charles jackson french medal of honor

He was a talented carpenter, a skilled handyman, and a master of DIY projects. towing a boat of wounded survivors by himself i.imgur.com/P1mQDe. Rear Adm. Charles Brown presents a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Chester French Jr. of Omaha, nephew of Mess Attendant 1st Class Charles Jackson French, and Chesters wife, Linda, on May 21 in San Diego. Organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Veteran Organizations have also shown their support. 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. Aboard a lift raft with several other sailors and drifting towards enemy-held islands, French volunteered to tow the raft himself by swimming. During this time, the military followed the segregation laws that were prevalent in the nation. As a result, he is an inspiring example of the bravery and commitment of our youth. Adrian also recommended him for a Navy Cross, the Navys second-highest award for valor, but he received only a letter of commendation. These sailors and soldiers were welcomed back to American soil with signs that pointed one way for Whites and the other way for Blacks. Bloomsbury presents Immortal Valor by Robert Child, read by Vaughn Johseph. 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. 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. . French was a swimmer who performed a heroic act that gave others another chance at life. When the sailors were rescued, the Master at Arms attempted to separate French from the men he had just saved. Bill to honor World War II hero Charles Jackson French at Omaha post office signed into law Updated: 6:46 PM CDT Jun 15, 2022 Infinite Scroll Enabled KETV Staff Report Show Transcript. Story\Experience 43 comments 100% Upvoted This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast Sort by: best In this story can be found the heretofore-unwritten chapters of one phase of the Negroes march toward freedom in America, written by a man who participated in it. Schomburg dedicated his life to proving that teacher wrong and Schomburg did an amazing job with his collection. He served two stints in the Navy. This petition starter stood up and took action. If you have a story idea, news tip, or other question, please email the UNO News team at unonews@unomaha.edu. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. The first was an enlistment was in 1937 when he served four years before receiving an honorable discharge in 1941. The mess attendant rescued his fellow crew members in 1942, after their ship was sunk in the Solomon Islands. Interspersed in these are items from partners with Amazing Black History that allow you to support our work without cost to you as we are paid a small royalty by the partner. The award was presented on May 21, 2022, at Naval Base San Diego, at a ceremony in which the bases rescue swimmer training pool was dedicated in his honor. This is his jaw-dropping story. 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. Born in a small town in California, Charles was a man of many talents. Ted Carlson, commander of Naval Base San Diego. Dismiss. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.. The injustices of 1940s Jim Crow America are brought to life in this extraordinary blend of military and social history, an account that pays tribute to the valor of an all-black battalion whose crucial contributions at D-day have gone unrecognized to this day. 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. But French said he wasnt afraid. Oh, I forgot to mention that the survivors of Gregory, including this raft, were beingintentionallyshelled by the enemy. Continue to scroll for fascinating Videos and Books to enhance your learning experience. He went into the service as a mess attendant, the only rate then available to a Black man. 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. He pulled off his clothes, had his shipmates help tie a rope around his waist, and dove into the water. Aside: f*ck sharks. He will be missed dearly by his family and friends. The Color of Water: A Black Mans Tribute to His White Mother. Ted Carlson, commander of Naval Base San Diego, which makes this recognition of Charles (Jackson) Frenchs heroic actions even more significant.. When Is The Best Time To Buy First Class Airline Tickets? That led to recognition during the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials held in Omaha in 2021. French was an African American serving at a time when prejudice and discrimination were ever-present in our Armed Forces and society, said Capt. His heroism was recognized in popular culture, though. Willie Johnson, the youngest person to receive the Medal of Honor, is also the youngest person to receive the medal. Charles Jackson French was an American war hero from Foreman, Arkansas. Darn guys a stud. Took the thoughts right outa my head SFC D. And if the shark had of tried to bite this Hero in those big brass ones, the shark woulda broke off a few teeth. During his service, he received a letter of commendation from the commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet, Adm. William F. Halsey, Jr. He was a talented carpenter, a skilled handyman, and a master of DIY projects. He was 37 years old when he died on November 7, 1956, in San Diego, California. A little more than a week after Thomas first called the Senators office, Kaine wrote letters to President Joe Biden concerning Miller and French. Chester French, nephew of Charles Jackson French, shares remarks at the Hero of the Heartland event. Read the full statement. After the death of his parents, he lived with an older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. And while were at it can we please award Alwyn Cashes family his much deserved MOH.please. 