Major General Harry Hawkins Vaughan (November 26, 1893 – May 20, 1981) was a senior officer in the United States Army Reserve and the aide to Harry S. Truman 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 New York Times; May 22, 1981
Early life and career Harry Hawkins Vaughan was born on November 26, 1893, in Glasgow, Missouri. In 1916, he graduated from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. With the United States' entry into World War I, 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. 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 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, and remained in the post until the end of Truman's presidency in 1953. When Truman was vice president, Vaughan went to Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau and demanded a Secret Service agent be assigned to Truman. Agent George Drescher became the first Secret Service agent assigned to a vice president.[Truman by David McCullough, pg 335]
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, Virginia's DeWitt Army Hospital on May 21, 1981. He was buried at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia.
Dates of rank + Rank Date Service Captain 1918 Missouri National Guard Major 1928 United States Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel 1935 United States Army Reserve Colonel 1943 United States Army Reserve Brigadier General 1945 United States Army Reserve Major General 1946 United States Army Reserve
See also List of members of the American Legion List of people from Missouri
References
Further reading
Greene, John Robert (2024). Little Helpers: Harry Vaughan, His Cronies, and Corruption in the Truman Administration. University of Missouri Press, .
External links
Official Harry H. Vaughan Papers at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum General information
Harry H. Vaughan at The Generals of WWII