Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-20
LEAHY
Continued From First Page


ness man and was Of a quiet
demeanor, not given to dra-
mates. But in the Navy, where
his close associates called him
Bill" he had a reputation as
an extremely able executive
afioat or ashore-and as a
cold logician." Like nearly all
four-star Admirals, he also was
stern disciplinarian,
Outside of the seafaring pro-
fession he was well-grounded,
particularly in the field of eco
Monies, and had a faculty for
grasping details rapidly.
1t was no mere coincidence
that mpted President
Roosevelt to pick him for diplo-
matte posts where tact was re-
quired. They had been friends
since the days of the first
world war when Mr.. Roosevelt
was Assistant Secretary of the
Navy and Leahy was junior
captain. They had a mutual
admiration for each other.
Thirty -one-year-old Assist
ant Secretary of the Navy
Franklin D. Roosevelt. who was
seven years his junior. put all
his trust in him. Through a
circumstance favorable to both,
Leahy was the skipper of the
Dolphin, the Navy Secretary's
dispatch boat. Josephus Dan
ielS was the Secretary Mr..
Roosevelt loved to go to sea
and made several voyages on
the Dolphin.
He had a lot of naval lore"
the admiral said. land a good
naval library. He knew more
about small-boat sailing than
! did. I was out with him sew
eral times at his summer place,
Campobello. He knew the
Navy people. He would some
times consult me about them,
but he made up his own mind.
Il didn't agree with every
thing he did politically (the
admiral was referring to their
later relationship. One time
he said to me. Bill, you don't
know anything about politics.
I said, Mr.. President, that's the
finest compliment you've ever
paid me. 1T didn't make him
mad. I knew it wouldn't"
Vichy Assignment
The Vichy assignment was
particularly important, for the
situation. after the fall of
France, was delicate and ex-
plosive. The President had
first desired Gen. John J..
Pershing as Ambassador, be-
cause of his close personal
friedShip with the aged mar
shall of France, PHILIPPE Petain
"a friendship dating back TO
first World War days when they
were comrades in arms. But
Gen. Pershing's health would
not permit him to accept the
post and the assignment went
to Admiral Leahy.
With the Germans occupy
ing much Of France, the in
f1uence of Adolf Hitler seeped
through to Vichy, where Mar
shaf Petain was endeavoring
to bring order out of chaos.
The admiral and the marshal
became good friends and many
threatening political situations
were ironed out by the tactful
Leahy.
Meanwhile, Admiral Leahy
suffered personal tragedy
when his wife, the former Lou
Use Tennent Harrington, whom
he married in 1904, died in
France in the summer OF 1912.
Soon after he brought her body
back to America for burial, the
President named him to the
newly created position as his
chAf of staff
Most Difficult Position
This probably was one of the
most difficult positions in his
long career. The United States
was then in the midst of its rap
idly broadening war effort. In
obtaining military information
to form the basis of the Presi-
dents global war strategy, Ad-
miral Leahy had to deal init
mately with the ranking officers
OF the Army. Navy, Marine
Corps and the Air Force. Each
branch of the service was tradi-
tionally jealous of its own pre-
negatives. But it was apparent
after the admiral learned the
ropes, that he performed his
mission smoothly.
Born far from salt water on
May 6, 1875, he had an abiding
interest, as boy, in the mill
tary history of the Civil War as
a result of his grandfather
participation in it. He decided
upon a military career early
in life.
After being graduated from
high school at Ashland, Wis
he sought an appointment to
West Point; but his Congress
man informed him there were
no openings at the military
academy. However, he said he
would be glad to nominate him
for Annapolis and that's how
he switched his ambitions from
the Army to the Navy.
Served on Oregon
Soon after his graduation
from the Naval Academy, he
was assigned to the battleshir
Oregon and participated in that
man-o'-wars historic dash from