A Star for Elliott?

In four years of service the Army Air Forces had done well by the President's second son, 34-year-old Elliott Roosevelt. Totally inexperienced as a soldier or military airman when he was commissioned, he had learned fast, risen fast, by 1943 was a full colonel. What was more remarkable was that nonpilot Roosevelt had become the commander of a battle outfit (a photo reconnaissance group) in an organization which normally holds such posts open to pilots only.

Last week the Air Forces put a star on Elliott Roosevelt's career. General "Hap" Arnold included his name in a list of 78 colonels up for promotion to brigadier general. If the promotion was approved by the Senate, Colonel Roosevelt would become one of the few Air Forces combat generals, possibly the only one, who made the grade without the magic of a pilot's wings.

Airmen raised no public outcry at the promotion. Elliott had been a good officer, with plenty of nerve under fire, had directed a large part of the aerial mapping of West Africa and the Normandy coast before invasion. He had won the Air Medal and the D.F.C. Only question less favored airmen could ask was: would he have done so well if he had been just plain Joe Blow?

The Senate Military Affairs Committee, considering the nominations, was likely to ask the same question. Elliott was on their minds anyhow. Few days before his promotion was announced, the committee had decided to look into another matter--the priority which had been given by A.T.C. to Elliott's dog, Blaze.*

* For further news of Elliott's menagerie see PEOPLE.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.