Frederick Herman Korth (September 9, 1909 – September 14, 1998) served as the 56th U.S. Secretary of the Navy during 1962–63; he was also an Assistant Secretary of the Army in 1952–53.
Appointed as Navy Secretary by President John F. Kennedy on January 4, 1962, Korth resigned October 14, 1963 effective November 1, 1963. Various sources cite different reasons for Secretary Korth's departure.[1]
Korth was born in September 1909 in Yorktown, Texas, the son of Eleanor Maria (Stark) and Fritz R. J. Korth, who was a banker and rancher.[2] In later life, he lived in Coronado Country Club Estates, El Paso, Texas and Foxhall, Washington, D.C.
He was president of the Continental National Bank of Fort Worth, Texas. Continental National Bank was one of a number of banks which participated in a line of credit for the TFX (Tactical Fighter Experimental), which later emerged as the more well-known F-111 Aardvark. When asked about this alleged conflict of interest at a press conference, President Kennedy responded, "...I have no evidence that Mr. Korth acted in any way improperly in the TFX matter....I have no evidence that Mr. Korth benefited improperly during his term of office in the Navy, and I have no evidence, and you have not, as I understand the press has not produced any, nor the McClellan Committee, which would indicate that in any way he acted improperly in the TFX. I have always believed that innuendoes should be justified before they are made, either by me and the Congress, or even in the press."[3] A commentary in the May, 1985 edition of Proceedings magazine exonerates Korth for any improprieties relating to the awarding of TFX.
When he was not serving in the above public or private sector capacities, Fred Korth was a lawyer in private practice. One of his better known cases[4] was a small one heard June 24, 1948 in the County of Tarrant, Texas, when his client, Edwin A. Ekdahl, was officially divorced from Marguerite Frances Claverie Ekdahl (also known as Marguerite Oswald), whose son from a previous marriage was Lee Harvey Oswald.[5] Following the end of Korth's first marriage in 1964, he began a romantic relationship with heiress and socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post, daughter of breakfast-cereal magnate C. W. Post, twenty years his senior. He was a co-executor of Post's will. Part of her estate was her mansion on Palm Beach Island, Mar-a-Lago, purchased in 1980 by Donald Trump.
On August 23, 1980, he wed widowed Charlotte Brooks Williams.[6][7] Korth died in September 1998 in El Paso, Texas and is buried under a three-century-old Texas Live Oak tree on his ranch in Karnes County, Texas.
His stepdaughter, Melissa Williams O'Rourke, is the mother of former U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke.[8]
^Kennedy, John F. (October 31, 1963). "NEWS CONFERENCE 63, OCTOBER 31, 1963". News Conferences (Interview). Interviewed by News Press. Washington, D.C.: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
^UPI (November 28, 1963). "Oswald's Mom Cruel to Mate, Jury Held". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
^FBI Report (June 24, 1964). Edwin A. Ekdahl versus Marguerite C. Ekdahl (Report). Case Number 15537-D. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
^"Charlotte Brooks christening; from "Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church records 1900–1920 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)"". FamilySearch (in Latin). Retrieved March 27, 2019. ADNOTATIONES: Married – Frederick Herman Korth – Immaculate Conception – Washington, D.C. – 9/23/1980
^Beale, Betty (August 17, 1980). "Watergate More Than Political Scandal". The Indianapolis Star. North American Syndicate. Retrieved March 24, 2019. And former Secretary of the Navy Fred Korth was showing friends a photo of the good-looking El Paso, Texas, widow he will marry on Aug. 23 – Charlotte Williams – owner of El Paso's decorating and furnishing firm called Charlotte's.
^Hagan, Joe (March 13, 2019). "Riding Around with Beto O'Rourke as He Comes to Grips with a Presidential Run". Vanity Fair. Retrieved March 24, 2019. ... his grandfather through marriage, Fred Korth, a former secretary of the navy in the Kennedy administration.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fred Korth.
