Archibald Roosevelt

Archibald Bulloch Roosevelt Sr. was born on April 9, 1894, in Washington, D.C. He was the fifth child of President Theodore Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow. Roosevelt had three brothers named Theodore III, Kermit, and Quentin, a sister named Ethel, and a half-sister named Alice. His paternal lineage included notable American figures, and he was a first cousin of Eleanor Roosevelt and a fifth cousin once removed of Franklin D. Roosevelt. His familial relationships extended to several nephews and grandnephews, including Kermit Roosevelt Jr., Quentin Roosevelt II, and Susan Roosevelt Weld.

Roosevelt was named after his maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Archibald Bulloch, a Revolutionary War patriot. As a child, he was described as quiet but mischievous, particularly when with his brother Quentin, with whom he maintained a close relationship. His other siblings, Kermit and Ethel, were not as close to him, as they would often gang up on him, and Ted Roosevelt Jr. would assist him in disputes. Alice Roosevelt, the eldest sibling, was significantly older, and Roosevelt had limited memories of her.

His early education included attendance at the Force School and Sidwell Friends School. After being expelled from Groton School, he continued his education at the Evans School for Boys and graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1913. Roosevelt then enrolled at Harvard University, graduating in 1917.

In 1917, Roosevelt volunteered for the United States Army during World War I. He served with the 1st Infantry Division in France, where he was wounded and discharged with full disability. He achieved the rank of captain during his service. For his military valor, Roosevelt received two Silver Star Citations, later converted into the Silver Star Medal, as well as the French Croix de Guerre. Following his father’s death in 1919, Roosevelt sent a telegram to his siblings reporting that "the old lion is dead."

After World War I, Roosevelt worked in the oil industry as an executive for Sinclair Consolidated Oil Company and Union Petroleum Company. During the early 1920s, he was involved in a notable political scandal, the Teapot Dome affair, providing testimony before the Senate Committee on Public Lands. This involved his work with Sinclair Oil and exposure to corruption involving Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall. Subsequently, he worked for Roosevelt & Son, the family investment firm.

In the 1930s, Roosevelt co-founded the National Economy League, a conservative pressure group advocating for fiscal restraint, including cutting veterans’ appropriations. During World War II, he rejoined the Army with the rank of Major at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He commanded the 3rd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division, in New Guinea, participating in the Salamaua campaign. Roosevelt played a key role in overcoming command ambiguities and worked closely with Australian forces during the campaign.

During the New Guinea campaign, a ridge near Tambu Bay was named Roosevelt Ridge in his honor, originally as "Roosevelt’s Ridge" and later as "Roosevelt Ridge" in official histories. On August 12, 1943, Roosevelt was wounded by an enemy grenade, which shattered his knee—a wound previously sustained in World War I—making him the only American to be classified as 100% disabled twice for the same injury. After his injury, command was transferred to his executive officer, Major Taylor. Roosevelt returned to active duty in early 1944 and was awarded additional Oak Leaf Clusters to the Silver Star. His military awards also include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the World War I Victory Medal, Army of Occupation of Germany Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

Following his military career, Roosevelt established the investment firm Roosevelt and Cross, specializing in municipal bonds, with offices in New York, Providence, Buffalo, and Hartford. In the 1950s, he became associated with right-wing organizations, including the John Birch Society, and founded the Veritas Foundation, which aimed to combat perceived socialist influences at universities such as Harvard. He authored "Theodore Roosevelt On Race, Riots, Reds, Crime" in 1968 and was involved in organizations like "The Alliance."

Roosevelt was also a member of the Empire State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, an organization both his father and brother had belonged to. He passed away on October 13, 1979.