Episode 11 - TR Presidential "Firsts"

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President Theodore Roosevelt has been credited with many firsts.

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Some of these firsts attributed to TR may be more myth than fact.

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for our show today, we will only discuss the firsts and mosts can verify with reliable and documentable sources.

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We'll present TR's accomplishments chronologically, and all of our sources will be available on the blog, on our website, talkaboutteddy.

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All right, Larry.

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So, uh, one of our firsts here, uh, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became the youngest man ever to become president at the age of 42, following the death of President William McKinley.

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Yeah, President McKinley had been shot on September 6th at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York While TR was in Vermont on Lake Champlain speaking with the governor and he ends up Racing back to Buffalo to see how President McKinley was doing and ends up going at the urging of The doctors and President McKinley's cabinet to join his family in the Adirondacks a camping trip.

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So T.

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R.

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heads up that way and he gets a Mhm.

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and in the evening races off the mountain from the Tahas Club where he was staying to the North Creek Station and to Buffalo and that day becomes the youngest president.

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In American history.

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So we've got, uh, some folks, uh, immediately think of John F.

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Kennedy being the youngest president ever elected, uh, at the age of 43 in 1960, which is true.

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Roosevelt is not elected in his own right until 1904.

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Um, but comes to the presidency through the grave as it were in, in 1901, still the youngest person in American history to become president.

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Yeah.

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And number two, October 16th, 1901.

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R.

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is the first president to invite an African American to dine at the White House.

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He moved into the White House in late 1901, and he invited famed educator, Booker T.

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Washington, to have dinner with the first family.

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Now, T.

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R.

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had met Mr.

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Washington back in 1898, while he was governor.

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But the dinner sparked an angry backlash from southern politicians and the press.

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oh my, yeah.

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yeah, according to some newspaper reports, they said several Negroes, end quote, attended a White House reception in January of 1903.

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Southern newspapers railed The Roanoke Times in Virginia wrote that Teddy makes another break, implying that he had broken with etiquette and protocol.

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But, yeah, Mr.

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Washington became an advisor to TR on race politics and Southern politics in general.

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Yeah, we can't even read, um, for, uh, for public consumption any of the, even the headlines from many of the southern newspapers when, uh, when this first broke But, uh, but needless to say.

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Um, Roosevelt, continued to meet with Booker T.

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Washington just, uh, a little more discreetly.

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in Washington, D.

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C.

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Well, uh, speaking of the White House, it was Roosevelt who actually renamed the executive mansion as it had been known since Thomas Jefferson had lived there, uh, as the White House.

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So, October 17th, 1901.

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Uh, his secretary, George Cordelieu, sent a letter to the secretary of state, John Hay.

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Sharing TR's request to change the headings, the dateline, and all official papers and documents requiring the president's signature from the executive mansion to the quote, White House, and similar directives were sent to all the other cabinet secretaries and TR changed the, the presidential stationary shortly after that as well.

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and even as calling cards TR had made that said White House, Washington.

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Yeah, we take that for granted now too.

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change.

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We do.

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Our next one is in February of 1902 is the first president to study the Japanese martial art of Jiu Jitsu.

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There was an American physician, William Sturgis Bigelow.

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may have introduced this martial art to T.

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R.

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He also, T.

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R.

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did, took a number of lessons from Professor John O'Brien.

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I like T.

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R.

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's description of jiu jitsu, that it's marvelous, but difficult to learn.

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And in 1904, he had Yamashita Yoshiaki, early student of Judo, give him lessons at the White House for two months.

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And there's some that attribute T.

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R.

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studying the Asian martial arts, and the press covering it.

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To helping those arts gain a foothold in the U.

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S.

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Yeah, so Bigelow he was quite the student of Japan.

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Uh, I think a huge collector of Japanese art.

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He donated, uh, all of his art collection to museums in America.

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It's like the largest Japanese art collection outside of Japan, I believe.

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But yeah, I, I did find a letter, uh, of, Bigelow.

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Uh, introducing this guy, John J.

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Bryan, who'd been a police officer in Nagasaki, um, who was, you know, once he was, he, you know, living in Nagasaki, he picks up the, uh, jiu jitsu, uh, he says that all the police officers there in Japan are trained in jiu jitsu, so, You know, of course, Roosevelt, uh, is, is fond of, of learning any new physical yes.

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he can, heh, heh, he can, Um, do in the White House there beside boxing and, and wrestling.

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I think he took lessons with O'Brien, for a while there.

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and hurt himself, uh, I think not doing jujitsu, but I think he took a good tumble, uh, in Rock Creek Park in DC and had to discontinue his lessons for a while.

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But, yeah, this, uh, Yamashito Yoshiaki, apologize if I'm mispronouncing that, but.

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Yeah, that's, Bigelow as Bigelow.

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I apologize for that.

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Uh yeah, and you can't help but wonder too, you know, we're going to talk about this with, a dispute between Japan and Russia that, uh, I think Roosevelt had tremendous respect for the Japanese.

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code of honor and, uh, and chivalry and this, you know, physical arts of things like jiu jitsu that he admired that in the Japanese culture.

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So, bit.

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Yes.

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all right, well, we'll go move on to another here.

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we found that TR was the first president to be a member of Uh, TR was the first president to attend a convention of, uh, of a railway labor organization at the invitation of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen.

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Uh, he was, so he, TR was president at the opening ceremonies, uh, of the convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and then was elected to an honorary membership in the organization.

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And this is, uh, 1902, Yeah, and he loved trains and we'll talk about that in just a little bit.

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rode in the engine on some, not just for photo ops.

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There were times he would be the one guiding and directing the train.

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So, but it does make for a good photo op.

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oh, it does too.

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Yes.

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Well, our next one is June 17th, 1902.

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It was during TR's administration the first Water Reclamation Act was passed by Congress.

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In 1902, irrigation projects were known as reclamation projects.

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It was the idea that irrigation could reclaim the arid lands for human use.

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supporters of irrigation believed These reclamation programs would encourage Western settlement.

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It allowed families to live on farms and TR supported that movement because he believed families in homesteading.

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from 1902 to 1907, there were about 30 projects that began in the Western states for reclamation.

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Mm hmm.

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Okay.

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Another, uh, another first in August 22nd, 1902 TR, uh, was documented as the first president to use an automobile while conducting official duties as president.

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So even though, uh, William McKinley, uh, was the first president to actually ride.

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In a new automobile.

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Um, it was T.

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R.

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's the first to appear in an automobile as an official presidential appearance when he toured Hartford, Connecticut on the 22nd of August, 1902.

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Uh, it was said that cheering supporters greeted President Roosevelt at all points along the parade route, which he traversed, uh, in the words of, uh, of the Indianapolis Journal, a, quote, handsome Victoria automobile in charge of two expert New York chauffeurs.

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Yep.

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I love the vehicle he's in.

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It's the Columbia Electric Victoria Fayton.

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It's like the He hit 10.

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models.

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It had an external box for the driver that was up above.

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So it almost looks like a handsome cab, the carriages, but no horses.

