President to Attend Rites for Gen. Watson At Arlington Today
Title
President to Attend Rites for Gen. Watson At Arlington Today
Creator
Unknown
Identifier
WWP16925
Date
1945 February 28
Description
FDR attends funeral services for Edwin Watson.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Maj. Gen. Edwin M. Watson, 61, secretary and military aide to President Roosevelt, was to be buried with honors at noon today in Arlington Cemetery. The White House revealed last night that Gen. Watson died aboard a cruiser returning with his chief from the Yalta conference.
President Roosevelt planned to attend the burial services and also a memorial mass to be said for the general tomorrow morning at St. Matthew’s Cathedral.
The passing of “Pa” Watson, as the President called him, leaves alive only one of the small group of close associates who entered the White House with the Chief Executive in . He is Stephen T. Early, presidential secretary. The others—Secretaries Louis McHenry Howe and Marvin H. McIntyre, Miss Margaret Le Hand, the President’s personal secretary, and Gus Ginnerich, his bodyguard—all have died.
Stricken Last Day of Parley.
For security reasons, announcement of Gen. Watson’s death was held up until the President’s return to the United States. It is now revealed that he became ill on the final day of the Big Three conference at Yalta. He was flown to Egypt and placed aboard the cruiser, where he was attended by Vice Admiral Ross T. McIntire, the President’s physician.
As the cruiser on which the presidential party traveled had to maintain radio silence as a protection against submarines, an escorting destroyer moved away to a safe distance and radioed news of the general’s death and the President’s condolences to Mrs. Watson here.
Press association correspondents with the party were permitted to file dispatches about Gen. Watson’s death, but they were released by the Navy Department only last night.President Roosevelt issued a statement saying that the death of his long—time aide was “a great personal sorrow to me” and saddened the trip of the entire party returning from Yalta.“His death came very unexpectedly,” the President said. “He was in excellent spirits on the trip over and at the Crimean conference, and was ill for only a few days. Fortunately he suffered little, if at all.
Long Friendship Recalled.
“I shall miss him almost more than I can express. So will his host of friends in and out of Washington, for one of Gen. Watson’s outstanding characteristics was his ability to make close friends, and to retain their friendship.
“There was never a cloud between us in all these years. He helped me greatly. He deserves every tribute that can be given, both as a close friend and as an officer of the United States Army.”
Gen. Watson, a West Point man, field artillery officer with a brilliant World War record, and a native of Eufaula, Ala., became President Roosevelt’s military aide in 1933. Six years later he also was named presidential secretary. As the secretary in charge of Mr. Roosevelt’s engagements, he largely determined who should see the Chief Executive. In this demanding job, associates said he showed unsual tact.
Sources close to the White House believe that two men will be appointed to succeed Gen. Watson—one as a military aide and the other as a secretary.
President Roosevelt planned to attend the burial services and also a memorial mass to be said for the general tomorrow morning at St. Matthew’s Cathedral.
The passing of “Pa” Watson, as the President called him, leaves alive only one of the small group of close associates who entered the White House with the Chief Executive in . He is Stephen T. Early, presidential secretary. The others—Secretaries Louis McHenry Howe and Marvin H. McIntyre, Miss Margaret Le Hand, the President’s personal secretary, and Gus Ginnerich, his bodyguard—all have died.
Stricken Last Day of Parley.
For security reasons, announcement of Gen. Watson’s death was held up until the President’s return to the United States. It is now revealed that he became ill on the final day of the Big Three conference at Yalta. He was flown to Egypt and placed aboard the cruiser, where he was attended by Vice Admiral Ross T. McIntire, the President’s physician.
As the cruiser on which the presidential party traveled had to maintain radio silence as a protection against submarines, an escorting destroyer moved away to a safe distance and radioed news of the general’s death and the President’s condolences to Mrs. Watson here.
Press association correspondents with the party were permitted to file dispatches about Gen. Watson’s death, but they were released by the Navy Department only last night.President Roosevelt issued a statement saying that the death of his long—time aide was “a great personal sorrow to me” and saddened the trip of the entire party returning from Yalta.“His death came very unexpectedly,” the President said. “He was in excellent spirits on the trip over and at the Crimean conference, and was ill for only a few days. Fortunately he suffered little, if at all.
Long Friendship Recalled.
“I shall miss him almost more than I can express. So will his host of friends in and out of Washington, for one of Gen. Watson’s outstanding characteristics was his ability to make close friends, and to retain their friendship.
“There was never a cloud between us in all these years. He helped me greatly. He deserves every tribute that can be given, both as a close friend and as an officer of the United States Army.”
Gen. Watson, a West Point man, field artillery officer with a brilliant World War record, and a native of Eufaula, Ala., became President Roosevelt’s military aide in 1933. Six years later he also was named presidential secretary. As the secretary in charge of Mr. Roosevelt’s engagements, he largely determined who should see the Chief Executive. In this demanding job, associates said he showed unsual tact.
Sources close to the White House believe that two men will be appointed to succeed Gen. Watson—one as a military aide and the other as a secretary.
Original Format
Article
Files
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “President to Attend Rites for Gen. Watson At Arlington Today,” 1945 February 28, WWP16925, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.