One of the more interesting side notes to the wonderful Ruth Starr Rose art exhibition which closed on Sunday in Easton is the heartwarming tale of the special relationship between President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Moaney family from the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Now a Spy friend as directed us to a website devoted to Rolex Watches that documents with images and other documents this special relationship.
“This is a story of two American soldiers who met in London, England during World War II; one a General and one a Sergeant that both grew up on American Farms. After World War II they moved to Paris, then they both moved into the White House in Washington D.C. together. It is a story about friendship, loyalty, and two families that became one. It is a story about two gentlemen who took excellent care of each other.
Master Sergeant Moaney is pictured on the left in the Oval Office with President Eisenhower in the 1950s. Master Sergeant Moaney became President Eisenhower’s valet in England in 1942 and stayed Ike’s valet until Eisenhower died in 1969″
Read more here
Robert D Boyd says
Just to let you know of two coincidences. While at Gettysburg College in the 60’s I was injured playing football, so on Monday afternoon while the rest of the team was out practicing for the next opponent I was getting a diathermy treatment on my leg. All of a sudden Lefty, our trainer came in and pulled the curtain all around the training table. After awhile I heard some talking and the whirlpool starting up, then ‘ding’ the diathermy went off at which point I was done. So Lefty pulled the curtain back and there no more than 10 feet away was Ike, naked from the waist up with his arm in the whirlpool. He’d had a stroke and was getting his elbow worked on. What do you say to the most famous man in the world with nobody else around ?? Pres, general ? I was speechless and he smiled at me and gave me a little salute. That was it. He came to our games since he was originally a football coach and that was how he went from post to post as the camp’s football coach. Eventually he hooked up with MacArthur who introduced him to George C. Marshall and the rest is history… Read his autobiography ‘At Ease’ to get his life’s story. Great read.
Now the second part of the coincidence is my wife of 40 years spent time on her families farm in Easton called ‘Gross Coate’ and it was a very historical place where John Moaney lived until 1942 when he went to war. Aggie Tilghman Boyd’s cousin Tim played golf with Ike’s son, John, somewhere in the Easton area.
I now live in Florida and celebrated my 50th reunion of Gettysburg College, but couldn’t get to the ceremonies as I was in Alaska.
Julia Devereux Glynn says
Julia Devereux Glynn
June 21, 2016 (My 71st Birthday!)
Hello Robert,
I found your information very interesting and I enjoyed your football aspect of particular interest. I shall read ‘At Ease’, by President Dwight David Eisenhower. Your experience brought me back to my childhood.
Thank you for your remembrance.