"GET DOWN, MR. PRESIDENT!"

TRUMAN ESCAPES WOULD-BE ASSASSINS AT BLAIR HOUSE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On November 1, 1950, seventy-five years ago today, President Harry S Truman narrowly escaped an assassination attempt as he was taking his customary afternoon nap at the Blair House in the Nation's Capital.

It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon when two Puerto Rican nationalists*, a.k.a. 'independistas' approached Blair House from opposite directions.

The pair were quickly engaged in a desperate gun battle with police officers and secret service agents.

Griselio Torresola was killed and Oscar Collazo** was shot in the chest as he reached the steps of Blair House.

Officer Leslie Coffelt, who took down Torresola, died later in the day from multiple gunshot wounds.

The President was awakened from his nap by the shots and immediately went to the window to see what was going on.  Secret service agents shouted, "Get down!"  Mr. Truman obeyed the command.

JFK+50

Although not a secret service agent, Leslie Coffelt is the only member of Secret Service detail to have been killed protecting the POTUS.  The Truman family had a single rose placed on Coffelt's gravestone at Arlington National Cemetery every day.

The would-be assassins came to Washington, D.C. from New York City & were staying at a hotel near the U.S. Capitol.  They took a taxi to an area near the White House & Blair House.

The Trumans had been living at Blair House for two years while  necessary repairs were being done to The White House.

*They were members of the New York chapter of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, founded in 1922, which advocated independence for Puerto Rico from the United States.  The men were particularly angered by U.S. reprisals in Torresola's hometown on Oct 31, 1950.

**Oscar Collazo survived & his death sentence was changed to life imprisonment by HST.  President Carter commuted him & OC died in 1994.

SOURCES

"The Plot to Kill President Truman," by Jessie Kratz, Pieces of History, National Archives, www.prologue.blogs.archives.gov/

"Truman Escapes Assassination Attempt At Blair House," JFK+50, November 1, 2011, www.jfk50.blogspot.com/

Blair House

Pennsylvania Ave

Washington, D.C.

Photo by John White (2003)

"ABRUPTLY TURNED AROUND & WENT BACK TO WHITE HOUSE"

COOLIDGE HAS EXTRA UNIFORMED OFFICER ON DAILY WALKS OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The Evening Star reports on September 24, 1925 that the chief of the White House Secret Service* "is inclined to favor (the) extra safeguard" of having a uniformed police officer "trail along" when President Calvin Coolidge goes for one of his daily strolls.

This comes after a motorist last Sunday "swung his car dangerously near" the President as he was walking outside the gates of the White House.

While Mr. Coolidge has not expressed an opinion on whether or not he favors the extra safeguard,  last evening when a bicycle policeman appeared at the gate as the President walked out,  Mr. Coolidge only walked a half-block and then "abruptly" turned around and returned to the White House.

*Apparently there was no single "head" of the White House Secret Service in 1925, but Agent Edmund Sterling was the "lead" agent for President Coolidge.

Agents Edmund Sterling & James 'Jim' Haley

with President & Mrs. Coolidge

1st Congregational Church

Washington, D.C.

Nov 26 1925

Source: Secret Service archivist (2012)

Library of Congress

National Photo Collection

"ONE DOZING AGAINST A ROCK, THE OTHER ASTRAY"

TWO MARINE PRESIDENTIAL GUARDS CHARGED WITH NEGLECT OF DUTY

Swampscott, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On August 24, 1925, "two...members of the President's special guard at White Court were placed under arrest (and) charged with neglect of duty."

One of the two Marines "was dozing against a rock" while the other was found to be a good distance from his assigned post."

Lieut. Wright of the yacht Mayflower personally placed the soldiers under arrest.  They were marched off to the guard house.

JFK+50 NOTE

President Coolidge and the First Lady were apparently not under any kind of threat due to this incident.  The Star says that there were "ten or so" United States Secret Service operatives at White Court.

SOURCE

"Two Coolidge Marine Guards Jailed, One Asleep, One Astray," by J. Russell Young, The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., August 24, 1925, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

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