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. (H.R. Charles French managed to load fifteen injured crew members onto a life raft and then tied a rope to the raft and secured the other end to his waist, after which he swam for eight hours through shark-infested water until they were rescued, but received no recommendation for the Medal of Honor. 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. His wife, Linda, called the event just awesome., It makes you want to cry, she said. Messman Charles French became a hero to his shipmates after their destroyer USS Gregory (DD-82) was sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy ships on 5 September 1942. Soon Frenchs name will be immortalized in Omaha, too. 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. To see this mini-series, click here. It is the service's highest award for noncombat heroism . 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. The living quarters were strictly segregated as was housing for family members. Benjamin Selph shares recognition for Charles Jackson French on behalf of the Navy. He died in 1956, at age 37, of depression and alcoholism from untreated post-traumatic stress, family members say. French stayed in the military until the end of the war, then took a civilian job with the Navy in San Diego. Name a warship after this Hero. Now many feel that a letter of commendation for a heroic eight hour swim through sharks and enemy shell fire is not enough. Bacon, R-Neb., had written a letter to the acting secretary of the Navy a year ago, asking for a review of Frenchs file to determine whether he had received the proper awards. It seems a travesty that he never received a medal after such a courageous single-handed act of bravery saving 15 men. French was a swimmer who performed a. Change.org Uh oh. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Chester French, nephew of Charles Jackson French, shares remarks at the Hero of the Heartland event. The mess attendant died in 1956 at only 37 years of age. French was born in Arkansas in 1919, but moved to Omaha as a youth to live with his married older sister, Viola. 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. Thems the devils fish. For Black History Month 2021, we focused on Black Medical Achievements, Inventors and Scientists.To see those posts, click here. The wording of the letter follows. Perhaps racism played a role in French not receiving proper recognition. Charles Jackson French was born in 1919 and grew up in Foreman, Arkansas. This is the story of the Stewards, Cooks and Messboys who manned that branch of naval service. Little is known of his earliest days. This whole story violates the laws of physics. I [just] froze and tried to surface and float, [get] my feet outta the water.. 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. If they floated ashore, an ensign on the raft later said, they would be taken as prisoners of war, according to an article on the International Swimming Hall of Fames website. www.epmcknight.wixsite.epfitspiration Follow me: Tiktok, imdb.me/epmcknight. If the latter, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal might have been the most apropos award. You gotta be kidding me. Rear Adm. Charles Brown presented eight of Frenchs relatives with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal on May 21 in San Diego. Information from ISHOF, military.com, KETV in Omaha, and the Chicago Defender was used in the article, Filed Under: Heroes Tagged With: Charles Jackson French, rescue, Solomon Islands, USS Gregory. The information that we present to everyone is extremely important, and a small donation can help us keep it that way. 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. Though the survivors felt French deserved a Medal of Honor or at least a Silver Star, the Swimming Hall of Fame story states, he never received either. Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. The actions of the French will never be forgotten, as will their ultimate sacrifice. The story of Charles Jackson French's World War II valor was told and retold, especially in Black newspapers. The ships first class is the Petty Officer 1st Class. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history. Lets get this HERO the Medal of Honor, Forgotten: The Untold Story of D-days Black Heroes, at Home and at War. Linda Thomas of Bowling Green, Virginia, wants President Joe Biden to award the Medal of Honor to Black World War II Navy heroes Doris Miller and Charles Jackson French. French was also the only African American to appear on World War II patriotic trading cards issued by GUM, Inc. Retroactive to 7 December 1941, the criteria and procedure for award of the medal were likely not yet formalized when word of Frenchs heroics came in. He deserves at least the Navy Cross. Willie was only 11 years old when he received the Medal of Honor during the Civil War, and he was awarded it shortly after his 13th birthday. 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, He quickly went to work pulling other sailors aboard with him. French became famous after his commander, Ensign Robert Adrian, told the story on a radio program broadcast across the country. It will inspire generations of sailors, he said. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service. The Southern.Life is a publication of Emerson Parker Press, which is owned and operated by Jim Harris and his wife, Marian. 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