Sons of famous fathers have many advantages in life \u2013 particularly if dad\u2019s fame is due to or has lead to wealth.\u00a0 Yet having a famous father is not completely without its disadvantages.<\/p>\n
What disadvantages?\u00a0 Try living up to expectations, for one. \u00a0Many sons of famous fathers simply can\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Everybody knows the story of Teddy Roosevelt \u2013 who later became the 26th US President \u2013 and his heroism at San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War.\u00a0 Many even know that he was belatedly awarded the Medal of Honor for that act over 80 years after his death.\u00a0 And he\u2019s considered one of the more successful Presidents in US history.<\/p>\n
Imagine trying to live up to that legacy.\u00a0 Imagine trying to do that when you\u2019re a slender bantam-rooster kinda guy vice a strapping fellow like your dad.\u00a0 (The other individual in this photo<\/a> was\u00a0 about 6 ft 1 in tall and around 200 lbs.)<\/p>\n Now imagine doing exactly that – living up to such a legacy.\u00a0 And imagine that almost no one remembers.<\/p>\n You’re talking about Theodore Roosevelt Jr’s life.<\/p>\n Father and Son<\/span><\/p>\n Even though his father reportedly never expected him to amount to much, Theodore Roosevelt Jr succeeded in virtually everything he did in life.\u00a0 Indeed, in every respect but politics Theodore Roosevelt Jr\u2019s record compares well with his father\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0 And had he not been back-stabbed by his cousin Eleanor during his 1924 campaign for Governor, the Governor of New York named Roosevelt who ran for President in the early 1930s might well have been named Theodore vice Franklin.<\/p>\n In the military sphere, the elder Roosevelt’s exploits are well-known.\u00a0 But those of the son generally aren’t – and that’s a shame.<\/p>\n Indeed, the younger Roosevelt\u2019s military record and heroism \u2013 though not nearly as well-known as his father’s\u2013 actually makes his father’s pale by comparison.\u00a0 The elder Roosevelt was indeed an exceptional man, and a hero of the Spanish-American War.\u00a0 But Theodore Roosevelt Jr proved himself a hero and an exceptional man many times over before his untimely death.<\/p>\n Consider:\u00a0 the elder TR fought in one, short war.\u00a0 He did so in his late 30s.\u00a0 During this war, he performed admirably as a commander – and became famous for a single, exceptional act of heroism.\u00a0 His war lasted a few months; then he went home in good health to resume his life and career. Impressive.<\/p>\n The younger TR fought in two longer wars.\u00a0 During the first, he performed multiple exceptional acts of heroism.\u00a0 He was seriously wounded, and would feel the effects of those wounds the rest of his life.\u00a0 He returned to the fight and led his troops again.\u00a0 He was gassed.\u00a0 His first combat service was during his early 30s.<\/p>\n Then some 20+ years later, the younger TR did it all again.\u00a0 He again performed multiple exceptional acts of heroism while leading troops in combat.\u00a0 Only this time around, fate decreed he wouldn’t make it home.<\/p>\n In between, he served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Governor-General of Puerto Rico; Governor-General of the Philippines; Vice-President of Doubleday Publishing; and Chairman of American Express Corporation.\u00a0 Along with maintaining his standing in the US Army Reserve and being instrumental in founding the American Legion, of course.<\/p>\n Theodore Roosevelt Sr indeed served with distinction in the Spanish-American War, and was denied a Medal of Honor due largely to politics – a slight corrected many years later.\u00a0 But prior to D-Day, Theodore Roosevelt Jr had received the following recognition for military heroism:<\/p>\n Then on 6 June 1944, the younger Roosevelt performed acts of heroism for which he would posthumously be awarded the Medal of Honor.<\/p>\n Think about that for a moment.\u00a0 During less than three years of combat service\u00a0 (Oct 1917 – Nov 1918 and Nov 1942 – Jul 1944)\u00a0 Roosevelt was awarded the top 4 US military decorations<\/a> \u2013 the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, and Silver Star (3 awards) \u2013 plus the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.