we begin to Show & Tell who they were during particular moments in their lives. Listen to Julian Jackson discuss Charles de Gaulle on the Bloomberg.com podcast Surveillance [at 33:20] Listen to Professor Jackson discuss de Gaulle on ABC Radio National's Between the Lines; At The Good Men Project, read Jackson on whether Emmanuel Macron might be the man to help the French people escape the long shadow of General de Gaulle Fellow troops tried to talk him out of the desperate move, to take cover and escape the shark-infested waters, but French wouldnt listen. 0000007046 00000 n the average French family member 0000012382 00000 n Baltimore, MD Office 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. The Biography piece is collaborative, where we work together to present the facts. French was memorialized on War Gum trading cards, in syndicated comic strips, on calendars, and The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. 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For his actions, French received a letter of commendation from the commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet, Adm. William F. Bull Halsey. Sadly, it wasn't much of a fight. Box 6237, in San Diego, California 92166. Little did he know that three weeks before his 23rd birthday, French would become a Navy hero. 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. 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. 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. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Gregory, a destroyer training ship, when it was sunk by the Japanese navy near the Solomon Islands. [3], French was an orphan from Foreman, Arkansas[4] who learned to swim in the Red River at the age of eight.[5]. 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. French was one of six Sailors who swam through the night and up to eight hours, rescuing all but 11 members of Gregorys crew. Black WW2 hero's story of pulling 15 men to safety through shark-infested waters gets a new audience. His mission was to rescue fellow soldiers. Learn more about managing a memorial . With Adrian amongst the rescued Sailors on board the raft, French started to tie a rope around his waist. 0000054664 00000 n 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. 4168 to name the U.S. Post Office in Omaha's Benson area, 6223 Maple St., after Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, a World War II hero with ties to Omaha, who rescued fifteen of his injured shipmates by swimming for hours through shark-infested waters . He enlisted in the Navy shortly after turning 18. Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. 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. 330 0 obj <>stream 0000008519 00000 n He was buried in Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Share this memorial using social media sites or email. 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. 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. Washington, DC 20002, Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent, AFRO endorsements for the 2022 midterm elections, A time to dance: Rev. GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS #CharlesJacksonFrench #CharlesJacksonFrenchOfDeath #CelebritiesCauseOfDeathCharles Jackson French Cause of Death (Mar 2021) Obituary, Death, ReasonCharles Ja. Swimming until sunrise, French and the 15 Sailors on the raft he was towing were spotted by a scout aircraft. A depiction of French's heroic actions was included in the WWII Commemorative Card Set produced by Gum Inc., based in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. (U.S. Navy) CITATION: PUBLIC DOMAIN BY U S NAVY. [3] To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. [6] Adm. Halsey was then commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet. 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. Hearing voices, he found a life raft filled with 15 wounded men. [2] His family moved to Newark, New York in 1907, and nine years later his older sister, Thelma, and younger brother, Richard, were killed while riding in a car that was struck by an express train. startxref Charles Jackson French was a 23 year-old orphan from Foreman, Arkansas who had enlisted in the navy in 1937. 0000190335 00000 n Charles Jackson French was born on 25 Sep 1919. As the attacks continued and the ship began to sink, many Sailors suffered injuries. "Omaha Negro Hero of Ship Disaster," (Columbus, Neb. -- The story of Charles Jackson French captured the attention of Omaha in the weeks ahead of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials. On the night of September 5, 1942, French was on board the U.S.S. SOURCE INTERNET SEARCH. 0000175845 00000 n Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Gregory was hit by Japanese naval fire in the South Pacific. He served in the Navy, becoming a true war hero in 1942. 0000003773 00000 n A generation of Baby Boomers were raised by the advice of Dr. Spock. All Rights Reserved. 0000184704 00000 n French was lucky enough to escape without much harm and began gathering injured Sailors to put into a raft. He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. Along with Doris Dorie Miller, who received the Navy Cross for valor during the attack on the fleet at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, French was one of the most celebrated Black sailors during the war. A photo of French is shown outside the building at 63rd and Maple Streets. Learn more about merges. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Foreman, Little River County, Arkansas, USA, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member subscribers are now members! However, as in the case of many other African-American war heroes, he would receive a lesser reward than anticipated. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, Charles French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, he re-enlisted in the United States Navy. Rank attained: STEWARDS MATE 1/C Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 - November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. After his parents died, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with his sister. The National Archives at College Park, College Park, Maryland. By the feat, French should have become the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroic feat in 1943, however, he was denied the Medal of Honor or Silver Star. 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. He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. The Atomic Age moved forward. recommended by Julian Jackson. zH#mAqtI Postal Service held a ceremony Friday in Omaha to formally rename the Benson branch post pffice for World War II Navy veteran Charles Jackson French. Not many people can say they have swam for 6-8 hours straight while tugging a raft full of 24 wounded men away from Japanese capture and through shark infested waters to safety, but Charles Jackson French can. Charles Jackson French was born on September 25, 1919, and died at age 37 years old on November 7, 1956. French enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served four years. May we all proceed and help others with the courage and strength of Messman Charles Jackson French, a name that will never be forgotten. Steve Liewer, Nebraska Reps Seek to Name Benson Post Office for Black Omaha WWII Hero. Omaha World-Herald, June 29. (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. This is the family of Charles Jackson French. 0000001833 00000 n O n 26 August 1944, General Charles de Gaulle took a high profile walk on the Champs-Elyses. Charles Jackson French (25 September 1919 to 07 November 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. 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. Thanks for your help! Gibson Johns. Charles Jackson, one of the most successful failures in American letters, wished as fiercely as any writer for literary immortality. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Along with stevedore and steward, mess attendant was one of the few occupations open to African American men in the navy. Charles de Gaulle had 'a certain idea of France' which even he didn't manage to articulate clearly. Charles Thomas Jackson, (born June 21, 1805, Plymouth, Mass., U.S.died Aug. 28, 1880, Somerville, Mass. He had first enlisted in the navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. trailer Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by Japanese warships near Guadalcanal. 0000101669 00000 n 0000189006 00000 n Charles Jackson French is a World War II hero with Omaha ties that few people know about. 0000000016 00000 n A BILL TO NAME A U.S. POST OFCEFI JUST PAST THE U.S. SENATE. When you share, or just show that you care, the heart Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. The AFRO provides readers with good news about the Black community not otherwise found. In many ways, Navy Messman Charles Jackson French remains an unsung hero of World War II. 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. Find the nearest body of water to you. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Lest We Forget. We share yesterday, to build meaningful connections today, and preserve for tomorrow. Charles Jackson French (Navy.mil) Charles French was born on September 25, 1919, in Foreman, Arkansas. 0000189970 00000 n BY ANCESTRY.COM, Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Newspaper clipping of Naval Hero, Charles Jackson French. 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. Charles French was born on September 25, 1919, in Foreman, Arkansas. 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