1 Henry L. Stimson - Statesman, Leader, Diplomat (Sept.21, 1867-Oct.20, 1950) Submitted by LT Jim Kinney, G/Weps 67-69 Recently I read an excellent book, America’s Warlords, describing the relationships between Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of War, General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, and Admiral Ernest King, Commander U.S. Naval Forces and CNO, during the war years of WWII, 1940 to 1945. It led my delving into the personality and character of the namesake of our boat, USS HENRY L. STIMSON (SSBN-655), so here is some of what I learned. First, we are all aware that Stimson served four Presidents of the United States, and, in fact, the four stars on the Stimson seal signify this service. All of these offices were Presidential Cabinet appointments, but in addition, he served as Governor-General of the Philippines before Philippine independence. He was born September 21, 1867, the son of a surgeon, in New York City. He graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School, and had a distinguished law career before his first cabinet appointment as Secretary of War in 1911. During WWI, he served in the U.S. Army, and rose to the rank of Colonel as an Artillery Officer. He ran for political office in 1910, seeking to be elected Governor of New York, but was defeated. Although a Republican, President Roosevelt, a Democrat, appointed him Secretary of War in 1940, at 73 years of age. Many doubted that a man of his age could tackle a job this enormous, but he plunged into the job with “an energy that men 20 years younger could not muster.” He, along with General Marshall and Admiral King, were the principal advisors to President Roosevelt in conducting U.S. efforts in WWII. He and Marshall had offices, side by side, in the War Department, but Stimson was careful to allow Marshall full authority to command all Army and Army Air Corps operations in fighting the war, while Stimson directed the country’s efforts to build the resources and assets to fight the war. During the war, Stimson directed the expansion of the military, from an Army of just over 1 million men to over 13 million soldiers and airman. He was charged with building an immense transportation and military base infrastructure, and took direct personal control for the development of the atom bomb. To give you a perspective, the U. S. moved from building 25 bomber aircraft a year to 50,000 per year by 1944. As the war VOL. 2015 NUMBER 9 SEPTEMBER 2015 USS HENRY L. STIMSON ASSOCIATION SSBN655 NEWSLETTER Association Officers & Board of Directors 2013—2016 PRESIDENT Ray [Rita] Kreul VICE PRESIDENT Tom [Marie] Krauser SECRETARY Nick [Linda] Nichols TREASURER Ken [Diane] Meigs OUTGOING PRESIDENT Chuck [Joyce] Hladik HISTORIAN / MEMORABILIA Loree [Carolyn] Riggs WEBMASTER / NEWSLETTER Nick [Linda] Nichols CHAPLAIN J.B. Helms STOREKEEPER / SHIPS STORE Rita [Ray] Kreul Other Positions 2013—2016
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Henry L. Stimson -
Statesman, Leader, Diplomat
(Sept.21, 1867-Oct.20, 1950) Submitted by LT Jim Kinney,
G/Weps 67-69
Recently I read an excellent
book, America’s Warlords,
describing the relationships
between Henry L. Stimson,
Secretary of War, General George
C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, and Admiral Ernest
King, Commander U.S. Naval Forces and CNO, during
the war years of WWII, 1940 to 1945. It led my delving
into the personality and character of the namesake of
our boat, USS HENRY L. STIMSON (SSBN-655), so
here is some of what I learned.
First, we are all aware that Stimson served four
Presidents of the United States, and, in fact, the four
stars on the Stimson seal signify this service. All of
these offices were Presidential Cabinet appointments,
but in addition, he served as Governor-General of the
Philippines before Philippine independence.
He was born September 21, 1867, the son of a
surgeon, in New York City. He graduated from Yale
University and Harvard Law School, and had a
distinguished law career before his first cabinet
appointment as Secretary of War in 1911. During
WWI, he served in the U.S. Army, and rose to the rank
of Colonel as an Artillery Officer. He ran for political
office in 1910, seeking to be elected Governor of New
York, but was defeated.
