In September 1942, the destroyer USS Gregory was left sinking off Guadalcanal after a brutal night battle with Japanese ships. In the darkness, with wreckage burning around them, twenty-two-year-old mess attendant Charles Jackson French faced a choice that would define his life. He wrapped a rope around his waist, tied it to a raft loaded with wounded shipmates, and slipped into the sea.
For the next six hours, French swam through shark-infested waters, towing dozens of men away from enemy shores. He refused to let go, even as exhaustion set in, and by morning his determination had carried the raft to safety. Survivors later recalled his quiet resolve and the way he seemed to accept the danger as if there was no other option but to keep going.
French’s heroism was extraordinary in any context, but especially in a segregated Navy that assigned most Black sailors to service roles as cooks, porters, or attendants. Newspapers dubbed him the “Human Tugboat,” his image appeared on a wartime trading card, and officers pushed for him to receive the Navy Cross or even the Medal of Honor. Instead, he was given only a letter of commendation.
For decades, the story of Charles Jackson French faded from the nation’s memory. Bruce Wigo, former CEO of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, has worked to change that. By piecing together records, press accounts, and survivors’ testimony, Wigo has helped bring French’s story back into the light.
