Carl Vinson: Patriarch of the Armed Forces

Abstract

Carl Vinson, Congressman, was one of most important and influential individuals in naval affairs. He not only mastered traditions, processes, and rules of House of Representatives where he served for a half century, but also acquired a vast and detailed knowledge of naval matters (and later armed services in general) and displayed consummate skill in drafting and managing legislation designed to modernize and strengthen Navy in particular and armed forces and national defense in general.Known as Georgia Swamp Fox or the Admiral, Vinson was an astute and crafty tactician in political arena with an incredibly acute sense of timing, who knew how to play pork barrel politics and knew when and how to compromise. For most of his tenure in Congress he was either chairman or ranking minority member of Naval Affairs/Armed Services Committee. In time, he came to wield enormous power in shaping naval and military policies. In many respects, he was principal architect of nation's modern defense system. Organized chronologically and written in lean, graceful prose, this work is based upon deep and wide-ranging research in both primary and secondary sources. This study is all more remarkable in view of fact that Vinson did not write an autobiography, keep a diary, or preserve his personal papers. This cogent and readable biography of Carl Vinson is also story of America and South in a time of transition and change. Vinson once said, It takes genius to commit story of a crusty old man like myself into something readable. James F. Cook has achieved this, and Vinson would be impressed.