The Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the highest award for heroism not in combat and the non-combat equivalent of the Navy Cross, had only been created by executive order a month before Frenchs actions. Several San Diego Navy leaders spoke. To see the posts, click here. You are now armed with knowledge, but for a deeper dive, continue to scroll down and watch amazing videos of French and books to allow for greater understanding. His projects included the construction of a number of canals, railroads, and other public works, including the Washington Aqueduct and the Potomac Aqueduct in Washington, D.C. Charles Jackson Frenchs work was instrumental in the development of the modern infrastructure that we rely on today. No medal. Will you do the same? Did Charles Jackson French receive the Medal of Honor? 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. 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. . French may have been denied the medal because a Silver Star was awarded to one of his superiors and it was unprecedented to award a higher medal to a subordinate. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service. Miller wasnt the only African-American hero of World War II, though. This is a close as you can get to a system of slavery as it is forced on the service member. For generations, those of us native to the South have taken great pride in our heritage, our traditions, and in the telling of our stories. Virginia NAACP President Robert Barnette was pleased to have his Executive Committee give its unanimous support to Mrs. Thomas effort. As a result, he is an inspiring example of the bravery and commitment of our youth. To see the full listing of over 250 posts, click on our Blog listWe post weekly, so check often, For Black History Month 2020, we posted daily. ABOUT THE VIRGINIA NAACPFounded in 1935, the Virginia State Conference of NAACP Branches (Virginia NAACP) is the oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization in the Commonwealth, overseeing over 100 NAACP branches, youth councils, and college chapters. 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. It seems a travesty that he never received a medal after such a courageous single-handed act of bravery saving 15 men. Their orders were to man a curtain of armed balloons meant to deter enemy aircraft. 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. Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. 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. On January 11, 1945, French was serving aboard the USS Bunker Hill, an aircraft carrier that was involved in the Battle of Okinawa. French was memorialized on War gum trading cards and in a comic strip. Charles Jackson French, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on June 17th, 2020. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. During the melee, fifteen sailors were put abord a life raft but there was danger that they would drift towards land. It was amplified on social media in spring 2021, prompting USA Swimming to honor him during the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha last June. You gotta be kidding me. 6001 Dodge Street, Chester French, nephew of Charles Jackson French, shares remarks at the Hero of the Heartland event. Soon after, a bill passed the Nebraska legislature to name an Omaha post office for him. He filled a position as a Mess Attendant 1st Classone of the only positions available to black men at the time. It is the service's highest award for noncombat heroism . He was only referred to as French on the card, though. 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. French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions in 1942. 2022 State Convention | NAACP: The Urgency of Now, 2023 Virginia NAACP Legislative Priorities, Copyright 2023 In 2022, the Navy announced that they would name a pool at their San Diego base in Frenchs honor. The Color of Water: A Black Mans Tribute to His White Mother. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.. The mess attended tied a rope around his waist and the boat and began the journey. 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. 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. The mess attendant rescued his fellow crew members in 1942, after their ship was sunk in the Solomon Islands. In March of 1942, French was assigned to the USS Gregory (APD-3). Aside: f*ck sharks. This is the story of Charles Jackson French, who rescued several soldiers during the Battle of Guadalcanal. He quickly went to work pulling other sailors aboard with him. In 2011, the National Board of the NAACP passed a resolution requesting the Medal Of Honor for Doris (Dorie) Miller. www.epmcknight.wixsite.epfitspiration Follow me: Tiktok, imdb.me/epmcknight. The gunfire hit two of the ships boilers and the Gregory was set ablaze by the fire. S. House of Representatives: Demand a Congressional Medal of Honor for Petty Officer Charles Jackson French - Sign the Petition! The link to these posts is here. 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. French saved. Charles Jackson French was discharged from the Navy on Nov. 13, 1941, but reenlisted a month later after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 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. 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This man did as much if not more than a medic often does to save 15 of his comrades from capture, while being actively shelled, in shark infested waters. 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Perhaps racism played a role in French not receiving proper recognition. Ted Carlson, commander of Naval Base San Diego, which makes this recognition of Charles (Jackson) Frenchs heroic actions even more significant.. 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. ** After the rescued ensign recounted the story to The Associated Press and on the radio, French became nationally known as the Human Tugboat. He received a heros welcome in his sisters hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. Continue for more information on the site and posts that may be of interest. UNOs Hero of the Heartland event continued the long overdue recognition of Frenchs heroism. He certainly earned a much higher award than he was given. