JFK Accepts Resignation of Sec. of the Army After Berlin Crisis and Bay of Pigs "In an uneasy period of international tension" Superb Content!

2pp, measuring 7" x 10.25", Washington, D.C., dated May 2, 1962. Signed "John Kennedy" and addressed to Hon. Elvis J. Stahr Jr., Secretary of the Army. On White House letterhead. There is a small tear at the right edge of the first page with mat burn from previous framing. Boldly signed, overall very good.

Kennedy writes that he regretfully accepts Stahr's resignation. Stahr had served as Secretary of the Army during Kennedy's first two years in office, during both the Berlin crisis and the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion, and was resigning to serve as president of Indiana University. Despite these political failures, Stahr was said to have been a competent leader -intelligent and down-to-earth - and Kennedy was sorry to see him leave. He wrote, in part: "It is with regret and reluctance that I accept your resignation…Your personal dedication to the task, and to the Army, has been an inspiration to the men and women of the United States Army…Your conduct of Army affairs has been an outstanding example of good management…In an uneasy period of international tension, under your leadership, the Army has effectively performed its mission... I have personally enjoyed our association. I sincerely appreciate your untiring service, and effectiveness with which you have met your manifold responsibilities."

Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr. (1916-1998) served as a lieutenant colonel in WWII before becoming U.S. Secretary of the Army from 1961-1962. Under his leadership were two major events of the Cold War: the Berlin Crisis and the Bay of Pigs Operation. The Berlin Crisis occurred between June 4 and November 9, 1961, during which time the USSR ordered the withdrawal of all armed forced from Berlin and erected the Berlin Wall. The Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed mission to oust Fidel Castro from power in Cuba and occurred at the height of the Cold War. It's failure led to increased tensions between the U.S., Cuba, and the Soviet Union and set the stage for the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. Stahr would end up missing the Cuban Missile Crisis by just five and a half months, in what would be the closest the Cold War came to a full-scale nuclear war.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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