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And there were two 20 volt batteries, about 800 pounds that were on the automobile.

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The tires were made of rubber the driver had a choice of four speeds with the maximum being 13 miles an hour.

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And the car was, factory that made the Columbia electric vehicle.

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It was in Hartford, Connecticut.

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So, perfect advertising to have the president ride around in automobile that's made in your town when he visits.

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So, Yeah, and what comes to mind too is, uh, is daughter Alice, uh, racing around the streets of DC in an automobile, probably the first, first daughter, uh, to race around at speeds, perhaps approaching 20 miles an hour, uh, in the nation's capital.

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Our next one is a sad one.

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September 3rd, 1902, T.

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R.

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was the first president to have a Secret Service agent die in the line of duty.

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Agent William, Big Bill was his nickname, Craig.

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had joined the United States Secret Service in 1900.

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Originally, Secret Service agents, their main duty was to arrest counterfeiters.

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But after President McKinley was assassinated in September of 1901, passed legislation that added protecting the President to the official duties of the Secret Service.

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And Agent Craig had been with President uh.

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Yeah, and he had been assigned to the TR's protection detail.

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And T.

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R.

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called Agent Craig, quote, my shadow, end quote.

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And the Roosevelt children loved Agent Craig.

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So it was September 3rd, 1902.

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Um, and when Agent Craig was sitting in the front of the carriage, uh, when it was struck by that speeding trolley car, in, it was in Pittsfields, Massachusetts, and T.

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R.

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was riding in the back with, Yeah.

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The Massachusetts Governor, uh, Winthrop Crane, and also TR's personal secretary, George Corlew, um, Agent Craig was thrown from the carriage and, and crushed, uh, by the trolley.

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And the carriage driver, uh, was seriously injured and TR was also thrown about 30 feet from the carriage, uh, but Yeah.

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received bad cuts and bruises and had a, had a pretty nasty injury to his left leg that would cause him troubles for the rest of his life.

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Really.

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Um, secretary Corlew had a, had a cut to the back of the head and one of the horses was so injured.

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It had to be put down.

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Uh, but it seems that the governor crane escaped with no injuries somehow.

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Um, Uh, a agent Craig was of Scottish Birth, born in 1855, and he was a big man, you know, six foot four, uh, weighed about two 60, and, uh, he'd been in the, in the royal horse guards in the British Army.

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Um, and, uh, and supposedly was even tasked for a while with the garden.

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Queen Victoria.

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Yeah.

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I know T.

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R.

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said of Agent Craig that he was a sturdy character and tremendously capable in performing his duties.

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My children thought a great deal of him.

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We all did.

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Yeah.

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Yeah, he was, he was pretty, pretty crushed by, uh, by the loss of, of Craig.

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Well, our next first, as it were, October 3rd, 1902, T.

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R.

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was the first president to, uh, act as federal arbitrator between labor and management.

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So, in this effort to settle this, ongoing coal strike, going into the winter of, of October 1902, T.

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R.

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called, uh, a meeting, temporary White House in Lafayette Place in D.

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C.

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Since the White House was being renovated, that's another story, so there was an ongoing coal strike, uh, the anthracite coal fields in Pennsylvania, and, uh, T.

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R.

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understood that, that, uh, there would be, quote, untold misery, Uh, with the uncertainty of riots, which might develop into a social war.

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So he felt like he, he really had no choice but to intervene.

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Um, so, you know, he sends telegrams to, to both sides, summoning them to Washington to talk about the problem.

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but again, he was still recovering from, from the injuries from that trolley accident we just talked about.

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And, so there he is in his wheelchair, uh, pleading with the representatives of management and labor.

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Yeah, there's a quote that he has that with all the earnestness there is in me that there be an immediate resumption of operations in the coal mines in Some such way as will meet the crying needs of the people so it took a lot of negotiating But in the end his efforts were successful the strike ended And both sides finally agreed to the findings of the anthracite coal strike commission, which TR had appointed that, to investigate all the matters related to the strike.

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And peace was restored in the coalfields, and more important in the long run, a new role was established for the federal government in labor disputes.

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the miners had asked for about 20 percent wage increase.

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Most were given about a 10 percent increase.

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They had also asked for an 8 hour workday.

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had 10 plus hour workdays.

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They were given a 9 hour workday.

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Yeah, that's a big turning point, uh, for federal arbitration, um, labor disputes pretty much for Much of American history, the government had always sided with, Business leaders, uh, against the interests of, of organized labor for sure.

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So big turning point.

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Our next first is 1903, T.

192
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R.

193
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is the first president to install a tennis court at the White House.

194
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According to newspaper reports, the tennis court was completed in the spring of 1903, and it cost 500.

195
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It was installed under the direction of TR, although there's many historians who think Edith wanted the installation because she was worried about TR's growing waistline.

196
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Um, he eventually created a tennis cabinet.

197
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It was a group of close advisors who played tennis with him in the afternoons.

198
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there's photographs of There's photographs of the tennis cabinet, but you will never see a photograph of T.

199
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R.

200
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in the tennis outfit.

201
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He thought that was a little too effete.

202
00:17:41,813.085 --> 00:17:43,203.085
Yeah, well, right.

203
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I mean, how, how interesting that, uh, not a single picture has ever surfaced of, of TR wearing tennis attire.

204
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He would not let it be done.

205
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Yeah, very interesting.

206
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But so that tennis court, um, you will not see that very tennis court today.

207
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There is a tennis court on the white house ground still, but it's in a different location.

208
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Um, but this tennis court was put right behind what, uh, what becomes the West wing, which was part of that remodel that we had just talked about.

209
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So, um, we'll put pictures of that up on the website as well.

210
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Yeah, Along with, uh, T.

211
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R.

212
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and, and his, uh, tennis cabinet, and I love you know, of the tennis cabinet.

213
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Um, you just, took the picture on March 1st, 1909, right before Taft's inauguration as TR was leaving.

214
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a luncheon.

215
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There was the military aid, Captain Archie Butt, who later perishes on the Titanic.

216
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the chief U.

217
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S.

218
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Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot, French Ambassador Jean Jules Gisseron, the Secretary of the Interior, James R.

219
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Garfield, U.

220
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S.

221
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Marshal Seth Bullock, Secretary of State Robert Bacon, and even one of TR's ranch hands from the Elkhorn Ranch in the Dakotas.

222
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Bill Sewell, and a lot of other government friends and officials and all.

223
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So,, when they took the they had the bronze by Alexander Proctor, sculpture of Stalking Panther, that's what they presented to TR as a commemoration of being on the tennis cabinet.

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which you can still see today in Sagamore Hill.

225
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Yeah.

226
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where And, uh, July.

227
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right.

228
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Yeah.

229
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I'll give we just had a, here.

230
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and we just had a good conversation with, uh, Michael Patrick Cullinane that, his ongoing research has to do with Roosevelt's tennis cabinet.

231
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So we are all very much looking forward to that upcoming book, whenever that is released.

