Arkansas born, African American, Petty Officer First Class, Charles Jackson French didn't imagine he would be completing such a feat at just the age of 23 years-old. Halsey was then commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet. 0000055359 00000 n Buddy Blouin is a content writer that loves creating through the written word. In June 2021, he was honored by USA Swimming at the Olympics Swim Trials in Omaha. 0000175845 00000 n 0000011569 00000 n 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. Just before 1 a.m. on the morning of Sept. 5, the two ships saw flashes of gunfire. Try again later. endstream endobj 269 0 obj <>stream Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. French enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served four years. His mission was to rescue fellow soldiers. When we share what we know, together we discover more. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72213738/charles-jackson-french. 0000189418 00000 n The unfortunate truth is that, while we know that French passed away at the age of 37 and is buried in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery located in San Diego, CA, things are blurry. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Charles' lifetime. What schools or universities did Charles attend? A SUNDAY TIMES , THE TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, NEW STATESMAN, SPECTATOR, FINANCIAL TIMES, TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Masterly . Charles Jackson French was 10 years old when The New York Stock Exchange crashes in what will be called the Crash of '29 or "Black Tuesday", ending the Great Bull Market of the 1920s and beginning the Great Depression. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, re-enlisted in the United States Navy. The AFRO provides readers with good news about the Black community not otherwise found. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Do you find this information helpful? 0000008519 00000 n Oops, we were unable to send the email. French was memorialized on War Gum trading cards, in syndicated comic strips, on calendars, and The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. In 1925, Charles was just 6 years old when gangster Al "Scarface" Capone took over the Chicago bootlegging racket at age 26. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. xref Charles French was buried at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Section N Site 490 P.o. He was born on September 25, 1919. [2] With the attack on Pearl Harbor, French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, re-enlisted in the United States Navy. French saved the lives of more than a dozen Sailors by swimming through the night, dragging a raft full of injured shipmates through shark-infested waters. He was a powerful swimmer, and swam all night, 6 to 8 hours, until they were eventually saved by a landing craft. Charles Jackson French faced all of this and more during his time of service and helped save many lives through grit and bravery. The night was black as ink and a haze was obscuring any landmarks, so the crews of Gregory and her sister ship USS Little (APD 4) were patrolling the area between Savo Island and Guadalcanal. Thanks for your help! He had first enlisted in the navy in 1937[1] and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. 0000101640 00000 n Did Charles finish grade school, get a GED, go to high school, get a college degree or masters? 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 After sunrise, French and his fellow Sailors were spotted and eventually rescued. Hearing voices, he found a life raft filled with 15 wounded men. 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. 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. Joinhere! F. Baurer, the ships CO. 0000164150 00000 n 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. It was an act of bravery for which his shipmates thought Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French deserved the Medal of Honor. Adrian, though superficially wounded, was able to hang on. The story of Charles Jackson French's World War II valor was told and retold, especially in Black newspapers. endstream endobj 270 0 obj <>stream Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. #wzCa3H'HnmBfOhS9A^dexl(wu%pp; /[GL] E$ * Following his re-enlistment, Charles Jackson French was assigned to the USS Gregory as a Steward's Mate 1st class. He enlisted in the Navy shortly after turning 18. 0000003092 00000 n The story of Charles Jackson French's valor was told in newspapers, on radio dramas, in comics, in World War II calendars and on this bubble gum card. HTo0~_G#C@*%imVMNcW/RgR};;ww_@o.@r"?%YDiA,~J6adlm8Q35:P/0|mc2?wW8m.Or \mz{.-GJ^{ [3] 4,972 birth records, View There was an error deleting this problem. trailer 0000003649 00000 n His . Charles Thomas Jackson, (born June 21, 1805, Plymouth, Mass., U.S.died Aug. 28, 1880, Somerville, Mass. At 1 a.m., the Japanese opened fire. The Arkansas native had moved to Omaha to live with his sister as a youth after his . French successfully brought these men to safety on the shores of The Solomon Islands. startxref I have a new hero and his name is Charles Jackson French. Sadly, it wasnt much of a fight. 0000002403 00000 n Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 17741985, Record Group 92. Mess Attendant 1st Class Charles Jackson French, known only at the time by his last name, was on Gregory that night. 330 0 obj <>stream May we all proceed and help others with the courage and strength of Messman Charles Jackson French, a name that will never be forgotten. On the night of September 4, 1942, during the Battle of Guadalcanal, the USS Gregory was struck by an attack from multiple Japanese destroyers. He was celebrated in the black press and was even the subject of a syndicated comic strip. I knew that if we floated ashore we'd be taken as prisoners of war," he said. French was a black man born in Foreman, Arkansas, Sept. 25, 1919. -- The story of Charles Jackson French captured the attention of Omaha in the weeks ahead of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials. Steve Liewer, Nebraska Reps Seek to Name Benson Post Office for Black Omaha WWII Hero. Omaha World-Herald, June 29. His bravery, heroism, and toughness are a testament to the best in mankind even when mankind isnt being its best. Adrian attempted to talk French into getting out of the shark-infested waters, but French responded that he was more afraid of the Japanese than he was of the sharks. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. 0000125789 00000 n The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. %%EOF 0000190535 00000 n [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. Year should not be greater than current year. 0000054664 00000 n All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. 0000189895 00000 n endstream endobj 265 0 obj <> endobj 266 0 obj [285 0 R] endobj 267 0 obj <>stream Charles de Gaulle, Julian Jackson insists in the preface of his new biography, "De Gaulle" (Harvard), is "everywhere" in modern France, its undisputed hero.This claim, like some other . Mini Bio (1) Charles Jackson was born in 1903 into a wholly dysfunctional family in Summit, New Jersey. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. In 1956, in the year of Charles Jackson French's passing, on May 20th, the U.S. tested the first hydrogen bomb dropped from a plane over Bikini Atoll. Ferdinand Mount, London Review of Books "Jackson's riveting biography of Charles de Gaulleportrays a divisive, self-contradictory but still legendary figure; the book also vividly profiles twentieth-century France from the disillusionment of the First World War to the dislocations of the 1960s." Dozens of Americans were killed and many others wounded, including French. [2] With the attack on Pearl Harbor, French went to the closest recruitment office, and on December 19, 1941, re-enlisted in the United States Navy. DESCRIPTION. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. Three Japanese destroyers Ydachi, Hatsuyuki, and Murakumo came into the Slot undetected to bombard American positions ashore. This he was denied, though for a brief moment in the mid-1940s . k! episode was complicated by the issuance of a posthumous Silver Star to Lt. Cdr.H. Dr. Frances Toni Draper announces retirement from pastorship at Freedom Temple AME Zion Church, 130 years of excellence: AFRO Gala set to kick anniversary celebration into high gear. 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. STEWARDS MATE 1/C US NAVY 35 years shorter than In most cases, African-Americans were the victims. After his . French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. French family member is 72. Who is Charles French to you? Outside of searching through keyword data and creating blogs, he enjoys creating cocktails, cooking, and enjoying the Beautiful Game. 0000125754 00000 n Steward's Mate 1 st Class Charles Jackson French was sailing aboard the USS Gregory early on the morning of Sept. 5, 1942, when Japanese destroyers opened fire on the high-speed transport. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. For more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft hero., 1880, Somerville, Mass when we share what we know, together we discover more a hero. Site 490 P.o many failed sign in attempts Summit, new Jersey native had moved to Omaha to live his... 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