Princeton Receives Papers and Diaries Of James Forrestal

Princeton recently received the personal papers of James Forrestal, the first Secretary of Defense. The papers, composing documents, manuscripts, and diaries are in Nassau's Firestone Library.

The Forrestal papers were presented to Princeton in two donations. Forrestal's widow and son, Michael V. and Peter O. Forrestal, gave the initial donation. The papers are not available to the public because of their personal matter.

Laurance S. Rockefeller and Clarence Dillon '05, a close friend of Forrestal, donated the rest of the documents which Dillon purchased from the New York Herald Tribune. The papers were the foundation of the "Forrestal Diaries", a series of articles published in the Tribune in 1951.

In 1940 President Roosevelt chose Forrestal as his administrative assistant. Forrestal later became Undersecretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Navy, and Secretary of Defense when that post was authorized under the National Security Act of 1947.

Princeton plans to establish a Forrestal Study where certain photographs, modals and appointment certificates will be displayed.