232
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yeah, All right, our next first TR was the first president to establish a national wildlife refuge.

233
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Uh, so on, uh, 14 March, 1903, uh, he establishes Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge on the Florida, Atlantic coastline.

234
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So this is going to be the first of, 51 bird preserves in, in the United States.

235
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Along those same lines, TR also establishes the first national game preserves, the, the bison preserve down in Wichita Forest, Oklahoma.

236
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Um, so a lot of firsts associated with, game preserve.

237
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Yeah, our next one, it's April 1st through June 5th, 1903.

238
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is the first president to use an entire train dedicated to campaign staff.

239
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It was during the 1903 Great Western Loop tour.

240
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He starts April 1st in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

241
00:20:51,412.085 --> 00:20:55,592.085
673 speeches, over 21,000 miles.

242
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Um, and like we mentioned earlier with the trains, he loved.

243
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to ride the cab, and he knew how to operate the locomotive pulling the heavy load, John Quincy Adams was the first president to ever ride in a train, but T.

244
00:21:11,712.085 --> 00:21:11,852.085
R.

245
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had the entire train dedicated to his staff.

246
00:21:14,562.085 --> 00:21:16,581.985
So, all the way back.

247
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From Harrisburg, across the U.

248
00:21:19,2.085 --> 00:21:19,182.085
S.

249
00:21:19,182.085 --> 00:21:22,522.085
to Yellowstone, back down around to St.

250
00:21:22,522.085 --> 00:21:26,432.085
Louis, then over to the Grand Canyon, and then to Yosemite with Mr.

251
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John Muir, camping in three eventful evenings, and then heading back, think of that two, over two months traveling all of the Western United States by train, um, a lot of people call that a vacation, but when you look at what, 673 speeches in a two month period across two dozen states.

252
00:21:52,432.085 --> 00:21:54,122.084
I mean, that's a astonishing.

253
00:21:54,276.085 --> 00:22:13,476.085
I know reading the book about the Marquette libel trial that TR was involved in and they had the depositions there and the statements on the witness stand and TR mentioned that when His voice would grow hoarse from too much speaking which happened quite a bit to him 1900 all these different times.

254
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His cure, never attempted this, was a glass of milk With a teaspoon full of brandy right before bed.

255
00:22:24,321.085 --> 00:22:24,951.085
Mmm.

256
00:22:26,451.085 --> 00:22:36,502.085
I'm not sure that's a cure I'd be tempted to try, but Yeah, that was probably about the extent of, of his drinking too, uh, from most accounts, you know.

257
00:22:37,401.084 --> 00:22:40,901.085
some white wine at supper, but we may have to do that as another podcast.

258
00:22:40,911.085 --> 00:22:42,281.086
The Marquette Libel Trial.

259
00:22:43,152.084 --> 00:22:43,462.084
Okay.

260
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All right, put it on the list, Larry.

261
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Well, we've got another first, uh, TR was the first president to send a trans pacific cable, for the purpose of diplomacy.

262
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on the 4th of July, 1903, TR, uh, completed the cable from San Francisco to Manila, uh, via the Commercial Pacific Cable Company.

263
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Uh, TR commemorated that opening by sending a telegraph message that connected those links from Manila, uh, all the way from Oyster Bay, Long Island.

264
00:23:16,562.085 --> 00:23:21,962.085
Um, the message reportedly took about 12 minutes to arrive.

265
00:23:22,616.085 --> 00:23:24,297.085
And he was sending Instantaneous.

266
00:23:24,496.085 --> 00:23:29,277.085
Governor William Howard Taft, was in Manila, Right, right.

267
00:23:29,547.085 --> 00:23:32,427.085
That would have been Governor General Taft in Manila.

268
00:23:32,687.085 --> 00:23:33,177.085
That's right.

269
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Our next first, August 22nd, 1905.

270
00:23:37,861.285 --> 00:23:37,991.285
R.

271
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is the first president to be submerged in a submarine.

272
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climbs aboard the USS Plunger.

273
00:23:44,401.284 --> 00:23:45,601.285
I'm not certain about that name.

274
00:23:46,21.284 --> 00:23:47,441.285
In Long Island sound.

275
00:23:49,931.285 --> 00:23:51,541.285
He goes on board about 3.

276
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30 in the afternoon.

277
00:23:52,521.284 --> 00:23:55,161.285
And he stays on board until a little after 6.

278
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And at one point they spent around an hour completely submerged.

279
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And I remember reading one account where TR wanted to turn all the dials and pull the levers and captain of the vessel would not allow it, understandably.

280
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There's a great illustration with the news article about it shows TR in every crevice and corner of this submarine trying to work all the instruments and everything there.

281
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It's, it's a great picture.

282
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We'll post that one on the site.

283
00:24:34,373.285 --> 00:24:34,613.285
Yeah.

284
00:24:34,613.285 --> 00:24:40,133.286
I mean, in 1905, this is, uh, early technology this is pretty rudimentary.

285
00:24:40,213.286 --> 00:24:52,308.2845
Uh, this, this submarine, Yeah, and I was reading one of the early commanders of, of this was right out of the Naval Academy, Ensign, uh, Chester Nimitz.

286
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It becomes a future fleet admiral.

287
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So shortly after this, um, this thing is commanded by the future five star admiral Yeah.

288
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Nimitz.

289
00:25:02,768.2855 --> 00:25:05,238.2855
Uh, so it's pretty amazing story.

290
00:25:07,988.2855 --> 00:25:09,128.285
Uh, okay.

291
00:25:09,128.285 --> 00:25:13,658.2845
So, I guess, continuing on with conservation, June 8th, 1906, T.

292
00:25:13,658.2845 --> 00:25:13,838.2845
R.

293
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is the first president to proclaim a national monument, um, because of the Antiquities Act, or the Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities, signed into law on the 8th of June, 1906, um, and It, uh, it's the first U.

294
00:25:29,498.2845 --> 00:25:29,648.2845
S.

295
00:25:29,648.2845 --> 00:25:36,818.2845
law that provides, legal protection of, uh, cultural and natural resources of historic or scientific interest on federal lands.

296
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So TR then uses this act to, uh, so Devil's Tower becomes, that first national monument and, uh, the first of 18 Yeah.

297
00:25:46,418.2825 --> 00:25:47,468.2825
national monuments.

298
00:25:48,317.345 --> 00:25:48,617.345
Yeah.

299
00:25:48,657.345 --> 00:25:54,158.2825
When you look through the list, there's a number of them that have become national parks, Yeah.

300
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can go through the list for everyone if they'd like.

301
00:25:55,947.345 --> 00:26:02,518.2825
We've got El Morro in New Mexico, 1906, Montezuma Castle, Arizona, 1906.

302
00:26:02,977.345 --> 00:26:08,338.2825
Petrified Forest in Arizona, 1906, which is now a national park, Yup.

303
00:26:08,368.2825 --> 00:26:10,668.2825
Chaco Canyon in New Mexico in 07.

304
00:26:11,377.345 --> 00:26:17,377.345
Lesson Peak in California in 1907, which is now Volcanic National Park.

