Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

Theodore Roosevelt. Jr., in 1921.

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. or Theodore Roosevelt II (also known as Ted Roosevelt or Teddy Roosevelt) (September 13, 1887 – July 12, 1944) was an American political, business and military leader, and the most successful son of President Theodore Roosevelt. He served as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Governor of Puerto Rico (1929–32), Governor General of the Philippines (1932–33), chairman of the board of American Express Company, Vice-President at Doubleday Books, and as a Brigadier General in the United States Army.

Childhood

Roosevelt Family in 1903 with Quentin on the left, TR, Ted, Jr., "Archie", Alice, Kermit, Edith, and Ethel

"Teddy," as he was, in childhood, universally known, was the son of President Theodore Roosevelt. He was born at the family estate in Oyster Bay, New York when his father was just starting his political career. His siblings included brothers Archibald, nicknamed "Archie," Quentin, Kermit and sister, Ethel and half-sister Alice.

Like all the Roosevelt children, Ted was tremendously influenced by his father. In later life, Ted would record some of these childhood recollections in a series of newspaper articles written around the time of World War I.

In one article, Ted recalled his first time in Washington when the elder Theodore was Civil Service Commissioner, "..when father was civil service commissioner I often walked to the office with him. On the way down he would talk history to me - not the dry history of dates and charters, but the history where you yourself in your imagination could assume the role of the principal actors, as every well-contructed boy wishes to do when interested. During every battle we would stop and father would draw out the full plan in the dust in the gutter with the tip of his umbrella. Long before the European war had broken over the world father would discuss with us military training and the necessity for every man being able to take his part."

Education

Ted at Harvard University

Ted attended the Albany Academy and Groton School before enrolling at Harvard University. Unlike his little brother Quentin, who was as naturally gifted intellectually as his father, and sailed through Harvard, studies did not come easy for Ted, but he persisted and graduated in 1908. After graduating from college, he entered the business world. He took positions in the steel business and carpet business before becoming the branch manager of an investment bank. He had a flair for business and amassed a considerable fortune in the years leading up to World War I and on into the 1920s. The income from his investments stood him in good stead to become involved in politics after the War.

Political career

After service in World War I (see below), Ted began his political career. In 1919 he was elected to the New York State Assembly. Grinning like his father, waving a crumpled hat, and like his father, shouting "bully," Ted participated in every national campaign that he could except when he was governor general of the Phillipines. In 1921 when Warren G. Harding was elected president, Teddy was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Here he oversaw the transferring of oil leases from the Navy to private corporations. This later became known as the Teapot Dome scandal. Although he was cleared of all charges, his image was tarnished.

File:Kermit and Ted roosevelt.jpg

Ted (holding rifle) and brother Kermit Roosevelt on a 1926 hunting expedition to southern Asia

In 1924, he was the Republican nominee for the office of governor of New York. His cousin Franklin D. Roosevelr spoke out on Ted's "wretched record" as Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the oil scandals. Eleanor played her part as well in ending Ted's political future. Due to her vigorous campaigning that went as far as Eleanor showing up at one of Ted's speaking engagement in a huge teapot that made tooting sounds to trying to link Ted to the recent Teapot Dome Scandal, a scandal that Eleanor clearly knew Ted had no part in. Eleanor made used campaign tactic after Ted commented that FDR "He's a maverick! He does not wear the brand of our family." Eleanor had been infuriated by these remarks. She would later decry these methods, admitting that they were below her dignity but contrived by democratic party dirty tricksters. Ted never forgave Eleanor for her stunt though his half-sister, Alice Longworth later forgave Eleanor for these actions and resumed their formerly close friendship. They served to widen the split between the Oyster Bay TR and Hyde Park FDR wings of the family. Because of her efforts he lost the support of many of his would-be voters. His opponent, Alfred E. Smith, defeated him by 105,000 votes. In the simultaneous race for President, the Republican Calvin Coolidge won New York by over 850,000 votes.

In September of 1929, President Herbert Hoover appointed Ted Governor of Puerto Rico. Roosevelt became a well-loved and popular figure in Puerto Rico. As governor, he did his best to ease the island's poverty. He was fond of local Puerto Rican culture and assumed many of the island's tradition. He became known as the "Jibarito de La Fortaleza" (Farmer of the Fortaleza) by locals.

Hoover was impressed with his work in Puerto Rico and moved him to Governor General of the Philippines in 1932. When his fifth cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President, Ted joked of his position in the Philippines that he was "fifth cousin, about to be removed," and this is what happened not long after FDR took office for he and FDR and he had been bitter political rivals in New York and now his cousin had the proverbial political upper hand.

In 1932, when FDR challenged Hoover for the presidency, Ted's half-sister, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, whose dislike for her Democratic cousin, FDR was also "intensely real" as Time Magazine would soon describe it, begged Ted to return the Phillipines take to the stump. Ted announced on August 22m 1932 that "Circumstances have made it necessary for me to return for a brief period to the United States. . . . I shall start for the Philippines again the first week in November. . While there I hope I can accomplish something." The reaction of many in the US Press was so negative that within a few weeks, it was suddenly arranged for Governor General Roosevelt to remain at Manila throughout the campaign. The Secretary of War Hurley cabled Ted, "The President has reached the conclusion that you should not leave your duties for the purpose of participating in the campaign. . . . He believes it to be your duty to remain at your post."

