charles jackson french medal of honor
Thomas has also been in communication with other senators and members of Congress asking them to support this effort. Category: Historical, Navy, Valor, War Stories, We Remember. That led to recognition during the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials held in Omaha in 2021. 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. 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. In San Diego in 2022, French's family was presented with his posthumous Navy and Marine Corps medal. 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. During World War II, he served as a U.S. sailor. To see the posts, click here. On September 5, 1942, United States Navy Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, swam through the night for 6 8 hours pulling a raft of 15 wounded sailors with a rope around his stomach through shark infested waters after the ship on which he was serving, the USS Gregory, was hit by Japanese naval fire near Guadalcanal. Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. 18 February 2022 SAN DIEGO - The Navy announced plans today to dedicate a rescue swimming training pool at Naval Base San Diego to Mess Attendant First Class Charles Jackson French in honor. 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. 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. French would go on to earn the name "The Human Tugboat" and garner immense respect from his fellow military peers. This is the story of Charles Jackson French, who rescued several soldiers during the Battle of Guadalcanal. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Don Bacon,cleared the House of Representatives in March. 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. You can read more about the Virginia NAACPs work and our six Game Changer issue areas by visiting NAACPVA.org. GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS 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. 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. 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French made public appearances after the rescue, including attending a Creighton University football game with his sister in 1942. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). 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. Charles Denver Barger (June 3, 1892 - November 25, 1936) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I.He earned the medal while serving as a Chauchat automatic rifle gunner during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, when he and another soldier, Jesse N. Funk, entered no man's land despite . The publication for writers and readers to create and read amazing content, Actress, Stage playwright, Author, Motivational Speaker, Teacher Fitness Coach. The bravery that he demonstrated serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that can be made at any age. 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. It would seem to me well past the point to review Frenchs case. 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. French was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal in recognition of his bravery and combat action. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. When he is not sitting in front of a laptop, Todd enjoys soaking up everything the Jersey Shore has to offer with his wife, two sons and American Foxhound, Wally. A little more than a week after Thomas first called the Senators office, Kaine wrote letters to President Joe Biden concerning Miller and French. And while were at it can we please award Alwyn Cashes family his much deserved MOH.please. towing a boat of wounded survivors by himself i.imgur.com/P1mQDe. 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. His wife, Linda, called the event just awesome., It makes you want to cry, she said. Within days, French, 22, reenlisted. 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. The Hero of the Heartland event will honor additional local heroes in the coming years. Inaction has been a great injustice to the goodly Sergeants bravery and sacrifice, for him and his Troops. A Black sailor swam against sharks to save his White shipmates. 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. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. The link to these posts is here. ** In addition to newspaper and radio accounts, his story was told in bubble gum cards, comic strips, a calendar, even a verse by a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. I say MOH. 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. 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. 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. He deserves a higher award, and a destroyer named in his honor. During the attack on the USS Gregory, a destroyer, he was aboard in 1943. Will definitely agree that he earned a higher award than was given. After the death of his parents, he lived with his older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. 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. Perhaps it was that he wasnt considered to be in combat. During his youth, he would often swim in the Red River and became quite adept at it. German prisoners of war were allowed to ride with White soldiers while the Black fighters were relegated to open, drafty, smelly cattle cars. Bonus- The Story of Charles Jackson French. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. We, the undersigned, call upon Congress and the President of the United States to correct this travesty and give Petty Officer French the recognition he deserved for his selfless act of bravery. 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. Both Miller and French have been highly decorated for their service, but Thomas wants to see them awarded the top honor. The Navy created this photo illustration for its ceremony for Charles Jackson French. The story of the men who fought and served under trying circumstances. 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, Charles Jackson French, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on June 17th, 2020. Nothing of value. Jobs People Learning Dismiss Dismiss. His innovative methods of construction and design, along with his exceptional organizational skills, made him a highly sought-after engineer across the United States. Charles Jackson French is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. Well, that was the racism of the times, one has to admit. These are the least desired jobs possible and beneath the White troops. urging Congress and President Joe Biden to posthumously award French the Medal of Honor . The Virginia NAACP is anticipating their favorable response. The New York Times best-selling story from the author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction. Proclamations naming the Benson post office in his uncle's honor are featured on easels in front of the stage. It read: 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. I guess Pedo Joe has already forgotten about Alwyn Cashe. He was awarded both the Army and Navy Medal of Honor, the French Mdaille militaire and Croix de Guerre as well as decorations from Italy, Montenegro and Portugal. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The International Swimming Hall of Fame had this painting created of French, one of the most famous Black heroes of World War II. The gunfire hit two of the ships boilers and the Gregory was set ablaze by the fire. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. He received an honorable discharge on November 11, 1941, but re-enlisted after Pearl Harbor. Days later, he went down to his local recruitment office and reenlisted. 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. We know of this story because of the courage demonstrated by Ensign Robert N Adrian, the only officer from the bridge of the Gregory to survive. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. We remember Charles Jackson French, winner of the Navy medal, who swam through the Pacific after his vessel sunk in WWII. When Is The Best Time To Buy First Class Airline Tickets? Benjamin Selph shares recognition for Charles Jackson French on behalf of the Navy. 1 of 5. Summary of H.R.1251 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Doris Miller posthumously for acts of valor while a member of the Navy during World War II. 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charles jackson french medal of honor