305
00:26:19,88.2825 --> 00:26:20,677.345
Along the Cinder Cone, Yes.

306
00:26:21,178.2825 --> 00:26:28,207.244
also part of Lassen, And then gila Cliff Dwellings in New Mexico in 1907.

307
00:26:28,918.2825 --> 00:26:34,367.345
and Tonto in Arizona in 07, And Muir Woods in California in 1908.

308
00:26:36,68.2825 --> 00:26:48,537.345
and then, uh, then this little piece of land on an Arizona, uh, called the Grand Canyon, uh, in 1908, which is now obviously a national park, Same with Pinnacles in California.

309
00:26:48,537.345 --> 00:26:50,927.344
It was 1908 and it's now a national park.

310
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and Jewel Cave in South Dakota in 08, And Natural Bridges in Utah in 08.

311
00:26:58,798.2825 --> 00:27:04,58.2815
Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana, which, uh, is now a Montana state park.

312
00:27:05,826.4075 --> 00:27:07,876.4075
Tumacacori in Arizona in 1908.

313
00:27:08,967.345 --> 00:27:17,537.345
And Wheeler, here in my state of Colorado, uh, in 1908, which, uh, it's now, uh, now a geologic area.

314
00:27:17,597.344 --> 00:27:21,277.345
No longer, uh, a designation as a national monument.

315
00:27:21,936.4075 --> 00:27:25,256.4075
Yeah, part of the Rio Grande National Forest.

316
00:27:25,806.4075 --> 00:27:29,576.4075
And then we have Mount Olympus in Washington from 1909.

317
00:27:30,6.4075 --> 00:27:31,946.4065
It's now part of Olympic National Park.

318
00:27:33,207.344 --> 00:27:33,487.344
Wow.

319
00:27:33,846.4075 --> 00:27:34,96.4075
Yeah.

320
00:27:35,266.4075 --> 00:27:44,936.4075
And continuing with the conservation, from 1902 to 1906, TR was the first president to establish five national parks during his administration.

321
00:27:45,896.4075 --> 00:27:50,761.4075
Previous presidents from President Grant on it saved six national parks.

322
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The first was Yellowstone in 1872 established by President Grant.

323
00:27:56,601.4075 --> 00:28:07,221.4075
And then the next one from 1875 to 1895 was Mackinac National Park, which became Mackinac Island State Park in 1895.

324
00:28:07,221.4075 --> 00:28:12,511.4075
So it's not counted as one of the national parks when TR becomes president since it had been taken out.

325
00:28:13,621.4075 --> 00:28:31,386.4075
And then the third, fourth, and fifth national parks were In 1890, Sequoia National Park, General Grant National Park, which is now known as General Grant's Grove and Kings Canyon National Park, and then Yosemite National Park under President Benjamin Harrison.

326
00:28:31,666.4075 --> 00:28:36,126.4075
And then in 1895, President William McKinley established Mount Rainier National Park.

327
00:28:38,87.345 --> 00:28:39,577.345
So, so the five that T.

328
00:28:39,577.345 --> 00:28:39,757.345
R.

329
00:28:39,757.345 --> 00:28:45,967.345
creates then, uh, his first is Crater Lake, um, National Park in Oregon in, in 02.,

330
00:28:46,772.345 --> 00:29:00,82.345
Wind Cave in South Dakota in 03, Solis Hill in North Dakota, which, uh, that was in 1904, and that's now, uh, called White Horse Hill, it's a National Game Preserve, um, managed by the U.

331
00:29:00,82.345 --> 00:29:00,222.345
S.

332
00:29:00,222.345 --> 00:29:28,122.344
Fish and Wildlife Service, uh, you got Platte National Park in Oklahoma, um, in 06, which is now also part of the, uh, the Chickasaw National Park, Recreation area and then once again here in my home state Mesa Verde National Park down in the southwest corner of Colorado in 1906 Another first here TR was the first president to leave the country during his time in office.

333
00:29:28,122.344 --> 00:29:32,562.345
This is November 9th 1906 so TR and mrs.

334
00:29:32,562.345 --> 00:29:46,592.345
Roosevelt board the USS, Louisiana to visit and inspect the ongoing construction of the Panama Canal, which Roosevelt also has a major role in, in, uh, getting through.

335
00:29:47,102.345 --> 00:30:03,382.345
So some, some in Congress, uh, were afraid that this would create some sort of a constitutional crisis, but, uh, you know, TR had made the arrangements with his secretary of state, uh, Elihu Root, uh, to keep in touch with TR by means of wireless communications.

336
00:30:03,537.345 --> 00:30:13,497.345
Telegraphy, uh, during the voyage, so when TR and his party arrived in Panama, the, uh, the regular telegraph cable was used to keep in close touch with the office and TR.

337
00:30:13,917.345 --> 00:30:24,782.345
So TR is accompanied by, by his wife, Edith and surgeon general, uh, Uh, Rixey, the assistant secretary, uh, Maurice Latta from the White House and three secret service agents.

338
00:30:25,2.345 --> 00:30:31,72.344
And he gets back to the, to the United States on November 26th, 1906.

339
00:30:31,82.345 --> 00:30:40,932.345
So he's out of the country for a couple of weeks, but again, first time it had ever happened and uh, created a bit of consternation.

340
00:30:42,816.4075 --> 00:30:46,536.4065
I think it may have been his way of getting even with Congress for a couple things, so.

341
00:30:48,866.4075 --> 00:30:51,806.4085
Our next first is December 12, 1906.

342
00:30:52,446.4075 --> 00:30:58,466.4075
TR is the first president to appoint a Jewish cabinet member, Strauss of New York City.

343
00:30:58,776.4075 --> 00:31:02,531.4075
He was appointed by TR to head the Commerce and Labor Department.

344
00:31:03,91.4075 --> 00:31:05,761.4075
this was a cabinet post that T.

345
00:31:05,761.4075 --> 00:31:05,911.4075
R.

346
00:31:05,911.4075 --> 00:31:11,541.4075
had created on February 14th, 1903, the Department of Commerce and Labor.

347
00:31:11,581.4075 --> 00:31:14,661.4075
So, yep, couple firsts almost.

348
00:31:15,632.345 --> 00:31:16,2.345
Yeah.

349
00:31:17,452.345 --> 00:31:33,262.344
Um, 1906, uh, TR is, becomes the first president and the first American, uh, to win the Nobel Peace Prize, uh, received for his negotiation of the Russo Japanese War.

350
00:31:33,302.345 --> 00:31:52,517.345
Um, so it was that Treaty of Portsmouth that formally ended the Russo Japanese War, uh, which had raged for a couple of years, 1904, Uh, so the negotiations took place in August, uh, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, uh, brokered in part by President Roosevelt.

351
00:31:52,657.345 --> 00:32:06,137.345
Uh, the final agreement signed in September of 1905, uh, and it essentially gave the Japanese, uh, presence in South Manchuria in Korea and ceded the southern half of the island of Sakhalin to Japan.

