|
Theodore Roosevelt, Junior
| Born: |
|
9/13/1887
|
| Died:
|
|
7/12/1944
|
| Married: |
Married Eleanor Alexander, 1910 in New York
City
|
| Children: |
- GRACE GREEN ROOSEVELT, b. August
17, 1911; d. 1993.
- THEODORE ROOSEVELT III, b. June
14, 1914, NYC.
- CORNELIUS VAN SCHAACK ROOSEVELT,
b. October 23, 1915, New York City; d. 1991. (Graduated MIT
in 1938 * Mining Engineer & Inventor 10).
- QUENTIN ROOSEVELT II, b. November
4, 1919, Oyster Bay, Long Island; d. December 21, 1948, Near
Hong Kong.
|
What's in a name:
President Theodore
Roosevelt was the son of a man named Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt
himself also had a son named Theodore Roosevelt.
So who is Theodore
Roosevelt, Jr? Why?
When the man
who became President Roosevelt was born, his father became Theodore
Roosevelt, Sr. and the son Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. When TR's father
died in 1878, he dropped the ".Jr" and became simply Theodore
Roosevelt.
But then when
TR's son was born, the son became Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. After President
Roosevelt died, his son tried to drop the ".Jr" designation
just as his father had done. That is what usually happens. Eventually
it became clear this would be too confusing to the public and to the
children too. He kept the ".Jr" and his son became Theodore
Roosevelt, III.
|
Confused?
See if this helps.
|
|
Theodore
Roosevelt, Sr
|
father
of President Roosevelt |
|
Theodore
Roosevelt
|
usually
the man who was President |
|
Theodore
Roosevelt, Jr
|
usually
refers to the son of the President |
|
Theodore
Roosevelt, II
|
grandson
of the President |
|
Theodore
Roosevelt, IV
|
great-grandson of the President |
The first born son and namesake of President Roosevelt,
"Ted" lead a very distinguished life in his own right. Ted
was the first child of Theodore and his second wife Edith. Remember
his father's first wife and older sister Alice's mother had died shortly
after childbirth. Ted began following his father's footsteps at a very
early age, though father Roosevelt admittedly pushed him a bit too enthusiastically
in this direction.
As a child, Ted was closest to his sister Alice,
and they adored each other as playmates and fellow adventurers. Ted
spent most of his childhood here in Cove Neck where he explored the
woods by day, and enjoyed many nights camping out with his father.
Like his father before him, Ted attended Harvard,
worrying his father by cutting classes, but graduated with excellent
grades. He married Eleanor Alexander in 1910 and began his political
career with election to the New York Assembly. He later became Assistant
Secretary of the Navy. In 1929, Hoover appointed him Governor of Puerto
Rico, from which post he was named Governor General of the Philippines.
He saw active duty in both World War I (receiving
the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star) and World War II.
As a Brigadier General in World War II, Ted Jr. led the first assault
at Normandy. A few weeks later, he died of a heart attack.
One
of the members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, Bob Snow, collects
items related to Theodore Roosevelt, Junior and other members of the
family. He showed us a letter, written by Theodore Roosevelt, Junior
on "Navy Department Assistant Secretary's Office" stationary, dated
March 8, 1924, to a Mr. Beatty. Mr. Beatty, it appears, had asked Ted
what Ted thought his father's opinion would be on some subject of then
current interest. Ted writes:
My dear Mr. Beatty:
Many thanks for
your very nice letter. I am sorry to say you ask me to do something
which I am unable to do, and that is, quote my father on a subject which
did not come up in his life-time, and that therefore, no one's interpretation
of his opinions could be nothing more or less than guess. I don't feel
it is right for anyone else to do so.
|
Perhaps
Ted inherited his mother's business sense. He was considered an
astute businessman, and made over $400,000 in banking before World
War I without ever buying a stock on margin (credit). At that
time this was a very large amount.
While he
was Governor of Puerto Rico he stopped a financial panic after
one important bank had closed and another was threatened by giving
his personal note for $100,000, a quarter of his capital, to show
his confidence in Puerto Rican banks. This stemmed the tide. Fortunately
the note did not have to be used.
|
TEXT OF THE NOTE:
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
PORTO RICO
October 30, 1931
$100,000
For value received, I promise to pay on demand to the People
of Porto Rico or order the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars
($100,000) without interest.
This note is unconditional but is intended to guarantee
the People of Porto Rico against any loss arising by reason
of a deposit of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) of the
People of Porto Rico this day made at my direction by the Treasurer
of Porto Rico in the Banco Territorial y Agricola, San Juan,
Porto Rico branch, other collateral being first exhausted before
recourse is made against this note.
(signed)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT Governor
|
|
CONGRESSIONAL
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION:
| Rank
and Organization: |
Brigadier
General, U.S. Army, 4th Infantry Division. |
| Place
and Date: |
Normandy
Invasion, 6 June 1944. |
| Entered
Service at: |
Oyster
Bay, New York |
| Born: |
Oyster
Bay, New York |
| G.O.:
|
#77,
28 September 1944 |
CITATION:
For gallantry
and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call
of duty on 6 June 1944, in France. After 2 verbal requests to
accompany the leading assault elements in the Normandy invasion
had been denied, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt's written request for this
mission was approved and he landed with the first wave of the
forces assaulting the enemy held beaches. He repeatedly led groups
from the beach, over the sea wall and established them inland.
His valor, courage, and presence in the very front of the attack
and his complete unconcern at being under heavy fire inspired
the troops to heights of enthusiasm and self sacrifice. Although
the enemy had the beach under constant direct fire, Brig. Gen.
Roosevelt moved from one locality to another, rallying men around
him, directed and personally led them against the enemy. Under
his seasoned, precise, calm, and unfaltering leadership, assault
troops reduced beach strong points and rapidly moved inland with
minimum casualties. He thus contributed substantially to the successful
establishment of the beachhead in France.
|
More About
THEODORE ROOSEVELT, JR.:
- 1917-1919 Major &
Lt. Colonel, 1st Infantry Division
-
February 1919, Proposed founding of American Legion, traveled extensively
in its support
- 1941-1944
Brigadier General, 1st Infantry Division
- June 6, 1944, Brigadier
General, 4th Infantry Division, Utah Beach, Normandy
- August 28, 1944, Awarded
Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his work on D-Day during
WWII
- 1945 Awarded Distinguished
Service Medal of the American Legion
- Made Past National
Commander of the American Legion, posthumously
- Won every combat medal
given by the U.S. Army
- New York State Assemblyman
- 1921-1924 Assistant
Secretary of the Navy
- 1929-1932 Governor
of Puerto Rico
- 1932-1933 Governor-General
of the Philippines
- 1909 Graduated Harvard
University
- Cause of Death: Heart
Attacks suffered on active duty in Normandy
Sources:
Sagamore Hill
- Old Orchard Museum label copy
Theodore Roosevelt
Association office.
|
