Charles Jackson French and his sister, Viola, were honored at a Creighton football game in Omaha on Oct. 31, 1942. A man willing to fight in defense of his country. This petition starter stood up and took action. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. U . Charles Jackson French was an American war hero from Foreman, Arkansas. He was a true patriot whose dedication and dedication to country served as a model for future generations. French made public appearances after the rescue, including attending a Creighton University football game with his sister in 1942. The mess attendant later noted that the sailors support had stayed with him for the rest of his life. He remembers meeting his uncle during World War II just after the famous rescue and being inspired to learn to swim. charles jackson french swam 6-8 hours in 1942nd a saved 15 of his crewmates and died in 1956. French swam against the current for between six and eight hours. Charles Jackson French: Hero Without a Medal. Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. This is his jaw-dropping story. Mrs. Thomas requests the Medal of Honor for the following Black Veterans: More than 3500 Medals of Honor have been given out to date, according to the National Medal of Honor Museum, however, less than 100 of those recipients are African-American. His story was retold in comic strips and trading cards, and he traveled the country to help sell war bonds before enthusiastic crowds. When Is The Best Time To Buy First Class Airline Tickets? Jobs People Learning Dismiss Dismiss. Required fields are marked *. Continue for more information on the site and posts that may be of interest. The ensign told French the plan was crazy, that they were surrounded by sharks and he would only get himself killed. This request was also forwarded to the National NAACP office asking for a resolution to be adopted. Their orders were to man a curtain of armed balloons meant to deter enemy aircraft. French volunteered to tow the raft to another island that was safer, however, these were shark infested waters and those on board the raft attempted to talk French out of the mission, but he believed that death by shark would at least be quick and merciful. The actions of the French will never be forgotten, as will their ultimate sacrifice. All DragonDen media is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. It only took 3 minutes for the ship to sink. For this heroic action, in saving the lives of 15 US Sailors, Petty Officer French, an African American, recieved little more than a simple letter of commendation in his file. French like so many Black men believed that if they showed they were willing to fight for the country that the country would show them and people of their race some gratitude and equality only to return to the same situation they were fighting against. We receive a small royalty without cost to you. 1 of 5. Award of a Medal of Honor would require congressional intervention, but award of a Navy Cross or a Navy and Marine Corps Medal would not. French was a swimmer who performed a. Ensign Robert Adrian was fresh out of the Naval Academy and a junior officer on the Navy destroyer USS Gregory when it was sunk near Guadalcanal on Sept. 5, 1942. Despite the fact that the Medal of Honor is extremely rare, it can be received twice. 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. We see many examples of prisoners of war being treated with greater dignity than soldiers wearing American uniforms after suffering injuries, physical, emotional, mental, and even watched death. The Arkansas native had moved to Omaha to live with his sister as a youth after his parents died, and he became one of the most famous Black war heroes of the 1940s. 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. French was a swimmer who performed a heroic act that gave others another chance at life. French, who moved to Omaha as a teen, first enlisted in the US Navy in 1937. It is a fact that the victors in battle or those in power in peace write the history of past events to support their views of what should have happened versus the cold hard facts. . He was a talented carpenter, a skilled handyman, and a master of DIY projects. The Omaha World-Herald reported that Frenchs story was brought back to prominence through a social media post by the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Will you do the same? The bravery that he demonstrated serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that can be made at any age. Tucked away from Asheville, North Carolina's busy [Read More] about The Little Mountain Escape-The Biltmore House, As a youngster studying American History, we [Read More] about A Hero, Virtually Unknown to History, Was a Vital Part of Our Nations Independence, Copyright 2023 TheSouthern.Life Site design by: weblotech.com, about The Little Mountain Escape-The Biltmore House, about A Hero, Virtually Unknown to History, Was a Vital Part of Our Nations Independence, Read the story of Paul Bolden, Medal of Honor recipient from Alabama, Read the story of John Pruitt, WWI recipient of two Medals of Honor, The Little Mountain Escape-The Biltmore House, A Hero, Virtually Unknown to History, Was a Vital Part of Our Nations Independence. Adrian also recommended him for a Navy Cross, the Navys second-highest award for valor, but he received only a letter of commendation. Willie Johnson, the youngest person to receive the Medal of Honor, is also the youngest person to receive the medal. The ship sailed on the Pacific Ocean heading towards Guadalcanal. But French said he wasnt afraid. Perhaps it was that he wasnt considered to be in combat. On January 11, 1945, French was serving aboard the USS Bunker Hill, an aircraft carrier . French was hailed as the hero of the Solomons and the Human Tugboat for his daring rescue of the Pacific during World War II. We depend on your support and thank you for it! There is a campaign requesting a Congressional Medal of Honor is awarded to French. 