[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]. French was memorialized on War Gum trading cards and in a comic strip. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. Thats an error: NYC road sign is spelled Jakie Robinson, The end of Black History Month and our challenge, Local Publishers, Deloitte to Create Business Content for Diverse Audiences, Congressman Kweisi Mfume Introduces Legislation to Commemorate African American World War II Hero Doris Miller, Towson University is trying to get ahead of the lure of sports betting, Buzzy sports betting posts appeal to Gen Z social media audience, On game day, sports betting is the new normal for some Colorado fans, Remembering Louis Sylvester Diggs, the Baltimore County historian, We Earn Our Stripes: a song for Black Americans who serve, Morgan State and Howard University among 13 institutions to receive bobbleheads in first-ever HBCU Series, Pfizer partners with communities nationwide to raise awareness of ATTR-CM, an underdiagnosed cause of heart failure among Black and Afro-Caribbean communities, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. He was buried in Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Section N Site 490, San Diego, California. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 1st 2023 from 5:00 PM to 5:45 PM . How- 330 0 obj <>stream They exacerbated his shyness. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. xref endstream endobj 270 0 obj <>stream 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. In many ways, Navy Messman Charles Jackson French remains an unsung hero of World War II. 0000005539 00000 n Fellow troops tried to talk him out of the desperate move, to take cover and escape the shark-infested waters, but French wouldnt listen. Interment Control Forms, A1 2110-B. "Then French volunteered to swim the raft away from shore. Charles Jackson French was discharged from the Navy Nov. 13, 1941, but re-enlisted a month later after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. 0000054932 00000 n 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. #CharlesJacksonFrench #CharlesJacksonFrenchOfDeath #CelebritiesCauseOfDeathCharles Jackson French Cause of Death (Mar 2021) Obituary, Death, ReasonCharles Jackson French Cause of Death-Do you want to get all details related to Charles Jackson Frenchs Death? A United States Navy messman, French courageously acted after the Japanese navy struck a U.S. ship in the South Pacific during the conflict. 0000164266 00000 n Hearing voices, he found a life raft filled with 15 wounded men. 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. 0000189493 00000 n Please reset your password. This is the family of Charles Jackson French. French successfully brought the men to safety on the shores of the Solomon Islands. 0000101669 00000 n Oops, something didn't work. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. 0000003649 00000 n Make sure that the file is a photo. Its surviving men were plunged into shark-infested waters as the Japanese fired on them. Swimming World Magazine speculates that French may have learned to swim by visiting the citys stone quarries and the Red River. k! Buddy Blouin is a content writer that loves creating through the written word. Pictured is Charles with his sister Viola during a public appearance at a football game in Omaha, Nebraska,1943. But now through social media, the tale of Petty Officer Charles Jackson French is being shared to thousands of . 0000104051 00000 n To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. After the death of his parents, he lived with an older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. Abandon ship! Learn more about managing a memorial . The memoirs are in three volumes that came out successively in 1954, 1956, and 1959. We havent even mentioned the racism yet. On the French side was Philip VI, first cousin of Charles IV. However he learned to swim, Frenchs days in Foreman were numbered. 0000003092 00000 n Sadly, it wasn't much of a fight. Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. 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. Michael Jackson died in a desperate search for sleep. But since then, theres been a push to give this forgotten World War II hero his due. In addition to the War Gum trading card, his story was told in syndicated comic strips, on calendars and he made. The Famous Canals Of Venice Are Drying Up Due To Drought Conditions And Unusually Low Tides, 2,000-Year-Old Phallic Wooden Object Found In England Likely Oldest Roman Sex Toy Ever Found, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. 0000010538 00000 n The story of Charles Jackson French takes an interesting turn once he and his fellow survivors reached safety. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. He was celebrated across the country, featured in a comic strip, and lauded by the Black press. Oops, we were unable to send the email. That night he went to bed, slept uneasily, and awoke at about 7 a.m. 0000189418 00000 n He asked for help to tie a rope around his waist and towed them to safety." 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. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. As a Mess Attendant 3rd Class, his job was to serve meals to white officers and sailors, clear their tables and keep the mess "not a mess." Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. 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. French, one of the only uninjured sailors, discarded his waterlogged clothing, tied a rope around his waist, and started to swim. After a tense standoff, the others realized that the survivors meant business and backed down. Growing Up and Early Naval Days. The first was an enlistment was in 1937 when he served four years before receiving an honorable discharge in 1941. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. French was also the only African American to appear on World War II patriotic trading cards issued by GUM, Inc. After his military service, French suffered from alcoholism and depression. As is the case with many African Americans who served America during the time, Charles Jackson French is a name that more people should know. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Steve Liewer, Nebraska Reps Seek to Name Benson Post Office for Black Omaha WWII Hero. Omaha World-Herald, June 29. Sheritha Jones, Back in the Day, October 30, 1942: Omahas Hero of the Solomon Islands Returns Home to Honors. Omaha World-Herald, October 31, 2021, 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. The award was presented on May 21, 2022, at Naval Base San Diego, at a ceremony in which the base's rescue swimmer training pool was dedicated in French's honor. On a pitch-black night in 1942, the waters of the Pacific Ocean near Savo Island and Guadalcanal suddenly lit up with gunfire. 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. -- The story of Charles Jackson French captured the attention of Omaha in the weeks ahead of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials. 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. z:RA" ERAZC@ Charles Jackson French was 22 years old when World War II: Nazi Germany invades the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa. Drag images here or select from your computer for Charles Jackson French memorial. By. Adrian, though superficially wounded, was able to hang on. endstream endobj 268 0 obj <>stream 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. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. On the night of September 4, 1942, during the Battle of Guadalcanal, the USS Gregory was struck by an attack from multiple Japanese destroyers. Liberals do not By Jer Clifton on March 1, 2023 . After the death of his parents, he lived with his older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. (j/p> dO~"$3$i'FwKk9Evhr-R|(}@4rY$^'\h? endstream endobj 329 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/Index[37 219]/Length 30/Size 256/Type/XRef/W[1 1 1]>>stream loneliness and of death. ishof.org/assets. Wounded and dying, the skipper ordered two companions to leave him and go to the aid of another crewman who was yelling for help, historians wrote. 0000012382 00000 n You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. I can assure you that all the men on that raft are grateful to mess attendant French for his brave action off Guadacanal that night, Adrian said. 0000007741 00000 n Later that year Nebraskas three U.S. representatives, Don Bacon, Jeff Fortenberry, and Adrian Smith, co-sponsored H.R. The waters were shark-infested. Foreman, Little River County, Arkansas, USA, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. Do you find this information helpful? 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