Charles Jackson French (September 25, 1919 – November 7, 1956) was a United States Navy sailor. He had first enlisted in the Navy in 1937 and had completed his enlistment, moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he had family. 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.

Biography

French was an orphan from Foreman, Arkansas who learned to swim in the Red River at the age of eight. During World War II,Black Swimming History: Forgotten Hero of WWII
Bruce Wigo, ''Swimming World'', February 5, 2018 messmate French swam 6–8 hours in shark-infested waters near

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the seco ...

while towing a life raft with 15 survivors of an attack by the Japanese Imperial Navy.The story of Charles Jackson French
Bruce Wigo For this action, French received a letter of commendation from Adm.

William F. Halsey Jr. William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 1959) was an American Navy admiral during World War II. He is one of four officers to have attained the rank of five-star fleet admiral of the United States Navy, the others ...

in May 1943. Adm. Halsey was then commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet. The commendation stated:

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. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men was adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.

French was memorialized on War Gum trading cards and in a comic strip. '' The Chicago Defender'' named him Hero of the Year. French was posthumously awarded the

Navy and Marine Corps Medal The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combat decoration awarded for heroism by the United States Department of the Navy to members of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The medal was established by an act of Con ...

for his heroic actions. The award was presented on May 21, 2022, at Naval Base San Diego, at a ceremony in which the base's rescue swimmer training pool was dedicated in French's honor. In June 2022, President Biden signed into law (H.R.4168) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6223 Maple Street, in Omaha, Nebraska, as the Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office. French is buried at

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is a federal military cemetery in the city of San Diego, California. It is located on the grounds of the former Army coastal artillery station Fort Rosecrans and is administered by the United States Departm ...

in San Diego, California.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:French, Charles Jackson 1919 births 1956 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy sailors Military personnel from Omaha, Nebraska African-American United States Navy personnel Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery People from Little River County, Arkansas African Americans in World War II Military personnel from Arkansas