{"id":498807,"date":"2022-03-04T15:30:39","date_gmt":"2022-03-04T22:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=498807"},"modified":"2022-03-04T15:55:54","modified_gmt":"2022-03-04T22:55:54","slug":"navy-swimming-hero-charles-jackson-french-to-have-pool-named-in-his-honor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/navy-swimming-hero-charles-jackson-french-to-have-pool-named-in-his-honor\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy Swimming Hero Charles Jackson French to Have Pool Named in His Honor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Navy Swimming Hero Charles Jackson French to Have Pool Named in His Honor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Charles Jackson French,<\/strong> the Black Naval sailor who swam 15 shipmates to safety during World War II, will have a training pool at a naval base in San Diego named in his honor.<\/p>\n

French, a Petty Officer First Class, served on the U.S.S. Gregory when it was sunk by Japanese forces during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. The 22-year-old mess attendant was the only uninjured person. He loaded 15 injured men into a life raft and, tying a rope around his waist, towed the raft through shark-infested waters for more than six hours in the dark until a rescue craft spotted them.<\/p>\n