<\/p>\n That works out to an average of one decoration for exceptional heroism for roughly each 6 1\/2 months of combat-zone service<\/em>.\u00a0 Impressive indeed.<\/p>\n Relief and Redemption<\/span><\/p>\n During World War II, Roosevelt served in North Africa and Sicily as the Assistant Division commander of the 1st Infantry Division.\u00a0 While an able leader, Roosevelt was also no saint.\u00a0 He reportedly drank as heavily and was as raucous as MG Terry Allen (the 1st Infantry Division\u2019s CG and a notorious hell-raiser himself).\u00a0 Roosevelt was also neither a \u201cspit and polish\u201d aficionado nor a disciplinarian.\u00a0 These qualities led to friction between Roosevelt and both Patton and Bradley.\u00a0 During the Sicilian Campaign, the friction eventually became too much; Bradley relieved both Roosevelt and Allen of duty.<\/p>\n Afterwards, Roosevelt served in other assignments in Sicily, Italy, and England.\u00a0 But his goal was to lead men in combat again.\u00a0 Bradley finally relented and gave him such an assignment:\u00a0\u00a0 Assistant Division Commander of the green 4th Infantry Division, which had yet to see action in World War II.\u00a0 Bradley thought Roosevelt would provide a steadying influence on the then-green 4th Infantry Division \u2013 but Bradley also wrote Roosevelt, \u201cYou will probably get killed on this job.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Roosevelt would get his wish to lead men in combat once again.\u00a0 And contrary to Bradley\u2019s prediction, he would not get himself killed – though he would indeed never see home again.<\/p>\n Utah Beach<\/span><\/p>\n Roosevelt was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions as Assistant Division Commander, 4th Infantry Division, at Utah Beach, Normandy, on 6 June 1944.\u00a0 His Medal of Honor citation can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n IMO the citation doesn\u2019t really do Roosevelt\u2019s heroism justice.<\/p>\n After receiving his assignment as Assistant Division Commander, Roosevelt asked multiple times for permission to go ashore at Utah Beach with first assault wave.\u00a0 Permission was twice refused by his Division Commander.\u00a0 The third time Roosevelt made his request in writing, laying out his argument for doing so in an extended letter.\u00a0 This time his CG reluctantly relented and approved Roosevelt’s landing with the initial assault wave – thinking he was sending Roosevelt to his death.<\/p>\n Roosevelt landed in first wave in a plywood Higgins Boat<\/a>.\u00a0 Rumor has it BG Roosevelt was the first man off his boat at Utah Beach. That may or may not be true.\u00a0 But he was one of the first two men off that boat – the varying accounts agree on that.<\/p>\n However, there is no question that Roosevelt was the first Allied General to set foot on Normandy’s beaches on D-Day.\u00a0 He was the only<\/span>\u00a0 Allied General to land with the first wave of the amphibious landings in Normandy.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, Murphy was alive and well at Utah Beach on D-Day.\u00a0 Roosevelt\u2019s units landed off-course by somewhat over a mile. \u00a0So much for predetermined objectives, routes, scheme of maneuver, and the like.<\/p>\n Roosevelt quickly determined that the original plan for Utah Beach was not workable.\u00a0 He also knew that he had to get his troops off the beach and inland quickly.<\/p>\n\n
![this photo<\/a> was\u00a0 about 6 ft 1 in tall and around 200 lbs.)<\/p>\nNow imagine doing exactly that – living up to such a legacy.\u00a0 And imagine that almost no one remembers.<\/p>\nYou’re talking about Theodore Roosevelt Jr’s life.<\/p>\nFather and Son<\/span><\/p>\nEven though his father reportedly never expected him to amount to much, Theodore Roosevelt Jr succeeded in virtually everything he did in life.\u00a0 Indeed, in every respect but politics Theodore Roosevelt Jr\u2019s record compares well with his father\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0 And had he not been back-stabbed by his cousin Eleanor during his 1924 campaign for Governor, the Governor of New York named Roosevelt who ran for President in the early 1930s might well have been named Theodore vice Franklin.