Charles Jackson French was born in Arkansas. He learned to swim in the Red River when he was 8. In 1937, at age 18, he enlisted in the Navy. He served four years on the USS Houston. After getting out, he reenlisted after Pearl Harbor. He was on board the destroyer USS Gregory during the Guadalcanal campaign. On Sept. 5, 1942, the Gregory was on patrol off Savo Island. A Japanese cruiser and three destroyers began to bombard American positions on Guadalcanal. A Navy pilot dropped some flares in the area and unfortunately they lit up the Gregory. The Japanese opened fire and in three minutes the Gregory sank. French and several crewmates made a raft out of debris. Uninjured, French began swimming around to find wounded men and put them on the raft. After a while, he tied a rope to his wrist and tugged the raft away from the area because the Japanese were targeting survivors. An officer told him to stop because they were in shark-infested waters, but French refused. He continued even after a shark grazed his feet. He swam for eight hours before they were rescued. He had saved 15 sailors. And yet, at the rest camp they were taken to, French was ordered to leave his mates and go to the segregated black section of the camp. His mates stood up for him and he got to stay with them. He was recommended for the Navy Cross, but the Navy was notoriously discriminatory toward black sailors. He ended up with a commendation from Admiral William Halsey. Back in America, trading cards and comic strips told his story. He participated in a war bonds tour. In 2022, he was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. Here is the Halsey commendation:
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.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/04/27/navy-may-recognize-black-wwii-sailor-who-towed-wounded-shipmates-through-shark-infested-waters.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Jackson_French
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