Schomburg dedicated his life to proving that teacher wrong and Schomburg did an amazing job with his collection. 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. His story was retold in comic strips and trading cards, and he traveled the country to help sell war bonds before enthusiastic crowds. 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. The Southern.Life is a publication of Emerson Parker Press, which is owned and operated by Jim Harris and his wife, Marian. French was a swimmer who performed a heroic act that gave others another chance at life. The mess attended tied a rope around his waist and the boat and began the journey. From left are Navy public affairs officer Krishna Jackson, Samuel Harris, Chester French Jr., Michael Harris, Linda French, Christopher Harris, Roscoe Harris, Christopher Harris Jr., Mark Harris and Capt. He told the story to the Associated Press which he also did on NBC radio program It Happened in the Service., Ensign Robert N. Adrian was awarded the Purple Heart and the man who rescued him got a letter meritorious conduct in action. To comment or make suggestions on future posts, use Contact Us. Charles French was born on September 25, 1919, in Foreman, Arkansas. When Is The Best Time To Buy First Class Airline Tickets? Its the kind of narrative that captures your imagination regardless of which side of the aisle you are on., Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has supported Thomas request. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). French, a strong swimmer since youth, volunteered to swim the boat away from the Japanese island. A world class collection of Black History inspired by a 5th grade teacher who told Arturo Schomburg that there was NO African history. urging Congress and President Joe Biden to posthumously award French the Medal of Honor . 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. Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French swam through shark-infested waters for hours while towing a raft loaded with 15 of his wounded USS Gregory shipmates. Several San Diego Navy leaders spoke. Teachers are pumped. ** These posts focus on the reality of Black life in America after the Civil War culminating in the landmark Brown v Board of Education that changed so many of the earlier practices. He deserves at least the Navy Cross. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. According to the U.S. Navy Press Office, French had moved to Omaha from Arkansas, but re-enlisted in the Navy days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I say MOH. The Virginia NAACP is anticipating their favorable response. 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 Navy mess attendant was credited with swimming for several hours through shark-infested waters while towing a lifeboat filled with wounded shipmates, all of whom were White, until they could be rescued. The information that we present to everyone is extremely important, and a small donation can help us keep it that way. Or even going back to the 90s when a lot of this (blacks finally getting the awards they deserve) started to happen. Social media posts over the weekend began highlighting the story of Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, who became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by Japanese warships near Guadalcanal. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. For Black History Month 2022 we focused on Health and Wellness in the Black Community. French had been hailed as the hero of the Solomon Islands after the sinking of his ship, the USS Gregory, on Sept. 5, 1942, near Guadalcanal. He was celebrated in the Black press and was even the subject of a syndicated comic strip. Charles Jackson French, a Black Navy swimmer and petty officer finally gets recognition for his courage to save his White teammates during World War II. The mess attendant died in 1956 at only 37 years of age. Charles Jackson French was discharged from the Navy on Nov. 13, 1941, but reenlisted a month later after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Ted Carlson, commander of Naval Base San Diego. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. More at the source. I [just] froze and tried to surface and float, [get] my feet outta the water.. Continue for more information on the site and posts that may be of interest. Charles Jackson French is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. As the 10th State Command Chief Master Sergeant of the Virginia Air National Guard, I take great personal pride in supporting French and Millers application for the Medal of Honor. Of the many acts of bravery among the men of Gregory during its final battle (including the mortally wounded skipper ordering his crew to abandon him and help other wounded, never to be seen again) was Charles French. To see this mini-series, click here. 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. towing a boat of wounded survivors by himself i.imgur.com/P1mQDe. And while were at it can we please award Alwyn Cashes family his much deserved MOH.please. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has continued its advocacy work in the Commonwealth of Virginia since 1935 through the Virginia State Conference. Miller wasnt the only African-American hero of World War II, though. It will inspire generations of sailors, he said. Inspiring Stories of Black History and Achievement. