Forrestal, James V. (1892-1949)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1949 Jun 2 p. 5

Birth date: 1892 Feb 15

text of obituary:

FORMER OFFICIAL COMMITTED SUICIDE

Former Secretary of Defense James V. Forrestal was buried in Arlington cemetery on Wednesday May 25, after having committed suicide on the previous Sunday.

The 57-year-old Forrestal died in the early hours of May 22 in a leap from the tower at Bethesda naval hospital, where he had been under treatment for a mental illness.

The former secretary’s end was doubly tragic since it was discovered he had spent his last hours reading ancient Greek literature which spoke only of hopelessness and despair.