese navy near the Solomon Islands. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. The U.S. Navy Ship the U.S.S. 0000176236 00000 n After his parents died, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with his sister. [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. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. 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. ), American physician, chemist, and pioneer geologist and mineralogist. Photos, memories, family stories & discoveries are unique to you, and only you can control. Along with stevedore and steward, mess attendant was one of the few occupations open to African American men in the navy. Sadly, it wasnt much of a fight. 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.. French, a United States Navy Messman, swam through shark-infested . On the night of September 4, 1942, during the Battle of Guadalcanal, the USS Gregory was struck by an attack from multiple Japanese destroyers. 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. k! This he was denied, though for a brief moment in the mid-1940s . Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. 563. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Charles Jackson French I found on Findagrave.com. 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. 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. 0000164150 00000 n Outside of searching through keyword data and creating blogs, he enjoys creating cocktails, cooking, and enjoying the Beautiful Game. He returned to Boston in 1832 . 0000184121 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. Writer: The Lost Weekend. 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. endstream endobj 265 0 obj <> endobj 266 0 obj [285 0 R] endobj 267 0 obj <>stream 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. Fellow troops tried to talk him out of the desperate move, to take cover and escape the shark-infested waters, but French wouldnt listen. Try again later. an outstanding biography' Max Hastings, Sunday Times The definitive biography of the greatest French statesman of mode 0000189418 00000 n [6][7] For this action, French received a letter of commendation from Adm. William F. Halsey Jr. in May 1943. Where we share as we remember & make discoveries and connect with others to help answer questions. . He asked for help to tie a rope around his waist and towed them to safety." A classic cotton tee emblazoned with the Wikipedia article on Charles Jackson French . Taking care of the military personnel that keeps us free has come a long way, and theres still a way to go, but after returning from WWII, history loses track of French. 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 He died on November 7, 1956, in San Diego, California; he was only 37 years old. 0000002550 00000 n %%EOF 0000012613 00000 n (NNPA Newswire) It remains by far one of the most heroic acts performed in war, and it also counts as one of the most underappreciated sacrifices in American history. Charles Jackson French faced all of this and more during his time of service and helped save many lives through grit and bravery. cemeteries found in San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 0000012998 00000 n Its a shame that so many who served our country were left to face the mental and physical ailments war may bring in solitude. <<4EEFF01CF8009C438CF4B522CFC4463C>]/Prev 1234002/XRefStm 2222>> zH#mAqtI Thinking the flashes came from Japanese submarines, the pilot dropped a line of five flares in the water. #"4d*2 LC` 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". Little did he know that three weeks before his 23rd birthday, French would become a Navy hero. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. O6z ` ~+ Charles French was buried at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Section N Site 490 P.o. Despite his heroism, the ignorantly prejudiced United States all but ignored French. Close. 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. After sunrise, French and his fellow Sailors were spotted and eventually rescued. Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French passed away on November 7th, 1956 at the age of 37. 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. 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. There is a problem with your email/password. 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 had first enlisted in the Navy in 1937[1] and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. 0000189970 00000 n Weve updated the security on the site. Joinhere! U[[[[[[[[[[`+{W]wEJ~wE+{WTx{7n4x= FOi4x= FOi|FgT"X,p.R~P;[+m*vi7p\ZOW 8 The ship was severely damaged after only minutes and began to sink into the shark-infested waters. 0000125243 00000 n Try again later. Charles Jackson French saved the lives 15 Sailorsall of them whiteby pulling them on a raft behind him as he swam for hours through shark-infested waters. Undoubtedly, there were other forms of racism and discrimination that also accompanied such treatment. The story of Charles Jackson French's World War II valor was told and retold, especially in Black newspapers. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? 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. While the crews of Gregory and Little debated whether to engage the Japanese destroyers or depart quietly, a Navy pilot also spotted the flashes of fire. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Just tell me if Im going the right way, French said as he began to tow the raft full of injured Sailors, according to a 1942 radio dramatization introducing Adrian to tell Frenchs story. Attacked by the Japanese in the South Pacific. Newspaper clipping of Naval Hero, Charles Jackson French. Drag images here or select from your computer for Charles Jackson French memorial. %PDF-1.4 % This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He continued his medical studies at the University of Paris, also attending lectures on geology at the Royal School of Mines. 0000184779 00000 n However, as in the case of many other African-American war heroes, he would receive a lesser reward than anticipated. 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. French was born in Foreman, Arkansas in about 1920. French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. It didnt stop the Foreman, Ark., native and avid swimmer since the age of 8, from tying a rope around his waist, jumping into the waters and defying the multitude of sharks that hungrily searched for prey. 0000101669 00000 n He is also recognized by the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Just tell me if Im going the right way, French said as he began to tow the raft full of injured Sailors, according to a 1942 radio dramatization introducing Adrian to tell Frenchs story. 0 1307. GREAT NEWS! Charles Jackson was first enlisted in the United States Navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he lived with his family. 0000101640 00000 n It was Ensign Robert N. Adrian, the only officer from the bridge of the Gregory to survive, who told an Associated Press reporter about the rescue. After the death of his parents, he lived with his older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. Charles Jackson was born in 1903 into a wholly dysfunctional family in Summit, New Jersey. While newspapers and comic books of the time wrote of French's extraordinary bravery and heroism, his story as the "one-man human tugboat" has largely been forgotten. I get the chance to remember the Share yesterday to connect today & preserve tomorrow, Copyright 1999-2023 AncientFaces, Inc. All Rights Reserved, ADVERTISEMENT His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.. Gregory was hit by Japanese naval fire in the South Pacific. 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. 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 story of Charles Jackson French takes an interesting turn once he and his fellow survivors reached safety. It was the Chicago Defender who named French Hero of the Year. Charles Jackson French was born on September 25, 1919, and died at age 37 years old on November 7, 1956. 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