352
00:32:08,411.4075 --> 00:32:13,12.245
And So, when did he actually get the, when did he actually get the medal, do you think, Larry? I don't know.

353
00:32:13,12.445 --> 00:32:17,161.4075
You know he delivered his Nobel lecture in Oslo, Norway.

354
00:32:17,161.4075 --> 00:32:17,211.4075
Okay.

355
00:32:17,656.4075 --> 00:32:32,841.4075
On May 5th, 1910, he was coming back from his African safari, was touring through Europe, headed over to the funeral of King Edward VII, One of my favorite parts of that speech, I'd like to read that as T.

356
00:32:32,841.4075 --> 00:32:33,91.4075
R.

357
00:32:33,101.4075 --> 00:32:34,321.4075
in his voice if I could here.

358
00:32:35,361.4075 --> 00:32:53,781.4075
Peace is generally a good in itself, but it is never the highest good unless it comes as the handmaid of righteousness, it becomes a very evil thing if it serves merely as a mask for cowardice and sloth, as an instrument to further the ends of despotism or anarchy.

359
00:32:56,751.4075 --> 00:32:57,981.4075
I couldn't resist, sorry.

360
00:32:58,312.345 --> 00:33:01,502.345
every TR quote, you've got to get the word righteousness in there.

361
00:33:01,672.345 --> 00:33:07,22.345
Um, and, and, uh, and, and despotism and, and sloth.

362
00:33:07,82.345 --> 00:33:08,602.345
Um, yeah, that's good.

363
00:33:10,171.4075 --> 00:33:14,761.4075
Mark Hanna, Senator Hanna, and others were afraid that TR would get us into wars and everything.

364
00:33:17,71.4075 --> 00:33:19,51.4075
He was actually a president of peace.

365
00:33:19,781.4075 --> 00:33:23,791.4075
Well our next first for TR is actually a world record.

366
00:33:24,191.4075 --> 00:33:26,391.4065
It was January 1st, 1907.

367
00:33:27,151.407 --> 00:33:30,791.4075
sets a world record for a head of state shaking hands.

368
00:33:31,126.4075 --> 00:33:38,186.4075
With 8, 513 people at the official function on New Year's Day at the White House reception.

369
00:33:38,976.4075 --> 00:33:42,766.4075
Now, he wasn't the first president to open the White House to visitors on January 1st.

370
00:33:43,406.4075 --> 00:33:46,176.4075
But he was the first to shake that many hands on a day.

371
00:33:46,176.4075 --> 00:33:47,666.4075
And you did the averaging.

372
00:33:47,676.4075 --> 00:33:50,976.3075
How much was it? How many hands per minute? Hehehehe.

373
00:33:51,12.345 --> 00:33:52,842.345
is over the course of about three hours.

374
00:33:52,852.345 --> 00:33:56,572.345
So, you know, we're talking an average of about 45 hands a minute.

375
00:33:56,802.345 --> 00:34:08,102.3445
Um, and, uh, we'll, we'll try to post on the website, uh, a video of Roosevelt in a, in a reception line, whether it's this actual day or not, I can't recall.

376
00:34:08,102.3445 --> 00:34:16,367.345
But, you see his, uh, Uh, his style of shaking and kind of pulling people along as they go and keeping them moving.

377
00:34:16,517.345 --> 00:34:17,257.345
Um, Yep.

378
00:34:17,357.345 --> 00:34:24,597.345
I read an account where, he was shaking hands, if the line wasn't moving fast enough, he would ask the Marine Corps band to play the songs a little faster.

379
00:34:25,327.345 --> 00:34:28,117.345
that would help give him the momentum to keep the hands moving.

380
00:34:30,758.2815 --> 00:34:45,208.2815
I know, uh, so Edmund Morris in the rise of Theodore Roosevelt writes that, um, that day the president invited, quote, all citizens who are sober, washed and free of bodily advertising, end quote, to come and meet him.

381
00:34:46,818.2815 --> 00:34:56,268.2815
Yeah, it says, though it was January, the weather was perfect, and the citizens, men, women, and children of all ages lined up at the White House and waited their turn patiently.

382
00:34:58,228.2815 --> 00:34:58,748.2815
Pretty great.

383
00:34:58,847.344 --> 00:34:58,997.344
Yeah.

384
00:34:59,27.344 --> 00:35:05,828.2815
That's one piece I'd like to travel back in time to just to go through and hands with Shake, shake his hand.

385
00:35:05,888.2815 --> 00:35:06,218.2815
Yep.

386
00:35:06,818.2815 --> 00:35:09,958.2815
he had a good firm handshake by all accounts.

387
00:35:10,98.2815 --> 00:35:10,398.2815
So.

388
00:35:12,98.2815 --> 00:35:12,538.2815
All right.

389
00:35:12,558.2815 --> 00:35:29,398.2815
Uh, so December 16th, 1907 to February 22nd, 1909, TR was the first president to send a portion of the U S Navy to circumnavigate the globe, uh, in what was called the great white fleet.

390
00:35:30,238.2815 --> 00:35:31,288.2815
Yeah, the great white fleet.

391
00:35:31,378.2815 --> 00:35:47,624.219
Um, it announced to the world the growing American military power had a global reach especially with the new and modern navy the tr had helped for when he was assistant secretary of the Navy under President Mm hmm.

392
00:35:48,233.2815 --> 00:35:54,483.2815
So in this way, TR used the fleet to represent what he saw as America's arrival as a great nation on the world stage.

393
00:35:55,573.2815 --> 00:36:02,353.2815
devoted to naval theorist, Alfred Thayer Mahan, and he equated international power with naval might.

394
00:36:02,413.2815 --> 00:36:10,923.2815
So supported the new battleship construction, the modernization of armaments, even the adoption of new marksmanship techniques.

395
00:36:12,488.2815 --> 00:36:16,368.2815
In doing so, he greatly expanded the reach of American power.

396
00:36:17,38.2815 --> 00:36:20,508.2815
It was something that President William McKinley had started, and T.

397
00:36:20,508.2815 --> 00:36:20,788.2815
R.

398
00:36:21,548.2815 --> 00:36:22,578.2815
pushed on through.

399
00:36:23,984.219 --> 00:36:56,484.22
Yeah, this is, uh, what Roosevelt had, had always stood for, even what he advocated clear back in, in, uh, in his early book, The Naval War of 1812, that, you know, that American preparedness is what will keep us safe that that peace through preparedness and so this was a you know, really stark demonstration to the world that America Had an offensive capability with these battleships and around the world.

400
00:36:56,534.22 --> 00:37:01,774.22
Um, we had the capability in peace to project naval power.

401
00:37:01,774.22 --> 00:37:05,134.22
So we'll let you just put two and two together there.

402
00:37:05,174.219 --> 00:37:11,744.219
Uh, if we have to, if it comes to war, uh, then certainly we're, we're capable of employing that naval power.

403
00:37:11,744.319 --> 00:37:14,471.4831818
Uh, if, if we need to.

