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Executive Director Eric Ewing of the Great Plains Black History Museum in Omaha tells the story of Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French. Known as the “Hero of the Solomon Islands,” French served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. When the Japanese bombed his ship near Guadalcanal, French swam through shark-infested waters to save 15 of his fellow crewmen. After decades of being one of America’s unsung heroes, Charles Jackson French was posthumously honored with several awards in 2022.
Part of the Nebraska State Historical Society's Lunchbox Lecture Series, originally presented February 17, 2026 at the Nebraska History Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska.