Navy Mess Specialist 1st Class Petty Officer Charles Jackson French, hailed as the “Human Tugboat”, single-handedly pulled 15 injured sailors through shark-infested waters after a Japanese destroyer attack.
A future U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer DDG-142 will be named USS Charles J. French, after Navy Mess Specialist 1st Class Petty Officer Charles Jackson French.
Known for his heroic actions in the Pacific Theater of World War II, French saved 15 of his shipmates after their high-speed transport was sunk in combat during the Battle of Guadalcanal.
Hailed as the “Human Tugboat” and “Hero of the Solomons,” Charles French joined the Navy as a mess attendant before the United States formally entered World War II, and served four years aboard the Hawaii-based heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA 30). French left the service after his tour aboard Houston, but reenlisted four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. He was assigned to USS Gregory (APD 3) in March 1942.
On the night of Sept. 4, 1942, in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands, three Imperial Japanese destroyers and one cruiser opened fire on the Gregory and its sister ship USS Little (APD 4). With his ship sinking and his fellow Sailors in shark-infested waters, the uninjured French gathered injured shipmates on a nearby raft and tied a rope around his waist in order to pull the survivors to safety.
Ensign Robert Adrian, who gradually came to after suffering injuries to his legs and blast fragments in his eyes, attempted to persuade French to join them aboard the raft and out of the shark-infested waters, Adrian later recalled.
French refused, responding that he was more afraid of the Japanese than the sharks. Against a strong current, French swam all night — away from enemy gunfire and the Japanese-held shoreline.
French swam through the night until at sunrise, French and the raft of sailors were spotted by scout aircraft.
For his actions, French was recommended for the Navy Cross. However, due to his race, the cook only received a letter of commendation from Adm. William “Bull” Halsey, the commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet.
After the war, however, French’s story was largely forgotten and omitted from Navy history.
“French is now getting some long-overdue recognition.” ~ SECNAV Carlos Del Toro
“For too long, we did not recognize Petty Officer French appropriately, but we’ve begun to correct that. Recently, we renamed the training pool at Naval Base San Diego after him,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. “Today, with profound conviction and a heart brimming with long-overdue recognition, I am proud to announce the name of our newest destroyer, DDG 142, will be the USS Charles J. French.”
Previously, Secretary Del Toro posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to French in May 2022.
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