fred, korth, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2012, learn, w. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Fred Korth news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Frederick Herman Korth September 9 1909 September 14 1998 served as the 56th U S Secretary of the Navy during 1962 63 he was also an Assistant Secretary of the Army in 1952 53 Fred Korth57th United States Secretary of the NavyIn office January 4 1962 November 1 1963PresidentJohn F KennedyPreceded byJohn ConnallySucceeded byPaul B Fay Acting Personal detailsBornFrederick Herman Korth 1909 09 09 September 9 1909Yorktown Texas U S DiedSeptember 14 1998 1998 09 14 aged 89 El Paso Texas U S Political partyDemocraticSpousesVera Sansom Connell m 1934 div 1964 wbr Charlotte Marguerite Brooks m 1980 wbr EducationUniversity of Texas Austin BA George Washington University LLB Appointed as Navy Secretary by President John F Kennedy on January 4 1962 Korth resigned October 14 1963 effective November 1 1963 Various sources cite different reasons for Secretary Korth s departure 1 Contents 1 Life and career 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksLife and career editKorth was born in September 1909 in Yorktown Texas the son of Eleanor Maria Stark and Fritz R J Korth who was a banker and rancher 2 In later life he lived in Coronado Country Club Estates El Paso Texas and Foxhall Washington D C He was president of the Continental National Bank of Fort Worth Texas Continental National Bank was one of a number of banks which participated in a line of credit for the TFX Tactical Fighter Experimental which later emerged as the more well known F 111 Aardvark When asked about this alleged conflict of interest at a press conference President Kennedy responded I have no evidence that Mr Korth acted in any way improperly in the TFX matter I have no evidence that Mr Korth benefited improperly during his term of office in the Navy and I have no evidence and you have not as I understand the press has not produced any nor the McClellan Committee which would indicate that in any way he acted improperly in the TFX I have always believed that innuendoes should be justified before they are made either by me and the Congress or even in the press 3 A commentary in the May 1985 edition of Proceedings magazine exonerates Korth for any improprieties relating to the awarding of TFX When he was not serving in the above public or private sector capacities Fred Korth was a lawyer in private practice One of his better known cases 4 was a small one heard June 24 1948 in the County of Tarrant Texas when his client Edwin A Ekdahl was officially divorced from Marguerite Frances Claverie Ekdahl also known as Marguerite Oswald whose son from a previous marriage was Lee Harvey Oswald 5 Following the end of Korth s first marriage in 1964 he began a romantic relationship with heiress and socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post daughter of breakfast cereal magnate C W Post twenty years his senior He was a co executor of Post s will Part of her estate was her mansion on Palm Beach Island Mar a Lago purchased in 1980 by Donald Trump On August 23 1980 he wed widowed Charlotte Brooks Williams 6 7 Korth died in September 1998 in El Paso Texas and is buried under a three century old Texas Live Oak tree on his ranch in Karnes County Texas His stepdaughter Melissa Williams O Rourke is the mother of former U S Representative Beto O Rourke 8 See also edit nbsp Biography portalSuite 8F GroupReferences edit Thompson Robert E October 15 1963 Navy Sec y Korth Quits After Row With McNamara Boston Globe Boston MA Retrieved December 14 2018 Current Biography Yearbook 1962 Kennedy John F October 31 1963 NEWS CONFERENCE 63 OCTOBER 31 1963 News Conferences Interview Interviewed by News Press Washington D C John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Retrieved December 14 2018 UPI November 28 1963 Oswald s Mom Cruel to Mate Jury Held Detroit Free Press Detroit Michigan Retrieved December 14 2018 FBI Report June 24 1964 Edwin A Ekdahl versus Marguerite C Ekdahl Report Case Number 15537 D Retrieved December 14 2018 Charlotte Brooks christening from Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church records 1900 1920 Milwaukee Wisconsin FamilySearch in Latin Retrieved March 27 2019 ADNOTATIONES Married Frederick Herman Korth Immaculate Conception Washington D C 9 23 1980 Beale Betty August 17 1980 Watergate More Than Political Scandal The Indianapolis Star North American Syndicate Retrieved March 24 2019 And former Secretary of the Navy Fred Korth was showing friends a photo of the good looking El Paso Texas widow he will marry on Aug 23 Charlotte Williams owner of El Paso s decorating and furnishing firm called Charlotte s Hagan Joe March 13 2019 Riding Around with Beto O Rourke as He Comes to Grips with a Presidential Run Vanity Fair Retrieved March 24 2019 his grandfather through marriage Fred Korth a former secretary of the navy in the Kennedy administration External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fred Korth NameBase link permanent dead link Archive Archived 2020 10 22 at the Wayback Machine Government officesPreceded byJohn B Connally Jr United States Secretary of the NavyJanuary 4 1962 November 1 1963 Succeeded byPaul B Fay Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fred Korth amp oldid 1181704868, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
