James Roosevelt

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For other persons named James Roosevelt, see James Roosevelt (disambiguation).

James Roosevelt
December 23, 1907(1907-12-23) – August 13, 1991 (aged 83)
BGen James Roosevelt
Place of birth	New York City, New York
Place of death	Newport Beach, California
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1936-1959 (USMCR)
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	2nd RaiderBn
Commands	4th RaiderBn
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Makin Battle of Okinawa
Awards	Navy Cross Silver Star
Other work	U.S. Congress (California)

James Roosevelt (December 23, 1907 – August 13, 1991) was the oldest son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. He was born in New York City at 125 E. 36th Street and graduated from Harvard University in 1930. His siblings were Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Elliott Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and John Aspinwall Roosevelt. Roosevelt married Betsey Cushing, one of the famous Cushing sisters. They were divorced in 1940, after having moved to Hollywood, California, where James had accepted a job with Samuel Goldwyn.

During World War II he was second-in-command of the 2nd Raider Battalion of the Marine Raiders, an early US Marine commando unit organized and trained to conduct guerrilla-style attacks behind enemy lines. Eventually he retired at the rank of Brigadier General, winning the Navy Cross and Silver Star in combat. James suffered from having flat feet, so while other Marines were required to wear boots, he was allowed to wear sneakers.^{[citation needed]}

In 1950, Roosevelt was the Democratic nominee in the race for Governor of California. He was beaten handily by incumbent Earl Warren, who was elected for a third term.

Roosevelt was elected to the 84th Congress of the United States in November 1954, and served continuously from 1955 to 1965 as a Congressman from California.

In 1965, Roosevelt lost in an attempt to unseat Sam Yorty as Mayor of Los Angeles, California.

By the end of his life, he had had four wives and seven children. Roosevelt died in Newport Beach, California in 1991 of complications arising from a stroke and Parkinson's disease. He was 83 and the last surviving child of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.