Presidential Cabinet Secretary. He was the editor for the Poughkeepsie News Press New York, attended Princeton College and joined the investment banking house of William Read and Company, in 1916. During World War I, he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves. After the war, he returned to the investment banking house of William Read and Company, became its president in 1938 and was noted as a top Wall Street broker. In 1940, he was appointed administrative assistant to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and designated the first undersecretary of the Navy. With the death of Navy Secretary Frank Knox in 1944, President Roosevelt made Forrestal Secretary of the Navy serving until 1947. While in office as Secretary of the Navy, Forrestal traveled to combat zones in the Pacific Theater to see naval forces in action. In President Harry Truman's administration, he was appointed the first Secretary of Defense, in July 1948 and he served until he resigned in March of 1949, due to being mentally disturbed. He was then placed under psychiatric care at the Bethesda Naval Hospital where he committed suicide by jumping out of a window on the 16th floor at age 57.
Presidential Cabinet Secretary. He was the editor for the Poughkeepsie News Press New York, attended Princeton College and joined the investment banking house of William Read and Company, in 1916. During World War I, he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves. After the war, he returned to the investment banking house of William Read and Company, became its president in 1938 and was noted as a top Wall Street broker. In 1940, he was appointed administrative assistant to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and designated the first undersecretary of the Navy. With the death of Navy Secretary Frank Knox in 1944, President Roosevelt made Forrestal Secretary of the Navy serving until 1947. While in office as Secretary of the Navy, Forrestal traveled to combat zones in the Pacific Theater to see naval forces in action. In President Harry Truman's administration, he was appointed the first Secretary of Defense, in July 1948 and he served until he resigned in March of 1949, due to being mentally disturbed. He was then placed under psychiatric care at the Bethesda Naval Hospital where he committed suicide by jumping out of a window on the 16th floor at age 57.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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