Ralph Bard appointed as US Under Secretary of navy according to the Dutch newspaper Amigoe di Curacao dated 26 June 1944

An item reported that president Roosevelt (1) appointed Ralph Bard (2) as Under Secretary of Navy. Bard was until now Assistant Secretary. The newspaper Het Vaderland morning edition dated 15 1941 published a tiding received from New York that the Republican Ralph Bard was appointed by Roosevelt as deputy Secretary of Navy. Bard was called being a businessman from Chicago and since years a friend of Knox (3). Bards’ predecessor Compton (4) was forced to resign a month earlier due to health problems.

Notes

1. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (30 January 1882-12 April 1945), president 4 March 1933-12 April 1945.

2. Ralph Austin Bard (29 July 1884 Cleveland, Ohio-5 April 1975 Deerfield, Illinois) was a Chicago financier, Assistant Secretary of the Navy 24 February 1941-24 June 1944 and Under Secretary 24 June 1944-30 June 1945. He formally disagreed with using the atomic bomb against Japan without a proper warning in advance.

3 William Franklin Knox (1 January 1874 Boston, Massachusetts-28 April 1944 Washington, D.C.) , Secretary of the Navy between 11 July 1940 and 28 April 1944, he preceded Charles Edison and was himself succeeded by James V. Forrestal. Knox was further more newspaper editor and publisher. Member of the Republican Party.

4. Lewis Compton (7 November 1892 Perth Amboy, New Jersey-24 October 1942 New York), former naval officer and Assistant Secretary of the Navy 9 February 1940-13 February 1941.