Herbert Hoover Jr.

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Herbert Hoover Jr.
19th United States Under Secretary of State
In office
October 4, 1954 – February 5, 1957
PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded byWalter B. Smith
Succeeded byChristian Herter
Personal details
Born
Herbert Charles Hoover

(1903-08-04)August 4, 1903
London, England
DiedJuly 9, 1969(1969-07-09) (aged 65)
Pasadena, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Margaret Eva Watson
​
(m. 1925)​
Children3
Parents
RelativesAllan Hoover (brother)
Education

Herbert Charles Hoover (August 4, 1903 – July 9, 1969), better known as Herbert Hoover Jr., was a British-born American engineer, businessman, and politician who served as United States

Under Secretary of State from 1954 to 1957.[1] He was the elder son of President Herbert Hoover
.

Biography

Hoover playing with his father in 1905

Early years, 1903–1928

Herbert Charles Hoover was born in London on August 4, 1903. He was the elder son of President

hearing impairment that affected him for the rest of his life.[5] Hoover began taking an interest in radio sets at age 14.[6] He attended his father's alma mater, Stanford University, graduating with a degree in general engineering in 1925. He later studied at the Harvard Business School and was awarded a Master of Business Administration with distinction before winning a fellowship from the Daniel Guggenheim Fund to study aviation economics.[7][8] His work focused on the economics of radio in the aviation sector.[8]

Aviation radio, 1928–1930

Herbert Hoover Jr., on the cover of Time, July 14, 1930

In 1928, Herbert Jr was hired by

Pan American World Airways and Curtiss-Wright also agreed to participate.[8]) Hoover was selected as the first president of Aeronautical Radio Inc., a selection that led to Time magazine putting Hoover on its July 14, 1930 cover.[8]

Geophysical engineer and adviser to foreign governments, 1930–1953

Hoover did not stay at Western Air Express, however. During the 1930 election, there were rumors that Western Air Express had only won certain government contracts because of Hoover's status as the president's son, and saying that Hoover's advancement owed more to his famous name than his talent. Hoover submitted a letter of resignation in response to the allegations.

Herbert Hoover Birthplace
at this time.

Hoover's interest in radio next turned him to the field of exploration geophysics, and the use of radio to prospect for oil.[9] He founded United Geophysical, headquartered in Pasadena, California, in 1935 and by 1939 he had 200 employees working in five labs perfecting the art of exploring for oil by seismological means.[9] In 1937, he founded a related company, Consolidated Engineering Corporation, which focused on instrument manufacturing.[10]

Hoover's

United States armed forces during World War II.[10]

In 1943, President of Venezuela Isaías Medina Angarita invited Hoover to advise the Venezuelan government in the negotiation of oil contracts with foreign governments.[10] While there, Hoover oversaw a substantial rewriting of Venezuela's oil laws, which would provide a model for other countries in the years to come.[10]

In 1944, the new

Royal Dutch Shell, and the Soviet Union all sought access to the Iranian oil fields.[11]
Hoover provided the Iranian government with technical advice about the size of their oil reserves to allow the Iranian government to negotiate a fair deal.

United Geophysical was later bought by

Union Oil, though Hoover stayed on as president of the company.[6]
Consolidated Engineering went public in 1945 and Hoover sold all of his stock.

Special Envoy, 1953–1954

In the wake of the

Compagnie Française des Pétroles, a French Company, to receive 6%. Iran got now 25% of the profits compared to 20% of the original treaty with the AIOC. Officials at the United States Department of State praised Hoover's conduct during these negotiations as the greatest one-man performance since John Foster Dulles' work during the negotiations over the Treaty of San Francisco.[6]

Under Secretary of State, 1954–1957

Eisenhower was impressed by Hoover's performance as well.

Senate confirmation, he would serve as Under Secretary of State from October 4, 1954 until February 5, 1957. Hoover was initially criticized for his performance, in particular because his hearing impairment led to the perception he was gruff and his insistence on perfection led to the perception he was indecisive.[14] Owing to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles' frequent illnesses, Hoover was often Acting Secretary of State, and in this capacity made two decisions widely regarded as missteps: (1) he rejected a Chinese overture in April 1955 to negotiate agreements that could prevent war between the two countries; and (2) indecision as to whether to ship 18 tanks to Saudi Arabia in winter 1955 over the objections of Israel.[14] By late 1956, however, Hoover was generally regarded as having learned the job, and was seen as a capable manager when Dulles was hospitalized.[14]

Amateur radio

Hoover was an amateur radio operator holding the call W6ZH. He was elected as President of the American Radio Relay League in 1962; the primary representative organization of amateur radio operators to the U.S. government.

Death

Hoover died at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena on July 9, 1969. He had suffered a sudden stroke three days earlier on July 6 and never regained consciousness.[15][16]

Family

Herbert Charles Hoover married Margaret Eva Watson in 1925. They had three children: Margaret Ann Hoover Brigham (March 17, 1926 – February 14, 2011), Herbert "Pete" Hoover III (November 5, 1927– February 4, 2010), and Joan Leslie Hoover (April 12, 1930 – May 10, 2002).[16]

References

  1. ^ Lawrence Kestenbaum. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Hoopes to Hopkin". politicalgraveyard.com.
  2. ^ Hart, Craig (2004). A genealogy of the wives of the American presidents and their first two generations of descent. North Carolina, Jefferson: McFarland & Co., Inc., p. 129
  3. ^ Nash, George H. The Life of Herbert Hoover: The Engineer, 1874–1920 (New York: Norton, 1983), page 673.
  4. ^ Cameron Hawley, "The Honored Name I Bear?", Life, Oct 11, 1954
  5. ^ a b c d Cameron Hawley, "The Honored Name I Bear?", Life, Oct 11, 1954.
  6. ^ a b c d "The Administration: Hoover to Smith", Time, Aug. 30, 1954.
  7. ^ "HOOVER, Jr. HONORED". The Oregon Statesman (Newspaper). 6 March 1928. p. 2.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Aeronautics: Aeronautical Radio Inc.", Time, July 14, 1930.
  9. ^ a b "Science: Prospector's Son", Time, Jul. 10, 1939.
  10. ^ a b c d Cameron Hawley, "The Honored Name I Bear?", Life, Oct 11, 1954, p. 182.
  11. ^ a b "Oil: Missions to Tehran", Time, Oct. 23, 1944.
  12. ^ "Office of the Historian - Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952 - 1954", Time, Nov. 19, 1956.
  13. ^ "Dwight D. Eisenhower: Letter to Herbert Hoover Jr., on His Contribution to the Settlement of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Dispute". ucsb.edu.
  14. ^ a b c "The Administration: Keeping the Shop", Time, Nov. 19, 1956.
  15. ^ "Herbert Hoover Jr. Dies at Age of 65". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs CA. 10 July 1969. p. 2. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Herbert Hoover, Jr". Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. National Park Service. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2019.

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Louis D. Brandeis
 Cover of Time
July 14, 1930 		Succeeded by
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