Although a Republican, President Roosevelt, a
Democrat, appointed him Secretary of War in 1940, at
73 years of age. Many doubted that a man of his age
could tackle a job this enormous, but he plunged into
the job with “an energy that men 20 years younger
could not muster.” He, along with General Marshall
and Admiral King, were the principal advisors to
President Roosevelt in conducting U.S. efforts in
WWII. He and Marshall had offices, side by side, in the
War Department, but Stimson was careful to allow
Marshall full authority to command all Army and Army
Air Corps operations in fighting the war, while Stimson
directed the country’s efforts to build the resources
and assets to fight the war.
During the war, Stimson directed the expansion of
the military, from an Army of just over 1 million men to
over 13 million soldiers and airman. He was charged
with building an immense transportation and military
base infrastructure, and took direct personal control for
the development of the atom bomb. To give you a
perspective, the U. S. moved from building 25 bomber
aircraft a year to 50,000 per year by 1944. As the war
VOL. 2015 NUMBER 9 SEPTEMBER 2015
U S S H E N R Y L . S T I M S O N A S S O C I A T I O N S S B N 6 5 5 N E W S L E T T E R
A s s o c i a t i o n O f f i c e r s & B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s 2 0 1 3 — 2 0 1 6
PRESIDENT Ray [Rita] Kreul
VICE PRESIDENT Tom [Marie] Krauser
SECRETARY Nick [Linda] Nichols
TREASURER Ken [Diane] Meigs
OUTGOING PRESIDENT Chuck [Joyce] Hladik
HISTORIAN / MEMORABILIA Loree [Carolyn] Riggs
WEBMASTER / NEWSLETTER Nick [Linda] Nichols
CHAPLAIN J.B. Helms
STOREKEEPER / SHIPS STORE Rita [Ray] Kreul
O t h e r P o s i t i o n s 2 0 1 3 — 2 0 1 6
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ended, Stimson was careful to ensure that Nazi war
criminals were punished, but that the German people
would be given the political and industrial leadership to
rebuild their country.
He retired in September of 1945, and suffered two
heart attacks, finally succumbing on October 20, 1950
at 83 years of age. He sought no recognition for his
tremendous service to our country, and his last act in
service was to lead a Cabinet discussion on the need
for multi-national control of nuclear weapons. (He had
this nuclear deterrence thing before we did!) He, and
his wife, Mabel, had no children. He is buried in the
cemetery of St. John’s Church in Cold Springs, NY.
During his years of government service, he
meticulously kept a diary, amounting to 170,000
pages, now in the Yale University library. He published
an autobiography in 1948 entitled, On Active Service
in Peace and War.
Submitted: Jim Kinney
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From the Editor:
It’s getting close to time to send out the registration
form for the 2016 Reunion. Plans are to send it out the
middle of October since no one can register at the
hotel until 13 October. Hope you’re making your plans
to share this special time with your shipmates and their
families!!!
2016 Stimson Reunion News!
1. The committee has signed a contract with the
same hotel where we held the 2011 reunion. At the
2016 reunion it will be the Marriott.
2. Dates are October 13-16.
3. Room rates are $129+13.5% = $146.42 / night
4. Hotel registration will be available beginning
October 13, 2015. Individuals will be responsible for
making their own reservations.
5. Expect to see registration forms available on the
website and in this newsletter in October 2015.
The hospitality room will be open beginning at
1600 on Wednesday 12 October for early arrivals.
The reunion committee working hard to make the
2016 Commissioning + 50 Years Reunion the best!!!
————————————————————————
From the Association President & Storekeeper:
Ray & Rita Kreul
The Association Ship’s Store will be closed from
mid August until 1 Jan 2016.
————————————————————————
From the Association Historian: Loree Riggs
Shipmates you have come through again. After a
couple of months of running the pictures we now have
just about all the names for those in the pictures.
Check out the pics with names at the end of this
newsletter and help us finish up picture 2 names.
Next month I’ll be putting in a couple of more
pictures that you can help identify those in the
pictures.
If you have pictures that you need names for send
them to the webmaster and to me. I’ll ask him to put
them in the newsletter, then I’ll use the completed
pictures to keep our Stimson history updated. Send