<\/p>\nIn the military sphere, the elder Roosevelt’s exploits are well-known.\u00a0 But those of the son generally aren’t – and that’s a shame.<\/p>\nIndeed, the younger Roosevelt\u2019s military record and heroism \u2013 though not nearly as well-known as his father’s\u2013 actually makes his father’s pale by comparison.\u00a0 The elder Roosevelt was indeed an exceptional man, and a hero of the Spanish-American War.\u00a0 But Theodore Roosevelt Jr proved himself a hero and an exceptional man many times over before his untimely death.<\/p>\nConsider:\u00a0 the elder TR fought in one, short war.\u00a0 He did so in his late 30s.\u00a0 During this war, he performed admirably as a commander – and became famous for a single, exceptional act of heroism.\u00a0 His war lasted a few months; then he went home in good health to resume his life and career. Impressive.<\/p>\nThe younger TR fought in two longer wars.\u00a0 During the first, he performed multiple exceptional acts of heroism.\u00a0 He was seriously wounded, and would feel the effects of those wounds the rest of his life.\u00a0 He returned to the fight and led his troops again.\u00a0 He was gassed.\u00a0 His first combat service was during his early 30s.<\/p>\nThen some 20+ years later, the younger TR did it all again.\u00a0 He again performed multiple exceptional acts of heroism while leading troops in combat.\u00a0 Only this time around, fate decreed he wouldn’t make it home.<\/p>\nIn between, he served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Governor-General of Puerto Rico; Governor-General of the Philippines; Vice-President of Doubleday Publishing; and Chairman of American Express Corporation.\u00a0 Along with maintaining his standing in the US Army Reserve and being instrumental in founding the American Legion, of course.<\/p>\nTheodore Roosevelt Sr indeed served with distinction in the Spanish-American War, and was denied a Medal of Honor due largely to politics – a slight corrected many years later.\u00a0 But prior to D-Day, Theodore Roosevelt Jr had received the following recognition for military heroism:<\/p>\n\nAwarded the Distinguished Service Cross for service as a Major during World War I (May and July 1918, France).\u00a0 He was wounded during the July action in the knee, also earning him entitlement to the Purple Heart.<\/li>\nAwarded the Silver Citation Star (the present-day equivalent is the Silver Star), for service as a Major during World War I (May 1918, France)<\/li>\nAwarded the Silver Citation Star, 2nd Award, for service as a Major during World War I (October 1918, France)<\/li>\nAwarded the Distinguished Service Medal for service as a Battalion and Regimental Commander during World War I.<\/li>\nAwarded the Silver Star (2nd OLC), for service as a Brigadier General during World War II (North Africa, 1943)<\/li>\nAwarded the French Croix de Guerre twice \u2013 once in each World War.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThen on 6 June 1944, the younger Roosevelt performed acts of heroism for which he would posthumously be awarded the Medal of Honor.<\/p>\nThink about that for a moment.\u00a0 During less than three years of combat service\u00a0 (Oct 1917 – Nov 1918 and Nov 1942 – Jul 1944)\u00a0 Roosevelt was awarded the top 4 US military decorations<\/a> \u2013 the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, and Silver Star (3 awards) \u2013 plus the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.<\/p>\nThat works out to an average of one decoration for exceptional heroism for roughly each 6 1\/2 months of combat-zone service<\/em>.\u00a0 Impressive indeed.<\/p>\nRelief and Redemption<\/span><\/p>\nDuring World War II, Roosevelt served in North Africa and Sicily as the Assistant Division commander of the 1st Infantry Division.\u00a0 While an able leader, Roosevelt was also no saint.\u00a0 He reportedly drank as heavily and was as raucous as MG Terry Allen (the 1st Infantry Division\u2019s CG and a notorious hell-raiser himself).\u00a0 Roosevelt was also neither a \u201cspit and polish\u201d aficionado nor a disciplinarian.\u00a0 These qualities led to friction between Roosevelt and both Patton and Bradley.