In his obit on Winston Churchill in the *Daily Mail* on March 4, Max Hastings wrote: “President Franklin Roosevelt’s four children led notably unsuccessful lives.” This statement is incorrect on two counts:
- It is inaccurate. Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt had six children, not four: Anna Eleanor (1906), James (1907), Franklin Delano Jr. (1909, died when nine months old), Elliott (1910), a second Franklin Delano Jr. (1914) and John Aspinwall (1916). - It is not true; they did not lead “notably unsuccessful lives.” On 23 March 1943 ‘young’ Winston’s grandfather told the House of Commons: The President of the United States presents a much larger target than I do, as he has no fewer than four sons serving, whereas I have only one. (Hansard) James Roosevelt joined the US Army, Elliott the USAAF, while both Franklin Delano Jr. and John Aspinwall enlisted in the USN: - James rose to the rank of Brigadier General, and was awarded the Navy Cross and the Silver Star. - Elliott flew more than 300 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. - Franklin Delano Jr. was decorated in the Battle of Casablanca. - John Aspinwall received the Bronze Star with the USN in the Pacific. These are not the service records of men who have led “notably unsuccessful lives.” Obit writers often like to stress the idiosyncrasies of the departed rather than list a litany of virtues, but this does not mean they can make false and inaccurate statements. Jim Lancaster -- Jim Lancaster j...@jrlancaster.com 00 33 2 33 43 52 48 (France) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ChurchillChat" group. To post to this group, send email to churchillc...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to churchillchat+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/churchillchat?hl=en.
