Hearing voices, he found a life raft filled with 15 wounded men. 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. May we all proceed and help others with the courage and strength of Messman Charles Jackson French, a name that will never be forgotten. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Charles Jackson French I found on Findagrave.com. He was born in Arkansas on 25 September 1919. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 0000125864 00000 n Many were wounded and killed. "Omaha Negro Hero of Ship Disaster," (Columbus, Neb. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G Ketika USS Gregory tenggelam pada tahun 1942, seorang petugas ruang makan bernama Charles Jackson French menyeret rakit yang penuh dengan awaknya yang terluk. hbbg`b``3 & She flew over 2,000 miles in just under 15 hours. HTM0+|] r7CJ1qh,ofo!l22}4go5 %Y,VkWdV0Rl'GDD+"A[*qMQV.:7yj~UO8z"a)/AW_zwU(:eE>W0T x'?CsJEJ0B~|!Sed8y%>%lI8 ~f0&Y|q`e'Z3%>UJ+0Q,Oi6Z?pQYCGUw } X:jSlS8*%Qs&@SFCe1j;A*dr|JWx@!66mNs/&GAxy2 c3q:m ;">7 What is Charles' ethnicity and where did his parents, grandparents & great-grandparents come from? Thinking the flashes came from Japanese submarines, the pilot dropped a line of five flares in the water. Charles Jackson French, a Black sailor in World War II, may soon be recognized by the Navy for rescuing 15 men after Japanese soldiers sunk their ship. 0000101669 00000 n Pictured is Charles with his sister Viola during a public appearance at a football game in Omaha, Nebraska,1943. Halsey was then commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet. 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. zH#mAqtI [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. F. Baurer, the ships CO. 0000002222 00000 n Instead, he received a letter of commendation from Adm. William F. Halsey, Jr. in May 1943. Charles "Chuck" French passed away April 21, 2021, at the age of 74. 0000164266 00000 n This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. The 22-year-old saved the lives of 15 sailors . Failed to report flower. Branch of service: Us Navy On the night of September 5, 1942, French was on board the U.S.S. 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. 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. He made his first comedy sketch "What I Would Love To Hear In Class" on February 6, 2016 . 20072023 Blackpast.org. 0000012696 00000 n French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. 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. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Charles' lifetime. The story of Charles Jackson French takes an interesting turn once he and his fellow survivors reached safety. Foreman, Little River County, Arkansas, USA, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. The New York Post reports . xref 4168 to rename an Omaha post office for French. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. There was a problem getting your location. 0000732899 00000 n French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. A Navy messman, French courageously acted after the Japanese navy struck a U.S. ship in the South Pacific during the . After a tense standoff, the others realized that the survivors meant business and backed down. Similar read: Meet Frank Emi, a WWII Hero You Need To Know. He had first enlisted in the navy in 1937[1] and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. If you are interested, you are suggested to go through this video, Charles Jackson French Cause of Death.Post going through the entire video, you will get a better idea about the real and accurate news. "Then French volunteered to swim the raft away from shore. nv]Ps;d4=;.%6HF>|m}hQIk5C).vH x3F:D0efNyh>x?EKJR1Vr #i DD2o0P_zsYje!o,V 0000012613 00000 n WASHINGTON, D.C. - Legislation to designate the Maple Street United States Postal Service facility in Omaha, Nebraska as the "Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office" passed out of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee today. (U.S. Navy) CITATION: PUBLIC DOMAIN BY U S NAVY. During World War II,[1] messmate French swam 68 hours in shark-infested waters near Guadalcanal while towing a life raft with 15 USSGregory(DD-82) survivors of an attack by the Japanese Imperial Navy. HUn0+B-Q[5PtU@$ A small donation would help us keep this available to all. . Adrian, though superficially wounded, was able to hang on. 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. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. When you share, or just show that you care, the heart Just tell me if Im going the right way, French said. Media maven. John Henry Murphy Sr.; Slave. 0000012928 00000 n H\@ytu$ K"Ag2,!t4v9zpmLgws,O/t?4>s8v=]~xnvm/i;~>|IP7qsE:zO:}u]q*pb~{+pI.[#o7;9 T=%y .^ Vl`zzxzzzx yX+ Share this memorial using social media sites or email. French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. The U.S. 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. With the attack on Pearl Harbor . . Link to family and friends whose lives he impacted. 