Elliott Roosevelt

Elliott Roosevelt was born on September 23, 1910, in New York City. He was the son of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served as the 32nd President of the United States, and Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady. His maternal grandfather was Elliott Roosevelt (1860–1894). Elliott Roosevelt had four siblings: Anna Roosevelt (1906–1975), James Roosevelt (1907–1991), Franklin Roosevelt Jr. (1914–1988), and John Roosevelt (1916–1981). An older brother, Franklin, died in infancy in 1909.

Roosevelt attended the Hun School of Princeton and Groton School, but he did not attend Harvard College. Instead, he held various short-term jobs, including positions in advertising and broadcasting. During the 1930s, he worked in the broadcasting industry, including a management role within the Hearst radio chain. Prior to his military service, he briefly served as general manager of Gilpin Airlines, a small airline based in Glendale, California, owned by Congressman Isabella Greenway. In 1933, he became the aviation editor for William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers.

In the realm of aviation, Roosevelt's early career involved controversial activities, including involvement in the Air Mail Scandal and an attempt to sell bombers in civilian disguise to the Soviet Union. From 1933 to 1935, he served as vice president of the Aerospace Industries Association (then called the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce). During this period, he also engaged in farming and broadcasting in Texas.

Roosevelt received a commission as a captain in the United States Army Air Corps on September 23, 1940, his 30th birthday. His military career included service at Wright Field, Ohio, and reconnaissance missions in Labrador, Greenland, and Iceland. He played significant roles in reconnaissance operations during World War II, serving as a procurement officer, navigator, intelligence officer, and pilot. Despite being classified 4-F due to poor eyesight, Roosevelt reportedly flew 89 combat missions by the end of the war.

He participated in several major Allied conferences during the war, including attending the Atlantic Conference at Argentia, Newfoundland, in 1941, and serving as a military attaché during the Casablanca, Cairo, and Tehran conferences in 1943. Notably, Roosevelt voiced support for Stalin's post-war proposals at the Tehran Conference, which earned him Stalin’s approval but drew criticism from Winston Churchill.

Roosevelt commanded multiple reconnaissance units during the North African campaign, including the 11th Reconnaissance Group and the 90th Photographic Wing. He directed reconnaissance operations supporting key military campaigns such as Operation Torch and the invasion of Italy. He also pioneered night photography techniques and obtained imagery of Rome during heavy bombing operations.

In 1944, he led reconnaissance missions over Europe, supporting operations such as D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Roosevelt held various command positions in units such as the 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 325th Reconnaissance Wings. He was promoted to brigadier general in January 1945 and ended the war with numerous decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, the Order of the British Empire, the Croix de Guerre, the Legion of Honour, and the Moroccan Order of Ouissam Alaouite. He also received the Air Medal with approximately eleven clusters.

Following the war, Roosevelt published a book detailing his attendance at major Allied conferences and authored 22 mystery novels. He also engaged in broadcasting, ranching, politics, and business activities. Roosevelt served as the 24th mayor of Miami Beach, Florida, from 1965 to 1967. He passed away on October 27, 1990.

Throughout his career, Roosevelt was involved in various controversies, including investigations by the United States Congress on charges of corruption, particularly concerning the purchase of reconnaissance aircraft. He was ultimately found blameless in these inquiries.