August Adolph Gennerich

August Adolph Gennerich (February 10, 1887 – December 1, 1936) was an American police officer, U.S. Secret Service Agent, and the bodyguard of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Early life Gennerich was born on February 10, 1887, in Yorkville, Manhattan, New York. The very first executive order issued by the newly appointed President Roosevelt was Order 6071, which ensured Gennerich would be able to resume his position as Roosevelt's bodyguard immediately. Gennerich had grown close to Roosevelt and his family; Eleanor Roosevelt said in an edition of her newspaper column My Day that "He was cheerful, kindly and always willing to think of other people. He would play the piano for hours to amuse the children at Warm Springs. One and all they loved him."

Death

Gennerich died of a heart attack in the early hours of December 1, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while dancing in a restaurant. Gennerich was 50. Following his death, his body was returned to Washington DC on the In a letter to his wife shortly after Gennerich's death, Franklin Roosevelt wrote "Good old Gus was the kind of loyal friend who simply cannot be replaced".