\u00a0 During the Sicilian Campaign, the friction eventually became too much; Bradley relieved both Roosevelt and Allen of duty.<\/p>\nAfterwards, Roosevelt served in other assignments in Sicily, Italy, and England.\u00a0 But his goal was to lead men in combat again.\u00a0 Bradley finally relented and gave him such an assignment:\u00a0\u00a0 Assistant Division Commander of the green 4th Infantry Division, which had yet to see action in World War II.\u00a0 Bradley thought Roosevelt would provide a steadying influence on the then-green 4th Infantry Division \u2013 but Bradley also wrote Roosevelt, \u201cYou will probably get killed on this job.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\nRoosevelt would get his wish to lead men in combat once again.\u00a0 And contrary to Bradley\u2019s prediction, he would not get himself killed – though he would indeed never see home again.<\/p>\nUtah Beach<\/span><\/p>\nRoosevelt was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions as Assistant Division Commander, 4th Infantry Division, at Utah Beach, Normandy, on 6 June 1944.\u00a0 His Medal of Honor citation can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\nIMO the citation doesn\u2019t really do Roosevelt\u2019s heroism justice.<\/p>\nAfter receiving his assignment as Assistant Division Commander, Roosevelt asked multiple times for permission to go ashore at Utah Beach with first assault wave.\u00a0 Permission was twice refused by his Division Commander.\u00a0 The third time Roosevelt made his request in writing, laying out his argument for doing so in an extended letter.\u00a0 This time his CG reluctantly relented and approved Roosevelt’s landing with the initial assault wave – thinking he was sending Roosevelt to his death.<\/p>\nRoosevelt landed in first wave in a plywood Higgins Boat<\/a>.\u00a0 Rumor has it BG Roosevelt was the first man off his boat at Utah Beach. That may or may not be true.\u00a0 But he was one of the first two men off that boat – the varying accounts agree on that.<\/p>\nHowever, there is no question that Roosevelt was the first Allied General to set foot on Normandy’s beaches on D-Day.\u00a0 He was the only<\/span>\u00a0 Allied General to land with the first wave of the amphibious landings in Normandy.<\/p>\nUnfortunately, Murphy was alive and well at Utah Beach on D-Day.\u00a0 Roosevelt\u2019s units landed off-course by somewhat over a mile. \u00a0So much for predetermined objectives, routes, scheme of maneuver, and the like.<\/p>\nRoosevelt quickly determined that the original plan for Utah Beach was not workable.\u00a0 He also knew that he had to get his troops off the beach and inland quickly.<\/p>\nThe phrase attributed to Roosevelt, \u201cWe\u2019ll start the war from here!<\/a>\u201d – made famous in the book and movie The Longest Day<\/span> – is not apocryphal<\/em>.\u00a0 Roosevelt indeed made that statement in conference with some of his subordinate officers on Utah Beach after the off-target landings had been realized.\u00a0 And then he backed up his words.<\/p>\nRoosevelt rapidly developed an alternative plan of advance for the landed units.\u00a0 He then directed the new plan\u2019s execution.<\/p>\nRoosevelt walked the beach as new units arrived, limping, nearly continuously exposing himself to enemy fire.\u00a0 He met nearly each arriving regiment, briefed them on the changes necessitated by the off-course landings, and directed their joining the fight.<\/p>\nRoosevelt was pretty much oblivious to enemy fire on Utah Beach.\u00a0 He often pointed out landmarks and objectives to newly-arriving units while standing – using his cane as a pointer.\u00a0 And, like Patton, he occasionally directed traffic.<\/p>\nHe did this at age 56 \u2013 he was the oldest man to land on D-Day<\/em>.\u00a0 And the cane he used wasn\u2019t for show.\u00a0 Roosevelt needed<\/em> that cane to get around. His arthritis from wounds to his leg he received during World War I was so severe it had nearly kept him from returning to active duty in the first place.<\/p>\nRoosevelt also did all of this while suffering from advanced heart disease that he\u2019d concealed from nearly everyone.\u00a0 To hide his heart condition, he\u2019d \u201cgutted it out\u201d during his division\u2019s pre-landing training, regularly marching in full infantry field gear and pack with his men.