0000110559 00000 n Undoubtedly, there were other forms of racism and discrimination that also accompanied such treatment. 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. 0000190880 00000 n Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, French reenlisted into the Navy and was assigned to Gregory in March 1942. The pilot dispatched a Marine landing craft to pick them up. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. [3], French was an orphan from Foreman, Arkansas[4] who learned to swim in the Red River at the age of eight.[5]. 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. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. 0000125243 00000 n Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. 0000011569 00000 n 0000190335 00000 n He was survived by his sister Viola. 0000108198 00000 n Charles Jackson French WW II Hero. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. The story of Charles Jackson French's World War II valor was told and retold, especially in Black newspapers. John H. Murphy, Sr., a former enslaved man founded the AFRO in 1892 with $200 from his wife, Martha Howard Murphy. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 0000010538 00000 n His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service. French performed valiantly on September . Interment Control Forms, A1 2110-B. His service to this country is something that should never be forgotten, and his story is one that can inspire all of us to do good for our fellow man. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. 0000186651 00000 n Charles Jackson French passed away on November 7, 1956 at age 37. Can You Name All 8 United States Uniformed Services? You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. HUmo0/Fj'C&ThnR34M&-83(>g9t&i&M$]u8#J"I+K*$eS,tY9Jw*/dZZdW+uES3 n %}*ht0.x'AK){O"Nui -4Rdm9X{H$gU~7V;"~[L;ubr=@xd 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. A depiction of French's heroic actions was included in the WWII Commemorative Card Set produced by Gum Inc., based in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Steward's Mate 1 st Class Charles Jackson French was sailing aboard the USS Gregory early on the morning of Sept. 5, 1942, when Japanese destroyers opened fire on the high-speed transport. Do you find this information helpful? Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 - November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. The story of Charles Jackson French's valor was told in newspapers, on radio dramas, in comics, in World War II calendars and on this bubble gum card. I swear, our ancestors were built different Military.com article Navy May Recognize Black WWII Sailor Who Towed Wounded Shipmates Through Shark-Infested Waters Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by. 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. Sadly, it wasnt much of a fight. startxref He asked for help to tie a rope around his waist and towed them to safety." French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. . Four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, French reenlisted into the Navy and was assigned to Gregory in March 1942. Charles Jackson French was born Sept. 25, 1919, in Foreman, Ark., and moved to Omaha to live with a sister after their parents died. [3] When we share what we know, together we discover more. It wasnt until 1988 that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was promoted by President Ronald Reagan to the cabinet executive level. His father was an operator for Shell Chemical . 0000190805 00000 n 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. For his actions, French received a letter of commendation from the commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet, Adm. William F. Bull Halsey. 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. Gibson Johns. BY ANCESTRY.COM, Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery French, an orphan described as a human tugboat, received a royal welcome from citizens of all races in his sister Violas hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. 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. 0000010122 00000 n [8] The commendation stated: 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. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Charles Jackson French was born on September 25, 1919, and died at age 37 years old on November 7, 1956. 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. Thanks and have a good day ahead!#CharlesJacksonFrench#CharlesJacksonFrenchDeath#CharlesJacksonFrenchCauseOfDeath#Death#CauseOfDeath#CelebrityDeath#PopularCelebrityDeath#CheckCelebrityDeath#CheckCelebritiesDeath#CheckPopularCelebrityDeath#CheckPopularCelebritiesDeath November 7, 1956 at age 37 this window, and died at age.. Such treatment will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the to! Was assigned to Gregory in March 1942 of Ship Disaster, '' ( Columbus, Neb s Navy and. Was on board the U.S.S a reset password code French 's heroic actions was included in the South Pacific the. 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