James H. Douglas Jr.

James Henderson Douglas Jr. (March 11, 1899 – February 24, 1988) was an American lawyer and government official who was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, serving under both President Herbert Hoover and President Franklin Roosevelt. During the Eisenhower Administration, he served in the United States Department of Defense as Secretary of the Air Force and Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Early life Douglas grew up in the Lake Forest area near Chicago, Illinois. His family was quite wealthy, having co-founded the Quaker Oats Company.

He attended Princeton University, where he received a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army in 1918. He was initially assigned to Camp Hancock, Georgia. World War I ended before he could join a unit in Europe. After the war he returned to Princeton where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1920. He attended Corpus Christi College, Cambridge for a year prior to returning the United States to study law at Harvard University, graduating with a law degree in 1924.

Law and public service James H. Douglas Jr. during his tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Douglas was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1925, and joined the Chicago law firm of Winston, Strawn & Shaw, but left the firm after only a year to pursue opportunities in the investment banking. He join investment banking firm of Field, Glore & Company in 1929.

World War II Colonel James H. Douglas Jr. during his World War II Service within U.S. Army Air Force Douglas served in the Army Air Forces during World War II. He had duty assignments in South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, rising from Major (United States) to Colonel in three and a half years. Much of his service time was spent in senior AAF staff positions including deputy chief of staff of the Air Transport Command and chief of staff for Air Training Command. He volunteered to accompany Brig. Gen. William H. Tunner to India as a staff member when Tunner was assigned to command the Hump Airlift in September 1944. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his war time service. He authorized the Air Force Commendation Medal to replace the Army version of the award. Douglas advised the President regarding a course of action in response to The Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik I in October 1957. He also reaffirmed the 1925 court-martial verdict against air power advocate Brigadier General Billy Mitchell. He said the court was correct to have found Mitchell guilty of publicly attacking his superiors, but noted that time had proved Mitchell was right about the unique value of air power. As a result several of The Air Force bases are being transferred into Strategic Air Command's jurisdiction such as Bunker Hill Air Force Base in Indiana (later known as Grissom Air Force Base) and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. In 1957 under Secretary Douglas's direction, the Air Force sent several of their airmen in order to act as advisory and to train the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) and the RVNAF also began to receive several new U.S.-made aircraft such as the T-28A/B Trojan.

On January 18, 1961, President Eisenhower presented Douglas with the Medal of Freedom for his distinguished service to the United States. The citation recognized Douglas for his "many contributions to the nation's security". It also cited his "sound judgment, wise leadership and great devotion to his country", and his "firm and unyielding dedication to principles of good government".

Later years

When he left the Department of Defense, Douglas once again returned to his law practice in Chicago. He served on the board of directors for American Airlines, March & McLennan, Chicago Title and Trust Company, and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. He was a trustee of the University of Chicago for 55 years. Over his long career in law and government, Douglas was awarded honorary law doctorates from Princeton, Lake Forest College, and Grinnell College. He died of cancer in Lake Forest, Illinois on February 24, 1988, and was buried at Lake Forest Cemetery. He was 88 years old.