404
00:37:14,471.4831818 --> 00:37:14,926.0105455
Yeah.

405
00:37:14,926.0105455 --> 00:37:15,380.5379091
Yeah.

406
00:37:15,380.5379091 --> 00:37:15,835.0652727
Yeah.

407
00:37:15,835.0652727 --> 00:37:23,213.2825
That's a was May 13th to 15th 1908 it's going along with conservation again.

408
00:37:23,483.2815 --> 00:37:23,713.2815
T.

409
00:37:23,713.2825 --> 00:37:23,833.2825
R.

410
00:37:23,833.2825 --> 00:37:27,733.2825
is the first president to convene a national governor's conference.

411
00:37:28,393.2825 --> 00:37:33,743.2825
He called the meeting to highlight the urgency of conservation of natural resources.

412
00:37:34,23.2825 --> 00:37:41,423.2825
He felt there was no greater moral issue facing the American people at that time than the conservation of our natural wonders and our natural resources.

413
00:37:42,13.2825 --> 00:37:44,373.2825
So he hand wrote an invitation to each governor.

414
00:37:44,708.2825 --> 00:37:46,948.2825
And at least 40 governors attended.

415
00:37:47,688.2825 --> 00:37:52,718.2825
The speakers included experts on waterways, mining, forestry, and TR himself.

416
00:37:53,438.2825 --> 00:38:01,208.2815
Each governor had the opportunity to talk briefly about the needs of their own states and any solutions that were successful in those states.

417
00:38:01,878.2825 --> 00:38:05,578.2815
one thing I love, blocked out the windows in the East Room.

418
00:38:06,13.2825 --> 00:38:10,503.2825
Of the White House and projected large maps onto the walls.

419
00:38:11,353.2825 --> 00:38:24,713.2815
that's pretty impressive technology for 1908 I'm just thinking how far reaching and advanced that was for that time to look to the future, to know that we needed to conserve.

420
00:38:25,203.2805 --> 00:38:33,563.2805
And it was another first there too, because it was the first time scientists and political leaders were viewed on equal footing with an issue as strong as this.

421
00:38:34,283.2805 --> 00:38:40,673.2805
there's a whole book dedicated to the Governor's Conference 1908, and I highly recommend finding that one.

422
00:38:41,153.2805 --> 00:38:46,753.2805
It's, the accounts, the minutes, the speeches, a wonderful read.

423
00:38:47,419.218 --> 00:38:47,689.218
yeah.

424
00:38:49,954.218 --> 00:38:54,104.218
Well, another first here that's near and dear to, uh, to our hearts.

425
00:38:54,104.218 --> 00:38:57,804.218
Uh, October 11th, 1910, T.

426
00:38:57,804.218 --> 00:38:58,154.218
R.

427
00:38:58,674.218 --> 00:39:06,34.218
becomes the first, in this case, ex president, but the first person who had ever been president to ride in an airplane.

428
00:39:06,174.217 --> 00:39:09,24.218
Uh, he didn't pilot the thing, but, but he rode in an airplane.

429
00:39:09,504.218 --> 00:39:18,49.118
Uh, October 11th, 1910, Roosevelt stays aloft for about four minutes, uh, in a Wright Brothers built plane, uh, in Canada.

430
00:39:19,9.218 --> 00:39:19,259.218
St.

431
00:39:19,259.218 --> 00:39:23,179.218
Louis, uh, piloted by Arch Hoxie.

432
00:39:23,859.218 --> 00:39:27,909.217
Um, so later his, uh, his fifth cousin, Franklin D.

433
00:39:27,909.218 --> 00:39:33,219.218
Roosevelt, becomes the first president in office to fly in a plane in the 1930s.

434
00:39:33,259.218 --> 00:39:48,989.218
But, uh, So Larry, um, I happen to know, uh, I think this was my first, first time I had ever heard your name was, uh, was seeing you in a video in in a 2010 recreation of this flight.

435
00:39:49,69.218 --> 00:40:15,358.2805
You want to talk about that? Yeah, we, we were at the Dayton Air Show with some friends, and a Wright B Flyer, which was the model that TR had flown in, flew overhead, and I knew about TR's story of flying in the Wright B Flyer, and I contacted the place that owned that, the Wright Brothers Airport in Dayton, Ohio, For a fee, you can join the organization and get a free flight.

436
00:40:15,418.2805 --> 00:40:15,988.2805
So I did.

437
00:40:16,708.2805 --> 00:40:20,408.2805
And we recreated the flight on October 11th, 2010.

438
00:40:20,488.2805 --> 00:40:21,858.2805
100 years to the day.

439
00:40:22,758.2795 --> 00:40:24,798.28
And the local news stations were there.

440
00:40:24,798.28 --> 00:40:27,238.2795
And one gentleman edited together a video.

441
00:40:27,478.2805 --> 00:40:29,958.2795
And that's what's posted on my website.

442
00:40:30,998.2805 --> 00:40:48,634.217
When you watch the motion picture of TR, which they took one, of him getting out of the automobile, getting onto the airplane, going up with ARCHOXY, going about 300 feet high and nose diving three times, we didn't do that on ours, You didn't create the, you didn't recreate the nosedives.

443
00:40:48,658.2805 --> 00:41:04,808.2805
we had that were about 25 to 30 or so miles an hour, my pilot was amazing, um, Don Gum was his name, he took us up, And that wind carried us off the runway over the trees nearby, and he was able to bring the plane back.

444
00:41:05,558.2805 --> 00:41:08,898.2805
We landed, went around again, and took off again.,

445
00:41:09,658.2805 --> 00:41:10,908.2805
You see the grin on T.

446
00:41:10,908.2805 --> 00:41:11,38.2805
R.

447
00:41:11,48.2805 --> 00:41:12,808.2805
's face when he gets off of the plane.

448
00:41:13,858.2805 --> 00:41:15,208.2805
I experienced that.

449
00:41:15,218.2795 --> 00:41:17,148.2805
It's like a motorcycle with wings.

450
00:41:18,88.2795 --> 00:41:20,158.2795
the best way to describe a right B Flyer.

451
00:41:20,834.218 --> 00:41:21,334.218
Yeah.

452
00:41:21,468.2795 --> 00:41:24,788.2805
but, there is a sad aspect of this story for T.

453
00:41:24,788.2805 --> 00:41:24,968.2805
R.

454
00:41:25,18.2805 --> 00:41:25,948.2805
and for myself.

455
00:41:26,388.2805 --> 00:41:27,698.28
A couple months after T.

456
00:41:27,698.28 --> 00:41:27,848.2795
R.

457
00:41:27,858.2805 --> 00:41:28,328.2805
's flight.

458
00:41:29,298.2805 --> 00:41:39,738.2805
Pilot Arch Hoxie with the Wright Airmeet was in California and attempted to do, um, an altitude record and lost consciousness and crashed and was killed.

459
00:41:40,808.2805 --> 00:41:55,168.2805
Oh, a few months after my flight, um, Don Gum with another pilot was flying an experimental Wright B Flyer that they had worked on it crashed not far from where I live in Ohio and he was killed.

