James Roosevelt II was the oldest son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Known as “Jimmy,” Roosevelt was a distinguished member of the U.S. military and served as key advisor to his father. A six-term Congressman, he was an active member of the Democratic party and an accomplished businessman.
Early Life
James Roosevelt was born in New York City on December 23, 1907. He graduated from Harvard College and attended Boston University Law School. After starting a lucrative job selling insurance, Roosevelt abandoned his legal aspirations. In 1932, he started his own insurance agency, Roosevelt and Sargent.
When his father was elected president, Roosevelt served as the official Secretary to the President. In this role, he was a key liaison between the President and the growing number of federal agencies. He was such a close advisor to FDR that Time Magazine referred to him as “Assistant President of the United States.”
Military Career
In 1936, Roosevelt was given a direct commission as a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. When World War II broke out, he was commissioned as a captain the Marine Corps Reserve and made several diplomatic missions across the globe on his father’s behalf.
Although Roosevelt should have been medically disqualified, he was cleared for combat when the U.S. entered the war. In 1946, he commanded a Marine battalion in the Gilbert Islands and was later awarded the Navy Cross for saving the lives of three men. He also fought at Guadalcanal and the second Battle of Midway and was awarded the Silver Star.
Political Involvement
After completing his military service, Roosevelt returned to his insurance firm. He also became involved in Democratic politics in California. He lost his bid to become Governor of California in 1950. Four years later, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and went on to represent California’s 26th District for 11 years.
Roosevelt was subject to controversy over his long political and business career. In 1983, Roosevelt’s National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare came under fire for using questionable tactics. Critics contended that the advocacy group used scare tactics and sent misleading mailings to seniors that looked like official government correspondence.