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. I got the hell scared outta me, French told Chester Wright, author of the 2009 book Black Men and Blue Water, in an interview after the Korean War. Benjamin Selph shares recognition for Charles Jackson French on behalf of the Navy. Military.com reports; A movement is gaining steam to recognize a heroic Black sailor from World War II, who towed a raftload of wounded shipmates through shark-infested waters after their ship was sunk in 1942. They were spotted and rescued by friendly forces when racism reared its ugly head. USA Swimming honored him at the finals of the 2021 Swim Trials in June. The event was held as part of events hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs in observance of Black History Month. He went into the service as a mess attendant, the only rate then available to a Black man. Did Charles Jackson French receive the Medal of Honor? 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. His own father served in the war, too. Charles Jackson French and his sister, Viola, were honored at a Creighton football game in Omaha on Oct. 31, 1942. French, who moved to Omaha as a teen, first enlisted in the US Navy in 1937. The ensign told French the plan was crazy, that they were surrounded by sharks and he would only get himself killed. The New York Times best-selling story from the author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. For Black History Month 2021, we focused on Black Medical Achievements, Inventors and Scientists.To see those posts, click here. 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. If you have a story idea, news tip, or other question, please email the UNO News team at unonews@unomaha.edu. Omaha hailed hometown hero Charles Jackson French back in 1942, when the African American mess steward saved the lives of his shipmates after their destroyer was sunk in the World War II battle of the Solomon Islands. We depend on your support and thank you for it! The server is misbehaving. Who is Ruth McBride Jordan? Eric Ewing, executive director of the Great Plains Black History Museum, shares remarks at the Hero of the Heartland event. Another of Frenchs nephews, 89-year-old Roscoe Harris of Omaha, also attended, along with two of his own sons and three of his grandsons. Little is known of his earliest days. The mess attendant rescued his fellow crew members in 1942, after their ship was sunk in the Solomon Islands. He was a talented carpenter, a skilled handyman, and a master of DIY projects. Itwould ef. You can read more about the Virginia NAACPs work and our six Game Changer issue areas by visiting NAACPVA.org. Your email address will not be published. Born in a small town in California, Charles was a man of many talents. His story was largely forgotten until Bruce Wigo, a former director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, unearthed it several years ago. 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. During his youth, he would often swim in the Red River and became quite adept at it. . Charles Jackson French is what makes America great. But French said he wasnt afraid. He was responsible for the development and construction of hundreds of public works projects during his career. You can try refreshing the page, and if you're still having problems, just try again later. During World War II Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French swam 68 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. Charles Jackson French was an American war hero from Foreman, Arkansas. French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions in 1942. Thats when French a 22-year-old sailor in the racially segregated messman branch volunteered to tow them to safety, the article states. Its a story of the best of who we are.. A Black sailor swam against sharks to save his White shipmates. He quickly went to work pulling other sailors aboard with him. The International Swimming Hall of Fame had this painting created of French, one of the most famous Black heroes of World War II. Dorie Miller is the most well-known African American hero of World War II. Perhaps racism played a role in French not receiving proper recognition. He was a powerful swimmer and towed the raft for somewhere between six and eight hours throughout the night, until a landing craft discovered and rescued them. Charles Jackson French, an African American orphan, and championship-caliber swimmer navigated shark infested waters for about eight hours during. Willie Johnson, the youngest person to receive the Medal of Honor, is also the youngest person to receive the medal. It is the services highest award for noncombat heroism and the same award presented to Lt. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the future U.S. president, for bravery under similar circumstances during World War II. French was an African American serving at a time when prejudice and discrimination were ever-present in our Armed Forces and society, said Capt. When bombs sank the. The event, held Feb. 9, 2023 in UNO's Milo Bail Student Center, honored Petty Officer 1 st Class Charles Jackson French for his tremendous bravery and efforts in World War II. The waters were shark-infested. Dismiss. Social media posts over the weekend began highlighting the story of Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French of Foreman, Arkansas, who became a national hero after the destroyer Gregory was sunk Sept. 5, 1942, by Japanese warships near Guadalcanal. French was honored at the U.S. Olympic swim trials in 2021. French was memorialized on War gum trading cards and in a comic strip. This cartoon by Black artist Charles Alston for the U.S. Office of War Information celebrates the wartime valor of Charles Jackson French and two other Black sailors, Doris "Dorrie" Miller and Ervin Bell. 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