460
00:41:55,228.2805 --> 00:42:00,449.218
So, yeah, No, I, I didn't know that part.

461
00:42:00,788.2805 --> 00:42:01,218.2805
yeah.

462
00:42:01,409.218 --> 00:42:01,959.218
Wow.

463
00:42:02,803.2805 --> 00:42:06,373.2805
But it just, that was rough, and I can imagine T.

464
00:42:06,373.2805 --> 00:42:06,613.2805
R.

465
00:42:06,613.2805 --> 00:42:16,693.2795
felt something like I felt with losing the pilot and, you know, the Yeah, on the plane, sharing that with someone.

466
00:42:17,729.218 --> 00:42:18,189.218
right.

467
00:42:19,143.2805 --> 00:42:22,504.218
yeah, so it Yeah, that's That's too bad.

468
00:42:22,504.218 --> 00:42:26,744.218
I never knew that, that, the rest of that, of your particular story.

469
00:42:26,834.218 --> 00:42:37,624.218
I, you know, I had known about Hoxie because he had just, I mean, a few days earlier than that had set a, a flight altitude record, um, in a similar plane.

470
00:42:37,704.217 --> 00:42:41,624.217
And here he was, you know, just a few days later trying to best his own record.

471
00:42:42,84.217 --> 00:42:44,234.218
Yeah, that's, that's too bad.

472
00:42:45,488.2805 --> 00:42:49,48.2805
But if you do get a chance, Library of Congress has the video.

473
00:42:49,208.2805 --> 00:42:54,598.2805
I recommend watching that and just looking at that smile on TR's face as he steps off.

474
00:42:54,728.2805 --> 00:42:55,268.2805
That's.

475
00:42:56,198.2805 --> 00:43:03,968.1795
And I'm sure I Hehehehehe.

476
00:43:05,579.218 --> 00:43:08,189.218
Larry's 2010 videos side by side.

477
00:43:09,789.218 --> 00:43:10,379.217
Very good.

478
00:43:10,558.2805 --> 00:43:11,158.2805
thanks Kurt.

479
00:43:11,228.2805 --> 00:43:11,478.2805
Yep.

480
00:43:12,368.2805 --> 00:43:14,708.2805
Well our next first is 1912.

481
00:43:15,468.2805 --> 00:43:15,568.2805
R.

482
00:43:15,568.2805 --> 00:43:22,798.2805
is the first former president of the United States to be elected to the presidency the American Historical Association.

483
00:43:23,459.217 --> 00:43:23,779.217
Yay.

484
00:43:23,818.2805 --> 00:43:27,508.2805
He was, yeah, I mean, he's noted for a number of historical works.

485
00:43:27,518.2805 --> 00:43:33,208.2805
The Naval War of 1812, which, there's many people that still consider that the best work on the subject.

486
00:43:33,938.2795 --> 00:43:36,678.2805
And his four volume series, Winning of the West.

487
00:43:37,629.218 --> 00:43:45,719.218
this is a big deal, I think, for Roosevelt to be recognized, um, as a co equal with these professional historians with their PhDs.

488
00:43:45,749.218 --> 00:43:53,743.2805
You know, Roosevelt did not have a PhD in history as, as so many did, um, but, uh, honorary degrees, but, you know.

489
00:43:53,949.218 --> 00:43:56,699.218
Honorary, right, honorary doctorate.

490
00:43:56,849.218 --> 00:44:10,449.218
Um, but, uh, I would say his historical works probably outsold, uh, the majority of the, uh, of the very academic works, uh, of most historians in the AHA at that time.

491
00:44:10,609.217 --> 00:44:22,743.281
Uh, Roosevelt wrote what we would call today popular histories, probably more on par with the, uh, Stephen Ambrose's and the Doris Kearns Goodwin's and, Douglas Brinkley's, um, Who all Kathleen Dalton.

492
00:44:22,743.281 --> 00:44:23,233.281
All of them.

493
00:44:23,379.2185 --> 00:44:23,783.181
PhDs, but, Mm hmm.

494
00:44:23,783.281 --> 00:44:35,619.2175
Mm but Roosevelt wrote, uh, you know, that, uh, in his history, his literature, that, um, Yeah, needs to be written, um, to be interesting to the average person.

495
00:44:35,759.2185 --> 00:44:38,399.2185
Needs to put flesh onto bones, as he said.

496
00:44:39,148.281 --> 00:44:41,458.281
yeah, in my classroom.

497
00:44:41,458.281 --> 00:45:20,559.2175
I have a poster that says history is boring and at the bottom in huge letters Not it's showing a ship of the line from the war of 1812 or revolution somewhere in that time frame Firing a broadside and so my kids will always look at that and go history is boring not Well, something, uh, we'll, we'll wrap up this episode here with, uh, with a final first, um, again, this list has not been all inclusive, there are others, and we may have a part two episode, uh, down the line, but, uh, this is a good start at least, but we'll finish this episode with.

498
00:45:22,94.2185 --> 00:45:56,629.2185
TR as the first president to be awarded the Medal of Honor in this case posthumously, but January 16th 2001 Despite Roosevelt's efforts and the lobbying by his superior officers He was initially denied the Medal of Honor by the War Department during his time And it took more than a century for for the nation to to change its mind So so again on January 16th 2001 the former president finally received this honor.

499
00:45:56,629.2185 --> 00:46:05,389.2175
And so it was in the White House, in the Roosevelt room, matter of fact, this was one of the last official Acts of President, William Clinton.

500
00:46:05,549.2175 --> 00:46:12,499.218
And, this, Uh, Medal of Honor was presented, to TR's great grandson, Tweed Roosevelt.

501
00:46:12,599.218 --> 00:46:20,279.217
And, that medal is still on display there, in the Roosevelt room in the White House next to the big Roosevelt portrait.

502
00:46:20,359.218 --> 00:46:26,669.217
And I think on the other side of the portrait is, uh, is TR's, Nobel prize, medal as well.

503
00:46:26,669.217 --> 00:46:29,759.217
So that truly is the Roosevelt room.

504
00:46:30,479.217 --> 00:46:37,679.217
So this Roosevelt Room is where Roosevelt had his office, uh, there originally before we had the creation of the Oval Office.

505
00:46:37,849.216 --> 00:46:38,693.2785
Um, Yeah.

506
00:46:39,799.217 --> 00:46:54,189.217
can I read the citation? This is, this is from, what Roosevelt described as his crowded hour in Cuba, uh, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

507
00:46:54,619.217 --> 00:46:58,749.217
Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt distinguished himself by acts of bravery.

508
00:46:58,834.217 --> 00:47:25,59.217
On the 1st of July, 1898, near Santiago de Cuba, Republic of Cuba, while leading a daring charge up San Juan Hill, Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, in total disregard for his personal safety and accompanied by only four or five men, led a desperate and gallant charge up San Juan Hill, encouraging his troops to continue the assault through withering enemy fire over open countryside.

