James Vincent Forrestal, the son of an Irish immigrant, was born in Matteawan, New York on 15th February 1892.
In 1940 Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Forrestal as one of his advisers. His duties included working as a liaison officer between the president, the Treasury Department and other governmental financial agencies. Roosevelt was impressed with Forrestal and in August 1940 he was appointed under secretary of the navy with special responsibility for procurement and production. In 1941 Forrestal went to London to negotiate the Lend-Lease agreement.
When William Knox died on 23rd April 1944, Forrestal became the new Secretary of the Navy. In this post he visited the Pacific three times and Europe twice and watched the D-Day landings in June, 1944. Forrestal held the post until September 1947 when he became Secretary of Defense. In 1946, as a Secretary of War he supervised the Operation "Highjump" to the Antarctic, led by Admiral Byrd that reported directly to him.
In 1947 he was recognized as a member of Majestic-12 (MJ-12), the code name of an alleged secret committee of scientists, military leaders, and government officials, formed in 1947 by an executive order by U.S. President Harry S. Truman to facilitate recovery and investigation of alien spacecraft. (He was commissioned as part of the group who investigated the UFO Roswell incident).
In 1940 Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Forrestal as one of his advisers. His duties included working as a liaison officer between the president, the Treasury Department and other governmental financial agencies. Roosevelt was impressed with Forrestal and in August 1940 he was appointed under secretary of the navy with special responsibility for procurement and production. In 1941 Forrestal went to London to negotiate the Lend-Lease agreement.
When William Knox died on 23rd April 1944, Forrestal became the new Secretary of the Navy. In this post he visited the Pacific three times and Europe twice and watched the D-Day landings in June, 1944. Forrestal held the post until September 1947 when he became Secretary of Defense. In 1946, as a Secretary of War he supervised the Operation "Highjump" to the Antarctic, led by Admiral Byrd that reported directly to him.
In 1947 he was recognized as a member of Majestic-12 (MJ-12), the code name of an alleged secret committee of scientists, military leaders, and government officials, formed in 1947 by an executive order by U.S. President Harry S. Truman to facilitate recovery and investigation of alien spacecraft. (He was commissioned as part of the group who investigated the UFO Roswell incident).
the story of James Forrestal
However, in 1949, he was abruptly removed from his functions and hospitalized in the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He was completely isolated not allowing him any contact with the outside world, (nor even with his wife Josephine). Soon later, on the early morning of May the 22th, he allegedly committed suicide jumping from his room in the 16th floor, wearing only his bottom pajama.
Since then, doubts have existed about Forrestal's death and whether it was effectively a suicide or perhaps he was assassinated because his knowledge and political points of view.
Since then, doubts have existed about Forrestal's death and whether it was effectively a suicide or perhaps he was assassinated because his knowledge and political points of view.
