Elliott Roosevelt

Elliott Roosevelt was an American Army Air Forces officer, author, and politician. The third child of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, he served with distinction during World War II as a reconnaissance commander, earning several decorations including the Distinguished Flying Cross. His post-war life was marked by business ventures, political campaigns, and a notably complex personal life with five marriages.

Early life and family

Born in New York City, he was named for his maternal grandfather, Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt. Growing up at the family estate, Springwood, in Hyde Park, New York, he was part of the prominent Roosevelt family. His early education was at the Groton School in Massachusetts, followed by attendance at Harvard University. His siblings included Anna Roosevelt Halsted, James Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr., and John Aspinwall Roosevelt. The pressures of public life and his father's political career, which included the governorship and the 1932 presidential nomination, shaped his youth.

Military service

He initially served as a captain in the United States Army Air Corps before the war. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he transferred to the United States Army Air Forces and was assigned to the Twelfth Air Force under General Jimmy Doolittle. He commanded the 3rd Reconnaissance Group in the North African Campaign and later the 90th Photographic Wing during operations in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. His service involved key reconnaissance missions for the Invasion of Sicily and the Allied invasion of Italy, working alongside figures like Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin at international conferences including the Tehran Conference. He retired with the rank of brigadier general, having also received the Legion of Merit.

Business and political activities

After the war, he pursued various business interests, including serving as chairman of the board for Frostaire Corporation and owning radio stations in Texas. He entered politics, running unsuccessfully for Governor of California in 1950. He later moved to Miami Beach and was elected mayor of the city, serving from 1965 to 1969. His tenure focused on urban development projects. He also authored several books, including a mystery series and works about his parents, such as An Untold Story: The Roosevelts of Hyde Park.

Personal life and marriages

His personal life attracted significant public attention due to his five marriages. His first marriage was to Elizabeth Browning Donner in 1932, with whom he had a son, William Donner Roosevelt. After an annulment, he married Texas socialite Ruth Josephine Googins in 1933; they had three children, including Ruth Chandler Roosevelt. That marriage ended in divorce in 1944. Later that year, he married actress Faye Emerson; their wedding was attended by his father at the White House. After divorcing Emerson, he married Minnewa Bell in 1951. His final marriage was to Patricia Peabody Whitehead in 1960, which lasted until his death.

Death and legacy

He died in Scottsdale, Arizona from congestive heart failure and was interred at the Roosevelt family plot in Hyde Park, New York. His legacy is multifaceted, encompassing his decorated military service in the European Theater of Operations, his brief political career in Florida, and his role as a chronicler of his famous family. His life remains a subject of interest for historians studying the Roosevelt administration and the personal dynamics of one of America's most prominent political families.

Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:Roosevelt family Category:1990 deaths