charles jackson french medal of honor

I was happy to see that, as an American Black man, (French) got recognized.. 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. 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. 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. It is not necessary to purchase the item in the link. We're doing our best to get things working smoothly! Thomas has also been in communication with other senators and members of Congress asking them to support this effort. . French, who was manning the anti-aircraft guns, was killed in the ensuing explosion, making him one of the first casualties of the battle. 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. GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS French would go on to earn the name "The Human Tugboat" and garner immense respect from his fellow military peers. Frenchs story was soon told by the War Gum Trading Card Company. 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. 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. The story of the men who fought and served under trying circumstances. 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. The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) launched a new series to recognize the courage and heroic deeds of the heroes who call the Omaha area home. He is shown here later in his career, as a lieutenant commander. 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. The living quarters were strictly segregated as was housing for family members. You can use a link to tennis shoes to buy a refrigerator or anything else. More at the source. While it is great to receive these honors think how much better it would have been to the generations who were denied knowledge and inspiration from a true hero! After he began swimming, he soon encountered sharks. He deserves a higher award, and a destroyer named in his honor. 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To see this mini-series, click here. A little more than a week after Thomas first called the Senators office, Kaine wrote letters to President Joe Biden concerning Miller and French. French was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal in recognition of his bravery and combat action. This petition starter stood up and took action. His heroism was recognized in popular culture, though. A man discriminated against by the country that he loved, was willing to put his life on the line for. The Arkansas native had moved to Omaha to live with his sister as a youth after his parents died, and he became one of the most famous Black war heroes of the 1940s. Hundreds of Blacks were slaughtered and 10,000 left homeless in this largely unknown event. Nothing of value. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. ** He was particularly noted for his work on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Maryland, a major engineering feat of its time. 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. We also posted a 5 part mini-series on the 100th anniversary of one of the most horrific massacres in the history of America. After the death of his parents, he lived with an older sister, Viola, in Omaha, Nebraska. Adrian retired from the Navy in 1966 and died in 2011, without succeeding. During the attack on the USS Gregory, a destroyer, he was aboard in 1943. 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. 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. During his youth, he would often swim in the Red River and became quite adept at it. UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, spoke at the event, pointing to how his actions can inspire us all to be heroes in our own way. Charles Jackson French was an American war hero from Foreman, Arkansas. The Color of Water: A Black Mans Tribute to His White Mother. 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. 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. French was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions in 1942. 2023 A Month of Tribute to 31 Women We Should All Know, Rosewood A Typical Race Riot in America. 80 years later, Omaha hero who swam in shark-infested waters receives Navy honor. Little is known of his earliest days. The United States Navy cook was on board the battleship West Virginia when the boat was attacked during Pearl Harbor despite having no training with the weapon, Miller was able to use an anti-aircraft machine gun to down multiple Japanese planes. For his bravery, Navy Messman Charles Jackson French was provided a letter of commendation from Adm. William F. "Bull" Halsey, the Commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet, and the Navy Cross, the second-highest award available. There have been 19 individuals to receive this award in US history, the most recent being George Custer, who received it for the second time in 1864. 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. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. French served aboard the USS Houston for four years before returning to Omaha. 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 was celebrated in the Black press and was even the subject of a syndicated comic strip. 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. 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. In 2022, the Navy announced that they would name a pool at their San Diego base in Frenchs honor. While the sailors in the life raft were off the burning ship, they were still in deep trouble. The publication for writers and readers to create and read amazing content, Actress, Stage playwright, Author, Motivational Speaker, Teacher Fitness Coach. He filled a position as a Mess Attendant 1st Classone of the only positions available to black men at the time. As one of the survivors, French found himself in the water on a life raft. The Navy created this photo illustration for its ceremony for Charles Jackson French. 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). This denied qualified service members training that could be used after the military. 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. To see the posts, click here. French, a strong swimmer since youth, volunteered to swim the boat away from the Japanese island. 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. He told the story frequently to family and tried for the rest of his life to get Charles Jackson French, the mess attendant, who was from Omaha, the valor award he was denied during the war. Charles Jackson French with his sister, Viola, at a Creighton University football game on Oct. 31, 1942, at which he was honored. Oh, I forgot to mention that the survivors of Gregory, including this raft, were beingintentionallyshelled by the enemy. Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. Apparently part of the reason that he did not receive an award was that the Navy was reluctant to give him a medal equal or higher to what his ships commander received, and he was killed in the action. On November 7, 1956, in San Diego, California, Charles Jackson French, 37 at the time, died. During World War II Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French swam 68 hours in shark-infested waters near Guadalcanal while towing a life raft with 15 USS Gregory survivors of an attack by the Japanese Imperial Navy. www.epmcknight.wixsite.epfitspiration Follow me: Tiktok, imdb.me/epmcknight. It is the services highest award for noncombat heroism and the same award presented to Lt. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the future U.S. president, for bravery under similar circumstances during World War II. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. We encourage you to share the site on social media. A pool used to train rescue swimmers at Naval Base San Diego also was named in Frenchs honor at the ceremony. When Is The Best Time To Buy First Class Airline Tickets? He swam six to eight hours in shark-infested waters before being rescued by marines on a navy landing craft. Charles Jackson French is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. Bonus- The Story of Charles Jackson French. Racism preventing awarding a medal? 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. Darn guys a stud. French made public appearances after the rescue, including attending a Creighton University football game with his sister in 1942. UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, speaks to the bravery and courage of Charles Jackson French at the Hero of the Heartland event. A Change.org petition also was started Monday, urging Congress and President Joe Biden to posthumously award French the Medal of Honor. 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. This is his jaw-dropping story. Im proud we could come together to recognize his legacy of service and sacrifice.. Please subscribe to keep reading. 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. 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. The mess attendant later noted that the sailors support had stayed with him for the rest of his life. The Chicago Defender named him Hero of the Year. Did I misread the Congressional Order, or did they not suspend the statute of limitations for review of awards where race may have played a issue in denial or downgrade of award. Virginia NAACP President Robert Barnette was pleased to have his Executive Committee give its unanimous support to Mrs. Thomas effort. Will definitely agree that he earned a higher award than was given. He died in 1956, at age 37, of depression and alcoholism from untreated post-traumatic stress, family members say. This is a close as you can get to a system of slavery as it is forced on the service member. The bravery that he demonstrated serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that can be made at any age. To comment or make suggestions on future posts, use Contact Us. 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 . French like so many Black men believed that if they showed they were willing to fight for the country that the country would show them and people of their race some gratitude and equality only to return to the same situation they were fighting against. The history of America himself in the Black press and was even subject., politicususa.com and hillreporter.com raft, were beingintentionallyshelled by the War Gum Trading Card Company were... Swimming, he lived with an older sister, Viola, in San Diego, California of service sacrifice! 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