<--PREV Doc #368  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #370 Document #369; October 4, 1957 To Neil Holser McElroy Series: EM, AWF, Administration Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVIII - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace Part III: The Space Age Begins; October 1957 to January 1958 Chapter 6: Sputnik and "the fears of our own people"   Dear Neil: As I sign your commission as Secretary of Defense, I am reminded of the purport of a statement I made when you and I were first discussing the possibility of your acceptance of this assignment. I remarked that, while I was keenly appreciative of the sacrifices you would make in order to serve your country in this Administration, in view of the circumstances now existing and your generally recognized qualifications for this difficult position, I felt justified in requesting you to undertake the duties of the office.1 Nevertheless, because of my understanding that too long an absence from your company would require a greater sacrifice on your part than seemed justified or necessary during what we hope will be normal years of peace, I also said that if you could serve approximately two years in the post, I could at that time find someone else to serve satisfactorily as Secretary of Defense. There is, of course, no reason for writing this note except the realization that man and his memory are frail and weak, and a permanent record of this understanding would not be out of order. Again my grateful thanks for joining us and my confidence that you will find your work challenging, interesting and--at times at least--enjoyable.2 With personal regard. Sincerely 1 On August 7, 1957, Eisenhower had named McElroy, president of Procter and Gamble since 1948, to replace Charles E. Wilson as Secretary of Defense. Wilson had informed the President during the summer of his decision to retire (for background on McElroy see Galambos and van Ee, The Middle Way, no. 1180). The Senate had confirmed McElroy's appointment without debate on August 19 (see Eisenhower, Waging Peace, p. 244; New York Times, Aug. 6, 7, 8, Oct. 10, 1957). See also Ann Whitman memorandum, Oct. 9, 1957, AWF/AWD. For Eisenhower's opinion of the success of the McElroy appointment see no. 472. 2 For developments see no. 389. Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Neil Holser McElroy, 4 October 1957. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 369. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/second-term/documents/369.cfm <--PREV Doc #368  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #370

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