Navy moves to recognize heroic Black WWII sailor who swam for hours with sharks to save 15 men

[soothsayer]

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Naveed Jamali
@NaveedAJamali
This is an amazing story of bravery by Charles French, a black WWII sailor, who swam through shark infested waters to save his shipmates. @MalcolmNance and other navy vets are asking the @USNavy to review if Frenchs medal should be upgraded.

Navy moves to recognize "heroic" Black WWII sailor who swam for hours with sharks to save 15 men
newsweek.com

https://t.co/mR0ZI8YHhm


Malcolm Nance
@MalcolmNance
WW2 BLACK SAILOR GETS JUST THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS MEDAL FOR SAVING 15 MEN AFTER BEING SUNK IN A COMBAT ACTION!? cc @USNavyCNO @chinfo @USNavyHistory #RevisitThisAward #Upgrade

Jerry Whitney
@theharpoonman
"On September 5, 1942, United States Navy Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, of Omaha Nebraska, 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 USS Gregory was hit

[Wounded Bear]

1. K&R...nt

[greenjar_01]

2. ...

[Deuxcents]

3. What has taken so long?

[MLAA]

5. My guess is the color of this hero's skin had everything to do with it.

[USALiberal]

6. He was black. Nt

[MLAA]

4. This man is the very definition of heroism.

I expect the 15 men he saved would have awarded him the highest medal available. I sure would vote for a major upgrade.

[cab67]

7. The commander of USS Gregory got the Silver Star posthumously.

He evidently ordered two men near him to aid a crewman elsewhere who was calling for help. I don't know if he died from his wounds or was still alive when the ship went down.

The sharks weren't the only problem these men faced. They had to be careful not to land on Japanese-held territory on Guadalcanal or Savo.

There's a look of very real dignity in CPO French's face.

[BobTheSubgenius]

14. Yes, there is. He should have carried that look, and a lot more besides every day of his life/

This is the wording for qualification for the Medal of Honor. What do you think?

"distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty."

[cab67]

19. I think his actions rise to the level of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

At the very least, his accomplishment should be far more widely known than it is.

[BobTheSubgenius]

20. At the very least, that...and the Silver Star.

That's one of the most heroic things I've ever heard of. Imaging swimming through the dark ALL NIGHT, labouring mightily, I'm sure (I used to lifeguard and I know how difficult it can be to tow ONE person), and never knowing when a horror will come out of that darkness and bite you in half.

it's a judgment call, obviously, and mine could be faulty here, but I think this act rises almost to the level of Audie Murphy. Believe me when I tell you I'd rather face superior enemy numbers than sharks. Not even close.

[Hekate]

8. KnR

[oasis]

9. Recognition loooooong overdue. K and R.

[dalton99a]

10. Kick

[Deminpenn]

11. Sad to say, but medals and awards often go to people

who have a superior who takes the time to write the narrative and apply for them.

[pandr32]

12. Huge kick

[Haggard Celine]

13. Sounds like he could have gotten

a Medal of Honor. I don't know what a soldier/sailor/Marine has to do to win one, but this man seems like he at least should have been a candidate.

[onethatcares]

15. I salute this Petty Officer First Class

there are not enough words to express the comradery he showed and the sheer will power.

If I could meet him, I would tell him he's a hero.

[soothsayer]

16. Died at 37 of alcoholism-related probs it seems

Snip

French, according to friends residing in San Diego, was claimed by alcoholism, in later years. From close questioning of friends, it would appear that he returned from the Pacific Wars, “stressed out,” from seeing too much death and destruc- tion. He was probably discharged with mental problems and left to fend for himself.

https://ishof.org/assets/charles-jackson-french_article.pdf

[onethatcares]

17. have you noticed?

It seems like his generation, and my fathers and father in laws' didn't feel the need to carry guns while they lived their lives?

I know some of them continued to hunt after coming back from the war but they didn't want to carry their M-1s or their Garrand rifles.

It was almost like they'd seen enough bloodshed to last a lifetime but maybe I just don't know them. What I do know is that my father was a radio operator on a PBY in the south Pacific during WW2 and he slipped once while we were having beers on his patio and said,
"And we came out of the clouds and all we could see was blood and bodies" He stopped talking then, never brought it up to anyone as far as I know.

FFS, he was 19 years old Mr French could not have been much older if at all. That would affect anyone.

[MustLoveBeagles]

22. My grandfather was a sniper during WW2

He ended up hating guns and after his service was done he wanted nothing more to do with them.

[MoonRiver]

18. Wow, what an amazing hero!

He should get the highest award out there!

[oasis]

21. K and R

[MustLoveBeagles]

23. Wow

Recognition is long overdue.