509
00:47:25,759.217 --> 00:47:38,479.216
Facing the enemy's heavy fire, he displayed extraordinary bravery throughout the charge, and was the first to reach the enemy trenches, where he quickly killed one of the enemy with his pistol, allowing his men to continue the assault.

510
00:47:39,129.217 --> 00:47:43,399.217
His leadership and valor turned the tide in the battle for San Juan Hill.

511
00:47:43,779.217 --> 00:47:55,349.217
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

512
00:47:56,133.2795 --> 00:47:56,353.2795
yes.

513
00:47:57,548.2795 --> 00:47:59,828.2795
Now son, Ted Jr.

514
00:47:59,948.2795 --> 00:48:01,628.2795
He also receives the Medal of Honor.

515
00:48:02,368.2795 --> 00:48:06,28.2795
They are one of only two father son pairs to do that.

516
00:48:06,388.2795 --> 00:48:08,248.2795
The other was Arthur MacArthur Jr.

517
00:48:08,253.2795 --> 00:48:09,778.2795
And his son Douglas MacArthur.

518
00:48:10,608.2795 --> 00:48:11,298.2795
But Ted Jr.

519
00:48:11,298.2795 --> 00:48:15,999.2795
Was in World War I, a decorated officer and wounded, and then in World War ii.

520
00:48:17,403.2795 --> 00:48:22,933.2795
He gained a reputation in both wars of leading from the front, and at 56 years of age, Ted Jr.

521
00:48:22,933.2795 --> 00:48:31,523.2795
was the oldest man to storm the beaches of Normandy, and the only general officer to storm on the first wave of the assault on D Day.

522
00:48:32,433.2795 --> 00:48:41,173.2795
And he earned his medal at Utah Beach for, gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

523
00:48:41,573.2795 --> 00:48:42,123.2795
End quote.

524
00:48:42,463.2795 --> 00:48:46,93.2795
While leading successive waves of troops inland to their objectives.

525
00:48:47,123.2795 --> 00:48:55,263.2795
And, yeah, he had made two requests to lead the invasion and had been denied.

526
00:48:55,898.2795 --> 00:48:57,728.2795
And eventually, he's allowed to.

527
00:48:57,948.2795 --> 00:49:06,188.2795
And when they land, he's told they're a mile south of their objective and should we get back in the boats and go that mile? And he said, no, we'll start the war from right here.

528
00:49:07,78.2795 --> 00:49:17,658.2795
And under constant heavy fire throughout the day, he directed the men and material the best routes to gain a foothold in France and push on in to destroy Nazi Germany.

529
00:49:18,799.217 --> 00:49:28,53.2795
Now, But yeah, he's awarded his September 21st, 1944, and Ted had died a month after D Day of a heart attack.

530
00:49:28,933.2795 --> 00:49:37,783.2785
And he's buried at the Normandy Cemetery, and right next to him is his brother, Quentin, who was shot down and killed in World War I.

531
00:49:37,783.3785 --> 00:49:42,883.2795
Quentin's the only World War I soldier buried in the Normandy Cemetery.

532
00:49:43,669.217 --> 00:49:46,89.2165
yeah, the decision was, was made by the family.

533
00:49:46,89.2165 --> 00:49:51,469.217
They would move his grave from northern France and into the, uh, the cemetery there.

534
00:49:51,589.217 --> 00:49:56,799.217
So, you go there today, you see those two brothers, side by side.

535
00:49:57,99.217 --> 00:50:00,989.217
Um, it's pretty, uh, it's pretty moving to, to see that.

536
00:50:01,259.217 --> 00:50:20,339.219
And, uh, the, uh, the other, other piece of that, speaking of Quentin, when Quentin had died in the, in the First World War, all the rest of the, the Roosevelt boys, said whoever, whoever had the next, son born would name their son, Quentin, In their brother's honor.

537
00:50:20,469.219 --> 00:50:28,199.218
And so it was Quentin II, that, landed on Omaha Beach on D Day.

538
00:50:29,39.219 --> 00:50:36,879.218
And so that, you know, just one more distinction, even for the Roosevelt family, that, uh, you had the only father and son.

539
00:50:37,659.219 --> 00:50:41,599.219
Uh, with that first wave, uh, and the, on the D Day landings.

540
00:50:41,669.219 --> 00:50:47,779.219
So it's pretty, pretty astonishing story there for the Roosevelt's, um, uh, military service record.

541
00:50:48,129.219 --> 00:50:58,609.219
And I think, we definitely could get another episode talking just about the, uh, the military service of, of the extended Roosevelt family in, uh, in our, all of our wars.

542
00:50:59,388.219 --> 00:51:03,318.219
just TR's children alone from Ethel being the first one to go over.

543
00:51:03,998.219 --> 00:51:05,628.219
I mean, there's so many stories there.

544
00:51:05,658.219 --> 00:51:05,928.219
Yep.

545
00:51:05,958.219 --> 00:51:08,38.219
And I think we'll have to write that one down as another podcast.

546
00:51:08,668.218 --> 00:51:08,838.218
Yeah.

547
00:51:08,894.219 --> 00:51:09,184.219
Yeah.

548
00:51:09,238.219 --> 00:51:14,614.219
We just don't have enough topics, you know, it's, Yeah, exactly.

549
00:51:17,448.219 --> 00:51:18,58.219
Well, Kurt.

550
00:51:18,78.219 --> 00:51:22,993.119
I think this has been a good discussion of just maybe our first podcast on the, Yeah.

551
00:51:23,113.219 --> 00:51:24,663.219
Firsts of TR.

552
00:51:24,803.219 --> 00:51:34,703.219
So there's many more and as we research and document those, Hopefully we'll be able to get another episode out there with more firsts.

553
00:51:35,624.219 --> 00:51:36,874.219
Yeah, most assuredly.

554
00:51:36,964.219 --> 00:51:37,354.219
Yeah.

555
00:51:37,394.219 --> 00:51:43,734.219
So Larry and I will be doing more episodes, just the two of us talking about particular topics as we go on.

556
00:51:43,904.219 --> 00:51:54,254.218
Um, but, uh, but again, we do have a, a goodly number of, uh, of guests on our program, uh, coming up for, uh, the next couple of months.

557
00:51:54,264.218 --> 00:51:56,384.219
And so stay tuned for those.

558
00:51:56,414.219 --> 00:51:59,224.219
And, uh, so thanks for listening.

559
00:52:00,463.218 --> 00:52:00,833.218
Yes.

560
00:52:00,863.219 --> 00:52:13,197.219
Thank you, Also, don't forget, if you have any questions you want Kurt and I to answer, please send those to TalkAboutTeddyPodcast at gmail.

561
00:52:13,217.219 --> 00:52:13,597.219
com.

562
00:52:13,977.219 --> 00:52:20,237.218
There's a link to be able to access the gmail our website, TalkAboutTeddy.

563
00:52:20,267.218 --> 00:52:20,647.218
com.

564
00:52:21,603.219 --> 00:52:24,777.219
We look forward to your questions Thank you.