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history. The ship sailed on the Pacific Ocean heading towards Guadalcanal. Yeah, I know, not with this illegitimate regime in place. In Omaha, French was honored at a Creighton University football game and was selected to lead a crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance at an Armistice Day (now called Veterans Day) event. https://chng.it/F8y8w5n2 via @Change Frenchs story was soon told by the War Gum Trading Card Company. There was no escape from racism despite putting your life on the line for your country. Navy Chief of Information Rear Adm. Charles Brown retweeted the post, thanking Nance for highlighting Frenchs heroic story and promising to work with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday to see whether the service could do anything more to recognize the sailor. French swam against the current for between six and eight hours. Charles Jackson French is another unsung Black veteran who demonstrated extreme heroism after his ship was attacked in the early morning of September 5, 1942. Brown noted that, with Frenchs name and photo attached to the Navy pool, his story will be told well into the future. It took so long.. French was also the only African American to appear on World War II patriotic trading cards issued by GUM, Inc. USA Swimming presented him with a gold medal for winning the gold medal in the mens 8 meter swimming event at the Olympic swimming trials in Omaha in June 2021. 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. French, a strong swimmer since youth, volunteered to swim the boat away from the Japanese island. The story of Charles Jackson French's World War II valor was told and retold, especially in Black newspapers. He was a true patriot whose dedication and dedication to country served as a model for future generations. Roughly 15 survivors of the Gregory, some injured, were gathered in a life raft. Charles Jackson French: Hero Without a Medal. The Virginia NAACP is anticipating their favorable response. 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 will be missed dearly by his family and friends. The living quarters were strictly segregated as was housing for family members. Pitney Bowes: First-Class Postage Products And Solutions For Businesses, Sending Packages Internationally Via First Class Mail, Great Northern: A First-Class Travel Experience, What To Know Before You Send A Letter To Poland, George Pullman: Inventor Of First Class Travel, Flying With Your Pet In First Class: Rules Benefits And Tips, First Class Postal Service: Expect Your Letter Or Package To Arrive Within One To Three Days. But French said he wasnt afraid. He had been born on Sept. 25, 1919, in Foreman, Arkansas. Miller received the Navy Cross (the second-highest award for combat valor) and Bell received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (the highest award for noncombat heroism). When Adrian told him that the swim would be arduous and the water was full of sharks, French responded that he was more afraid of the Japanese than he was of the sharks. The rescued men angrily reacted to this decision, threatening a fight if it wasnt reversed. Rep. Don Bacon Honors Navy Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Winners of World War II. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. For Black History Month 2021, we focused on Black Medical Achievements, Inventors and Scientists.To see those posts, click here. French was memorialized on War gum trading cards and in a comic strip. sliewer@owh.com; twitter.com/Steve Liewer. French enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served four years. But after his parents died, he moved to. French was born in Arkansas in 1919, but moved to Omaha as a youth to live with his married older sister, Viola. During World War II, he served as a U.S. sailor. Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French was an American hero who gave his life in service of his country. You can use a link to tennis shoes to buy a refrigerator or anything else. After he began swimming, he soon encountered sharks. French, who moved to Omaha as a teen, first enlisted in the US Navy in 1937. Ted Carlson, commander of Naval Base San Diego. . While the sailors in the life raft were off the burning ship, they were still in deep trouble. We depend on your support and thank you for it! Charles will be remembered fondly for his generous spirit, his kind and gentle nature, and the lasting impact he left on those he loved. Thomas is also requesting support from the citizens as well as other groups and veterans organizations to ensure that Mr. Miller and Mr. French are properly recognized for their contributions to this country by making phone calls or sending letters to members of congress and the senate. Virginia State Conference NAACP, Doris (Dorie) Miller, is a Black veteran, who demonstrated such dedication to his duty on December 7, 1941, when his ship was attacked in Pearl Harbor, Doris Miller showed little regard for his safety when he dragged his wounded captain and several shipmates to safety before manning an anti-aircraft gun that he had never been trained to use, and brought down several Japanese planes, but was not recommended for the Medal of Honor. Now, 80 years later, the Navy is finally catching up. He disrobed and with assistance tied the tow rope around his waist and swam what is estimated to be six to eight hours. In San Diego in 2022, French's family was presented with his posthumous Navy and Marine Corps medal. He was 37 years old when he died on November 7, 1956, in San Diego, California. Join now . This was one of the few assignments available to Black troops and included stevedores, stewards. Keith Station, deputy chief of staff for diversity, equity, & inclusion for the City of Omaha, shares remarks at the Hero of the Heartland event. Hundreds of Blacks were slaughtered and 10,000 left homeless in this largely unknown event. This sounds horrendous and it was, but it is just one example of the horrors of war that greeted Black soldiers who had risked their lives for their country with the goal of making it an equitable society for all. 2023 A Month of Tribute to 31 Women We Should All Know, Rosewood A Typical Race Riot in America. French received a letter of commendation from Admiral Bull Halsey that said; 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. 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. Rear Adm. Charles Brown presented eight of French's relatives with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal on May 21 in San Diego. 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