William M. Rigdon
Encyclopedia
Commander
William M. Rigdon is most known for being the Assistant Naval Aide in the United States
White House
from 1942 to 1953 during the presidencies of Harry S. Truman
and Franklin D. Roosevelt
. Several of his works are in the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum.
in 1904. He enlisted in the Navy in 1923 and eventually became a Commander
under President Truman. He served as Assistant Naval Aide in the White House from 1942 to 1953, but his most famous works were during the Truman Era. On August 1, 1953 he retired from the Navy after 20 years of service.
After the retiring from the Navy, Rigdon attended the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University from 1953–1954 and became the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Hotel Company in July 1954.
in 1964, he published the White House Sailor, which was an account of his career during the Franklin and Truman Presidencies. It was co-written with James Derieux. The title is similar to that of Robert F. Cross's Sailor in the White House
Commander Rigdon was in charge of arranging many of the details surrounding Truman's vacations, some official State visits, and some visits to the U.S. by foreign Heads of State. The Rigdon papers are diverse in content. The collection includes documents about the Potsdam Conference
in July and August 1945, and Truman's return to the United States on the USS Augusta
when the first atomic bomb was dropped in Japan on August 6, 1945. President Truman made many recreational voyages aboard the Presidential yacht, the USS Williamsburg. The collection includes an array of price lists and menus for food served on Truman's voyages as well as handwritten mileage charts. Many of Truman's Whistlestop Campaign speeches from 1948 are in the collection, along with speeches supporting the Democratic Party
during the 1952 election. Also included are handwritten notes, formal correspondence, meeting minutes, press releases, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and maps. Photos are also included in the collection, but are cross referenced to the audiovisual collection.
This collection reflects a more personal side of President Truman and his family. For instance, Margaret Truman
wrote a short note which is included in the papers requesting which films she wanted her father to see while they were on vacation in Key West. Bess Truman discussed luncheon plans in another handwritten note. Yet another document lists the bets President Truman and many members of his Administration made on college football games one season. The collection also contains many subpoenas and trial proceedings from "The Royal High Court of the Raging Main" (which were meant to be a joke) from Truman's voyage on the in 1947.
Other materials at the Truman Library relating to William M. Rigdon and his duties as Assistant Naval Aide include oral history interviews with Commander William M. Rigdon and Donald J. MacDonald, the Leo W. Roberts Papers, the Robert Dennison Papers, and the President's Travel Logs, which were prepared by Rigdon. Other collections of Rigdon Papers are available at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
and at Georgia Southern University
.
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
William M. Rigdon is most known for being the Assistant Naval Aide in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
from 1942 to 1953 during the presidencies of Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
and Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
. Several of his works are in the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum.
Life
Rigdon was born in Statesboro, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1904. He enlisted in the Navy in 1923 and eventually became a Commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
under President Truman. He served as Assistant Naval Aide in the White House from 1942 to 1953, but his most famous works were during the Truman Era. On August 1, 1953 he retired from the Navy after 20 years of service.
After the retiring from the Navy, Rigdon attended the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University from 1953–1954 and became the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Hotel Company in July 1954.
in 1964, he published the White House Sailor, which was an account of his career during the Franklin and Truman Presidencies. It was co-written with James Derieux. The title is similar to that of Robert F. Cross's Sailor in the White House
Truman Library Series
The William M. Rigdon Papers are kept in the Truman Library and document his service from 1945 to 1953 as Assistant Naval Aide to the President. The documents mainly consist of information about Harry S. Truman's official travel and vacations, and visits to the United States. by foreign Heads of State. The collection includes newspaper clippings, magazine articles, correspondence, charts, menus, price lists for food, and travel itineraries. Rigdon had been the Assistant Naval Aide under Franklin D. Roosevelt since 1942, but the collection contains no documents dating from before 1945.Commander Rigdon was in charge of arranging many of the details surrounding Truman's vacations, some official State visits, and some visits to the U.S. by foreign Heads of State. The Rigdon papers are diverse in content. The collection includes documents about the Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was held at Cecilienhof, the home of Crown Prince Wilhelm Hohenzollern, in Potsdam, occupied Germany, from 16 July to 2 August 1945. Participants were the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States...
in July and August 1945, and Truman's return to the United States on the USS Augusta
USS Augusta
Five ships of the United States Navy have been named Augusta, the first four after the city of Augusta, Georgia, and the fifth after Augusta, Maine.* The , was a 14-gun brig in use from 1799 to 1801....
when the first atomic bomb was dropped in Japan on August 6, 1945. President Truman made many recreational voyages aboard the Presidential yacht, the USS Williamsburg. The collection includes an array of price lists and menus for food served on Truman's voyages as well as handwritten mileage charts. Many of Truman's Whistlestop Campaign speeches from 1948 are in the collection, along with speeches supporting the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
during the 1952 election. Also included are handwritten notes, formal correspondence, meeting minutes, press releases, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and maps. Photos are also included in the collection, but are cross referenced to the audiovisual collection.
This collection reflects a more personal side of President Truman and his family. For instance, Margaret Truman
Margaret Truman
Mary Margaret Truman Daniel , also known as Margaret Truman or Margaret Daniel, was an American singer who later became a successful writer. The only child of US President Harry S...
wrote a short note which is included in the papers requesting which films she wanted her father to see while they were on vacation in Key West. Bess Truman discussed luncheon plans in another handwritten note. Yet another document lists the bets President Truman and many members of his Administration made on college football games one season. The collection also contains many subpoenas and trial proceedings from "The Royal High Court of the Raging Main" (which were meant to be a joke) from Truman's voyage on the in 1947.
Other materials at the Truman Library relating to William M. Rigdon and his duties as Assistant Naval Aide include oral history interviews with Commander William M. Rigdon and Donald J. MacDonald, the Leo W. Roberts Papers, the Robert Dennison Papers, and the President's Travel Logs, which were prepared by Rigdon. Other collections of Rigdon Papers are available at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, New York is the first presidential library built in the United States. It was conceived and built under the direction of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt from 1939 to 1940.- History :...
and at Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University is a national public university located on a campus in Statesboro, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1906, it is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia offering 117 academic majors in a comprehensive...
.