The event was held as part of events hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs in observance of Black History Month. This whole story violates the laws of physics. Yet, history has overlooked him. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. His story was largely forgotten until Bruce Wigo, a former director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, unearthed it several years ago. Charles Jackson French, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on June 17th, 2020. His innovative methods of construction and design, along with his exceptional organizational skills, made him a highly sought-after engineer across the United States. French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions in 1942. www.epmcknight.wixsite.epfitspiration Follow me: Tiktok, imdb.me/epmcknight. 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. As promising as that sounded, that was the most dangerous place to be for fear that they would be captured and executed. Former Virginia State Conference (Virginia NAACP) President Linda Thomas put forth a resolution for two Black Veterans who should be awarded the Medal of Honor for their committed acts of extreme valor and heroism but were denied consideration solely because of their race. He was responsible for the development and construction of hundreds of public works projects during his career. Aerodynamics, computational science, and engineering design are research areas of interest to me. French was also the only African American to appear on World War II patriotic trading cards issued by GUM, Inc. Despite the fact that more than one million African Americans served, not a single Black soldier received the Medal of Honor. Schomburg dedicated his life to proving that teacher wrong and Schomburg did an amazing job with his collection. U.S. Navy sailor Charles Jackson French saved 15 shipmates by dragging a life raft through shark-infested waters after the Japanese sank the USS Gregory in 1942. . . Steve is the military affairs reporter for The World-Herald. Category: Historical, Navy, Valor, War Stories, We Remember. Charles Jackson French and his sister, Viola, were honored at a Creighton football game in Omaha on Oct. 31, 1942. 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. 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. It will inspire generations of sailors, he said. French had only been out of the Navy for a couple of months when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. 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. I read about this on Facebook some time ago. 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. There is a campaign requesting a Congressional Medal of Honor is awarded to French. Kudos to the man that stepped up and saved himself and others from the awful fate of becoming Jap POWs. On September 4th of 1942, the USS Gregory found itself under attack from Japanese destroyers. A BILL TO NAME A U.S. POST OFCEFI JUST PAST THE U.S. SENATE. Your email address will not be published. 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. Thomas has also been in communication with other senators and members of Congress asking them to support this effort. Rear Adm. Charles Brown presented eight of Frenchs relatives with a posthumous Navy and Marine Corps Medal on May 21 in San Diego. His heroism was recognized in popular culture, though. On May 21, 2022, a dedication ceremony for the bases rescue swimmer training pool in Frenchs honor was held at Naval Base San Diego, during which the award was presented. They were spotted and rescued by friendly forces when racism reared its ugly head. 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. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Submit a Public Notice for Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Dirk Chatelain: Driven by the story, mine at The World-Herald has come to an end (for now at least), Time to move? 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. French was the first black swimmer to earn the Navy Medal for his heroism in 1943. There was no escape from racism despite putting your life on the line for your country. I [just] froze and tried to surface and float, [get] my feet outta the water.. He was a generous and kind soul who was always willing to lend a helping hand. Did Charles Jackson French receive the Medal of Honor? The mess attended tied a rope around his waist and the boat and began the journey. 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. Organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Veteran Organizations have also shown their support. Ensign Adrian fought for French to receive the Medal of Honor for his heroic rescue. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he noted that part of his job is to make sure that our veterans receive the recognition they deserve for their courage and dedication to our country. Brown noted that, with Frenchs name and photo attached to the Navy pool, his story will be told well into the future. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. He will be missed dearly by his family and friends. towing a boat of wounded survivors by himself i.imgur.com/P1mQDe. But after his parents died, he moved to. The story of men who served their country when to do so was to endure, or to appear to accept the humiliating admission of ones own inferiority. Born in a small town in California, Charles was a man of many talents. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Perhaps it was that he wasnt considered to be in combat. French was honored at the U.S. Olympic swim trials in 2021. The waters were shark-infested. Dorie Miller is the most well-known African American hero of World War II. 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. This petition starter stood up and took action. U . This might be the first time I agree with Malcolm Nance. 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 with his sister, Viola, at a Creighton University football game on Oct. 31, 1942, at which he was honored. Little is known of his earliest days. The New York Times best-selling story from the author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction. A world class collection of Black History inspired by a 5th grade teacher who told Arturo Schomburg that there was NO African history. Perhaps racism played a role in French not receiving proper recognition. French was a swimmer who performed a. The ultimate insult! Now, 80 years later, the Navy is finally catching up. 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. Now many feel that a letter of commendation for a heroic eight hour swim through sharks and enemy shell fire is not enough. Continue for more information on the site and posts that may be of interest. This is the story of the Stewards, Cooks and Messboys who manned that branch of naval service. For Black History Month 2022 we focused on Health and Wellness in the Black Community. The wording of the letter follows. Bloomsbury presents Immortal Valor by Robert Child, read by Vaughn Johseph. To comment or make suggestions on future posts, use Contact Us. Days later, he went down to his local recruitment office and reenlisted. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. Aboard a lift raft with several other sailors and drifting towards enemy-held islands, French volunteered to tow the raft himself by swimming. Charles Jackson French with his sister, Viola, at a Creighton football game on Oct. 31, 1942, at which he was honored. 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. The waters were shark-infested. This request was also forwarded to the National NAACP office asking for a resolution to be adopted. This button displays the currently selected search type. 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 Southern.Life is a publication of Emerson Parker Press, which is owned and operated by Jim Harris and his wife, Marian. We depend on your support and thank you for it! This is a close as you can get to a system of slavery as it is forced on the service member. The Virginia NAACP is focused on being the preeminent voice of Black Virginians and advocating for policies and programs to benefit Blacks and people of color. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said in a statement: The story of Charles Jackson French needs to be told and shared for generations to come. He remembers meeting his uncle during World War II just after the famous rescue and being inspired to learn to swim. Enter your email address below to receive updates each time we publish new content. 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. Ted Carlson, commander of Naval Base San Diego, which makes this recognition of Charles (Jackson) Frenchs heroic actions even more significant.. Author and Navy veteran Malcolm Nance got the services attention Sunday when he tagged several official accounts in a Twitter post about French. Thems the devils fish. Will definitely agree that he earned a higher award than was given. Dismiss. Omahans during World War II knew a strong-swimming, shark-defying, human tugboat of a hero when they saw one, regardless of the color ofCha, An African American sailor from Omaha was hailed as a hero during World War II for swimming through shark-infested waters to rescue his wounde, The full House approved HR 4168 to rename the facility at 6223 Maple St. the Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office., The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said identifications of the 92nd Infantry members, known as "Buffalo Soldiers," have beendifficult beca, Lt. Vernon Baker of Clarinda, Iowa, is part of a series of graphic novels about recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nations highest award f, A 36-year Air Force missile and space officer has been nominated as the next commander of Offutt-based U.S. Strategic Command, the Pentagon an, Eighty years ago, Nebraska set the pace for the nation in launching a scrap metal drive to support the World War II effort. 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. 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. He had first enlisted in the Navy in 1937 [1] and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. 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