I just had a conversation with my very elderly grandfather, he's 95. He spent his career in the Treasury, and then moved up ranks quickly to become a Secret Service agent assigned to the President. Then Pearl Harbor hit and he begged to be put in battle. He was refused countless times due to his need within the Presidential detail. He was allowed to train then heard nothing. Then the Secretary of the Navy heard about Pappaw and said "he could enter into hell in Tawana". He did. His only battle. He was given a Navy Cross and the Medal of Honor (which I have).
Paps returned to Washington to his original post. Guarding FDR.
My Pappaw claims he was outside the door, heard a gunshot, rushed in and found FDR at his desk with a gun in his hand, and bullet to his head. The door was locked. He says that there was no stroke. Pappaw was immediately reassigned, and "forced to leave Service" and then swore to secrecy.
Anyone ever heard of this? A possible suicide?
2007-03-28 04:22:57 · 6 answers · asked by Michelle_My_Belle 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
I tried to fix this: I should say "I once had a conversation with Pappaw"
Not "I just had a ...."
He's been dead over 10 years. Sorry.
2007-03-28 04:29:57 · update #1
I know exactly what you mean FascF. I have thought the same thing. However my grandfather was a very honorable man and wasn't one to make up stories, in fact he kept MANY things about his life close to his vest. We did not know of the Medals until after his death. I ask this because I have not found this anywhere, but perhaps it may trigger a memory for a military/government historian and get an explanation.
2007-03-28 04:34:02 · update #2
I never heard of it.
2007-03-28 04:27:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is new. It doesn't seem to be in character for FDR to bail out when we were in the middle of the war. And it is a fact that a new doctor had examined him before his last election and felt he had little time to live. Why would he have to bother killing himself? And in a way that would create a problem regarding covering it up? At least when Mrs. Harding poisoned her husband people could assume it was food poisoing rather than deliberate contamination.
2007-03-28 11:29:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That is an urban Legend, and has been shifting around as an unsubstantiated ruour for about 40 years. It is untrue, and remember all the time Eleanor his wife spent essentailly running the country, while he was in decline. No he died of natural causes..
2007-04-05 06:34:21 · answer #3 · answered by Boston Bluefish 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope - never heard such a rumor; and I, too, have military relatives who served the White House and also were in intelligence.
2007-03-28 11:35:14 · answer #4 · answered by sage seeker 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
my father told me somthing was wrong because there wasnt an open casket
2007-04-04 17:33:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
suicide
2007-03-28 11:27:01 · answer #6 · answered by sexyquonny 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