80 years later, Omaha hero who swam in shark-infested waters receives Navy honor. Use our links to Amazon anytime you shop Amazon. Future Hero of the Heartland events may be held during other heritage months to celebrate heroes among a broad array of diverse ethnic groups. Read the full statement. Who is Ruth McBride Jordan? For Black History Month 2021, we focused on Black Medical Achievements, Inventors and Scientists.To see those posts, click here. This story or history was written to correct one of the many wrongs in the recording of American History. After the death of his parents, he lived with an older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. 2022 State Convention | NAACP: The Urgency of Now, 2023 Virginia NAACP Legislative Priorities, Copyright 2023 Kind of sounds like it. UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, speaks to the bravery and courage of Charles Jackson French at the Hero of the Heartland event. During his youth, he would often swim in the Red River and became quite adept at it. Sergeant Major Ernest August Janson (August 17, 1878 - May 14, 1930) was a United States Marine who was highly decorated for his heroic actions in World War I. Charles Jackson (MEng, DIS, MINCOSE) Expand search. Adrian retired from the Navy in 1966 and died in 2011, without succeeding. After his military service, French developed alcoholism and depression. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. The first was an enlistment was in 1937 when he served four years before receiving an honorable discharge in 1941. He pulled off his clothes, had his shipmates help tie a rope around his waist, and dove into the water. Name a warship after this Hero. He was responsible for the development and construction of hundreds of public works projects during his career. Charles Jackson French saved 15 men from the USS Gregory in September of 1942. The event, held Feb. 9, 2023 in UNOs Milo Bail Student Center, honored Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French for his tremendous bravery and efforts in World War II. Ive always felt glad to be a proud American, Harris said. Although he demonstrated extreme bravery, instead of the Medal of Honor, all French received was a nice letter from the U. S. Navy. 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. This might be the first time I agree with Malcolm Nance. As promising as that sounded, that was the most dangerous place to be for fear that they would be captured and executed. Charles Jackson French was born in 1919 and grew up in Foreman, Arkansas. To see the posts, click here. Charles Jackson French is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. Now, 80 years later, the Navy is finally catching up. The above summary gives a view of Charles Jackson French, a man who deserves a place in history, but like many Blacks have been excluded. I think I would lean toward Medal of Honor just based on what I read here, but Im sure the details would sway me one way or the other. The VSC NAACP is in full support of Thomass campaign. Maybe they can stop naming warships after politicians and go back to naming them after actual heroes? He told Adrian, Just keep telling me if Im going the right way. Once daylight broke, the raft was spotted by a scout plane, and a landing crew was sent out to rescue them. You gotta be kidding me. Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, Community Engagement Partnership Initiative, Josie Gatti Schafer Named CUMU Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Research Fellow, #NUforNE: Keeping Nebraska Communities Healthy, Social Mobility, Experiential Learning Focus of Interview with UNO Chancellor Li, University of Nebraska Omaha, Brown noted that, with Frenchs name and photo attached to the Navy pool, his story will be told well into the future. The Navy dedicated a pool there to French. He swam six to eight hours in shark-infested waters before being rescued by marines on a navy landing craft. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history. Charles Jackson French was born in 1919 and grew up in Foreman, Arkansas. He is shown here later in his career, as a lieutenant commander. For Black History Month 2022 we focused on Health and Wellness in the Black Community. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Since they were taking direct fire, Id feel the Navy Cross the more appropriate of the two. We, the undersigned, call upon Congress and the President of the United States to correct this travesty and give Petty Officer French the recognition he deserved for his selfless act of bravery. When he is not sitting in front of a laptop, Todd enjoys soaking up everything the Jersey Shore has to offer with his wife, two sons and American Foxhound, Wally. French was born in Arkansas in 1919, but moved to Omaha as a youth to live with his married older sister, Viola. The International Swimming Hall of Fame had this painting created of French, one of the most famous Black heroes of World War II. On Thursday, a billto rename the Benson postal facility at 6223 Maple St. the Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office cleared the Senate by a unanimous vote. There is no way a man with a set of brass balls the size of what PO1 French possessed could float, let alone tow a raft. The story of Charles Jackson French's valor was told in newspapers, on radio dramas, in comics, on a bubble gum card and on this World War II calendar. Frenchs story was soon told by the War Gum Trading Card Company. Still, a letter of commendation is completely inadequate for what French did and I dont buy that this cant be considered combat. His family was presented with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and a swimming pool used for training at the Naval Base San Diego was dedicated in his honor in May 2022. During World War II, he served as a U.S. sailor. Charles French was born on September 25, 1919, in Foreman, Arkansas. 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