Lot 60
Eisenhower Dwight 1890 - 1969 Shortly before he left with his wife on a two week fishing vacation in Wisconsin and Michigan, Eisenhower tells his World War II comrade and White House Chief of Staff in Fort Lauderdale, "While Mamie has never liked Florida I am sure that I, for one, could become a beachcomber without the slightest difficulty -- possibly even get so lazy that I would have no interest in fishing..."
Typed Letter Signed "Ike" with handwritten postscript signed "DE," 2 pages, 7" x 10.25", separate sheets. Gettysburg, Pa., July 7, 1965. To Major General Wilton B. Persons, his World War II comrade and last White House Chief of Staff, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On Ike's "DDE" gilt engraved stationery. Fine condition.
In part, "If I could be assured that you and Allie [his wife] are back on the rivers and lakes in search of the wily 'Bigmouths' then I would know that you are enjoying both life and health - While Mamie has never liked Florida I am sure that I, for one, could become a beachcomber without the slightest difficulty-- possibly even get so lazy that I would have no interest in fishing... the second volume of my WHITE HOUSE YEARS will be on the stands sometime this fall, probably about mid-October. Now I am engaged in work on a different kind of a book of reminiscences. Sometimes it is rather boring... Mamie and I seem in reasonable health and hope to go up into the northern Wisconsin woods for a week or so in the latter part of July..." Ike has penned * next to the paragraph about White House Years noting in the postscript "* P.S. I'll send you a copy. DE" Eisenhower was working on a book of reminiscences, published in 1967, called At Ease, Stories I Tell to Friends.
With retained unsigned carbon of Gen. Persons' August 6th reply. In part, "I am looking forward very keenly to the second volume of your WHITE HOUSE YEARS as I know that it will bring back many memories of our days of working together ..."
The letters can be read in their entirety in the images above. With original envelope bearing Eisenhower's 5 star metered free frank.
Provenance
Major General Wilton Burton "Jerry" Persons (1896-1977) served as the White House Chief of Staff to President Dwight D. Eisenhower from October 7, 1958 until January 20, 1961 and was Eisenhower's representative in the transition of government between the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations.
He was a career United States Army officer who had entered the U.S. Army Coast Artillery in 1917 and advanced through the ranks to Major General in 1944. He had served in both the American Expeditionary Force in World War I and in Europe in World War II. He headed the office of legislative liaison for the Department of Defense between 1948 and his retirement in 1949.
Major General Persons was called back to active duty as a special assistant to General Dwight D. Eisenhower at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe from 1951 - 1952 and was active on behalf of Eisenhower's presidential campaign in 1952. He became a Deputy Assistant to the President in 1953 and replaced Sherman Adams as Eisenhower's Chief of Staff in 1958.
Following the 1960 presidential election, Major General Persons was President Eisenhower's representative in the transition of government between the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations working out the details for a smooth transfer of government.
From the Estate of Major General Wilton B. Persons.
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