In 1935, he was the vice president of the publisher Doubleday Doran & Company.

National and Military service

Ted as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1923, Newport, RI

World War I Service

All the Roosevelt sons except Kermit had had some military training prior to World War I. With the outbreak of war in Europe in August 1914, there had been a heightened concern about the nation's readiness for military engagement. Only the month before Congress had belatedly recognized the significance of military aviation by authorizing the creation of an Aviation Section in the Signal Corps. In 1915, Major General Leonard Wood, a friend of Archie's father since the Rough Rider days, organized a summer camp at Plattsburg, New York, to provide military training for business and professional men at their own expense. It would be this summer training program that would provide the basis of a greatly expanded junior officers corps when the Country entered World War I. During that fateful summer of 1915, many well-heeled young men from some of the finest East Coast schools, including all three Roosevelt sons would attend the Camp. When the United States entered the War, commissions were offered to the graduates of these schools based on their performance. The National Defense Act of 1916 continued the student military training and the businessmen's summer camps and placed them on a firmer legal basis by authorizing an Officers' Reserve Corps and a Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).

After the declaration of War, when the American Expeditionary Force, or "AEF," was organizing, the Roosevelt boys father, Theodore, wired Major General "Black Jack" Pershing asking if his sons could accompany him to Europe as privates. Pershing accepted, but, based on their training at Plattsburg, Archie was offered a commission with rank of second lieutenant, while Ted, Jr., was offered a commission and the rank of major. Quentin had already been accepted into the fledging Army Air Service. Kermit would volunteer with the British in modern-day Iraq.

So, Ted, having a reserve commission in the Army, as did two of his brothers, Quentin and Archibald was called up shortly after World War I broke out. He served as a major with the First Division, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He fought in several major battles. He was gassed and wounded at Soissons during the summer of 1918. In July of that year his brother, Quentin, was killed in combat. Teddy received the Distinguished Service Cross for his action during the war. Teddy resumed his Reserve service between the wars, attending the annual Summer Camps at Pine Camp, and completing both the Infantry Officer's Basic and Advanced Courses, and the Command & General Staff College, and so was eligible for senior commissioned service in World War II.

Despite a heart condition and arthritis that forced him to use a cane, General Roosevelt led the assault on Utah Beach, landing with the first wave of troops. He died in France less than a month later of a heart attack.

World War II Service and Death

In 1940, he attended a military refresher course offered to many business men as an advanced student, and was promoted to Colonel in the Army of the United States. He returned to active duty in April 1941 and was given command of the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, the same group he fought with in World War I. Late in 1941, he was promoted to brigadier general.

He was known as a general who often visited the front lines. He preferred the heat of the battle to the comfort of the command post. This culminated in his action on D-day.

Teddy led his regiment in an attack on Oran, Africa on November 8, 1942. During 1943, he was the second in command of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division that fought in the North African Campaign. He was cited for the Croix de Guerre by the military commander of French Africa, General Alphonse Juin:

As commander of a Franco-American detachment on the Ousseltia plain in the region of Pichon, in the face of a very aggressive enemy, he showed the finest qualities of decision and determination in the defense of his sector.

Showing complete contempt for personal danger, he never ceased during the period of Jan 28 – Feb 21, visiting troops in the front lines, making vital decisions on the spot, winning the esteem and admiration of the units under his command and developing throughout his detachment the finest fraternity of arms.

He saw action in Sicily, commanded Allied Forces in Sardinia, and fought on the Italian mainland. He was the chief liaison officer to the French Army in Italy for General Dwight D. Eisenhower. In February 1944, he was assigned to England to help lead the Normandy invasion.

After repeatedly petitioning and lobbying, he was granted permission to land with one of the first waves of troops at Utah Beach. On D-day, he led the US 4th Infantry Division's landing at Utah Beach.

The landing could have been a disaster. Although it was on time, it was 2000 yards off course. Teddy, as the senior officer on the scene, improvised a new plan. Based upon his own reconnaissance of enemy strongholds on the beach, he contacted the commanding officers on the scene and modified their orders. Thus, he was able to obtain the mission objective. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor for this service.

Throughout World War II, he suffered from health problems. He had arthritis and walked with a cane. He also had heart trouble. One month after the landing at Utah Beach, he died of a heart attack in France. He is buried at the American cemetery in Normandy, next to his brother, Lt. Quentin Roosevelt, who had been shot down and killed in France.

Theodore Roosevelt Jr.'s grave marker at the American WWII cemetery in Normandy

Roosevelt was portrayed by Henry Fonda in The Longest Day.

Medal of Honor

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

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 seawall 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.

Family

He married his childhood sweetheart, Eleanor Butler Alexander, on June 20, 1910. They had four children: Grace, Quentin, Theodore Roosevelt III, and Cornelius.

Notes

External links

• Theodore Roosevelt Association
• of Theodore Roosevelt: Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
• [http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/tedsrecollections.htm | Ted's Boyhood Recollections of his Father
• Theodore Roosevelt, 56, Dies On Normandy Battlefield; Succumbs to a Heart Attack Soon After Visit From Son by Hanson W. Baldwin, New York Times, July 14, 1944.

References

[1]Almanac of Theodore Roosevelt: Theodore Roosevelt Jr.