<\/p>\nAnd he did all of this continuously for a period of roughly four hours<\/em>, until his Division Commander landed and could be briefed on the situation.<\/p>\nFinis<\/span><\/p>\nRoosevelt’s career – and life – were to end not long thereafter.\u00a0 As was also the case with Patton, he would not die in combat.<\/p>\nThirty-six days after D-Day – sometime after midnight on the night of 11-12 July 1944 – Roosevelt died in his sleep, apparently of a heart attack.\u00a0 The advanced heart disease that he’d concealed in order to land at Utah Beach finally caught up with him.\u00a0 He is buried at the American World War II Cemetery in Normandy.\u00a0 His appointment as Division Commander of the 90th Infantry Division was on Eisenhower\u2019s desk awaiting signature the morning Roosevelt died.<\/p>\nRoosevelt would probably have chuckled at the twin ironies.<\/p>\nOn learning of Ted Roosevelt\u2019s death, Patton wrote to his wife:\u00a0 \u201cTeddy Roosevelt died in his sleep last night. He was one of the bravest men I ever knew.\u201d\u00a0 When asked years after World War II to name the most heroic act he\u2019d ever witnessed in combat, Omar Bradley replied:\u00a0 \u201cTed Roosevelt on Utah Beach.\u201d<\/p>\nHigh praise indeed – from two men who\u2019d be in a position to know firsthand a great deal about military heroism.<\/p>\n— — —<\/p>\nPerhaps I\u2019m a bit biased here.\u00a0 I am fast approaching Roosevelt\u2019s age at his death.<\/p>\nMy first (and only) combat deployment began after my 50th birthday.\u00a0 I understand full well looking in the mirror and thinking, \u201cAren\u2019t you really way<\/em> too old for this shit, fella?\u201d – and then volunteering for the assignment anyway, being selected, and going.\u00a0 So I can understand, in some limited way, why<\/em> Roosevelt felt compelled to go to Utah Beach.<\/p>\nBut understand what <\/em>Roosevelt did, or how <\/em>he found the incredible courage to do it?\u00a0 <\/em>Lord, no.<\/p>\nMy mind reels when I think about what Roosevelt did at Utah beach on D-Day, 1944.\u00a0 Landing in the first wave of an opposed amphibious landing on one good leg, using a cane, and with a heart he knew could blow literally at any second.\u00a0 Reorganizing things on the fly after his unit was landed more than a mile off-course, and successfully determining and directing the necessary changes to plans.\u00a0 Walking around on an open beach, completely exposed to enemy fire and oblivious to danger, for hours while ushering newcomers off said beach.\u00a0 Directing traffic under those same conditions.\u00a0 Pointing out landmarks and objectives for newly-arrived units with his freaking cane<\/em><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\nWhat Roosevelt did on Utah Beach that day is completely off the scale of normal human behavior, and should inspire both shock and awe.\u00a0 Roosevelt was no green troop – he’d been in combat many times.\u00a0 He’d been wounded himself before, seriously, and had many other close calls.\u00a0 He was in such poor health that he should never have been on Utah Beach that day.\u00a0 He knew full well the incredible risk involved.<\/p>\nYet there he was, doing his duty exceptionally well – in a highly-visible and inimitable manner.\u00a0 He was doing so in one of the most dangerous situations of all.\u00a0 And his heroic example – and his skill – inspired his men to do great things.<\/p>\nPerhaps Bradley was right.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nRest in peace, Sir.\u00a0 You’ve earned it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sons of famous fathers have many advantages in life \u2013 particularly if dad\u2019s fame is due … Junior<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":623,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-historical","category-real-soldiers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/623"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32999"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32999\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}](\"http:\/\/www.1id.army.mil\/bigredone\/commandteam\/former\/ADC\/images\/Theodore%20Roosevelt%20Jr3.jpg\"){kind=link}