Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Harry Hawkins Vaughan (November 26, 1893 – May 20, 1981) was a senior officer in the
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 2020 ...
and a military aide to
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...
during his time as vice president (1945) and president (1945 to 1953). He was one of Truman's closest advisors.
[Harry H. Vaughan, Major General Who Was An Aide To Truman, Dies](_blank)
''New York Times''; May 22, 1981
Early life and career
Harry Hawkins Vaughan was born on November 26, 1893, in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Missouri. In 1916, he graduated from
Westminster College in
Fulton, Missouri
Fulton is the largest city in and the county seat of Callaway County, Missouri, United States. Located about northeast of Jefferson City and the Missouri River and east of Columbia, the city is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri, Metropolita ...
. With the United States' entry into
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Vaughan was commissioned second lieutenant in the
Field Artillery and was assigned for military training at
Fort Sill,
Oklahoma.
During the training, Vaughan befriended another officer, future U.S. President
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...
. They were both assigned to the
129th Field Artillery Regiment within the
35th Division and sent to France. Vaughan participated in the
Battle of Saint-Mihiel
The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against ...
or the
Meuse-Argonne Offensive. He served as a liaison officer and battery commander, and for his service in combat, he was later decorated with two
Silver Stars and the
French Croix de Guerre.
Vaughan returned to active duty in World War II, was injured in a plane crash in 1943, and was assigned to the staff of the
Truman Committee. Truman made him the first vice presidential military aide in 1945; he continued as military aide to the president when Truman succeeded
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
, and remained in the post until the end of Truman's presidency in 1953. When Truman was vice president, Vaughan went to
Treasury Secretary
The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
Henry Morgenthau and demanded a
Secret Service
A secret service is a government agency, intelligence agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For ...
agent be assigned to him. Agent George Drescher became the first Secret Service agent assigned to a Vice President.
In the 1950s, Vaughan was accused of bribery. In 1951, White House Appointments Secretary
Matthew J. Connelly asked legal counsel
Max Lowenthal to help General Harry H. Vaughan in "setting up testimony."
Vaughan admitted repeated episodes of trading access to the White House for expensive gifts.
Death
Vaughan died at
Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It was developed on the site of the former Belvoir plantation, seat of the prominent Fairfax family for whom Fai ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
's
DeWitt Army Hospital on May 21, 1981. He was buried at
Ivy Hill Cemetery in
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C.
In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...
.
See also
*
List of people from Missouri
References
Further reading
*
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External links
*
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Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughan, Harry H.
1893 births
1981 deaths
20th-century American businesspeople
United States Army personnel of World War I
American football centers
Burials at Ivy Hill Cemetery (Alexandria, Virginia)
Military aides to the President of the United States
Military personnel from Missouri
People from Glasgow, Missouri
Recipients of the Silver Star
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)
Truman administration personnel
United States Army generals
Westminster Blue Jays football players
Corruption in the United States
United States Army generals of World War II