JFK PRESENTS MEDAL OF FREEDOM THEN STEPS OUT THE DOOR
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On January 28, 1961, President John F. Kennedy presented the Medal of Freedom* to retiring Secretary-General of NATO Paul-Henri Spaak** in the oval office.
Then, according to Richard Reeves, JFK shook hands with some ambassadors and then "stepped out the door not knowing exactly where he was... opened another door to the bathroom."
Reeves writes...
"He stayed there in solitary dignity until Spaak and the others left his office."
*The Medal of Freedom, established by President Truman to honor civilian service during WWII, is the highest civilian award of the United States. In 1963, JFK established the Presidential Medal of Freedom by E.O. 11085 which offered higher prestige.
**Paul-Henri Spaak (1879-1972) was born in Belgium & received his law degree from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. PHS was also a tennis star on the Belgian team in 1922.
PHS entered politics as a Deputy in 1932 & was elected chairman of the 1st session of the UN General Assembly. He served as Sec-Gen of NATO from 1957 to 1961.
"President Kennedy: Profile Of Power", by Richard Reeves, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1993.
Spaak Receives Charlemagne Prize
May 30, 1957
German Federal Archives
CC BY-SA 3.0
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On January 28, 1961, President John F. Kennedy presented the Medal of Freedom* to retiring Secretary-General of NATO Paul-Henri Spaak** in the oval office.
Then, according to Richard Reeves, JFK shook hands with some ambassadors and then "stepped out the door not knowing exactly where he was... opened another door to the bathroom."
Reeves writes...
"He stayed there in solitary dignity until Spaak and the others left his office."
*The Medal of Freedom, established by President Truman to honor civilian service during WWII, is the highest civilian award of the United States. In 1963, JFK established the Presidential Medal of Freedom by E.O. 11085 which offered higher prestige.
**Paul-Henri Spaak (1879-1972) was born in Belgium & received his law degree from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. PHS was also a tennis star on the Belgian team in 1922.
PHS entered politics as a Deputy in 1932 & was elected chairman of the 1st session of the UN General Assembly. He served as Sec-Gen of NATO from 1957 to 1961.
SOURCE
"President Kennedy: Profile Of Power", by Richard Reeves, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1993.
Spaak Receives Charlemagne Prize
May 30, 1957
German Federal Archives
CC BY-SA 3.0
