Stuart Symington

But the Air Force was sort of a bastard child of the Army, much like the Marines with the Navy. Everything had to be done over by the Army after it had already been done by the Air Corps, a mess. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#air #air force #already #army #been

FDR had been Assistant Secretary of the Navy. They told me, now forgotten, just how many pictures of ships they took out of the White House after he died. But he could choose good men. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#assistant #been #choose #could #died

Hardly had I left when we ran into the Korean war, doubled what I had asked for and doubled it again. I had told him I would stay in Government, be honored to, but not with the Air Force. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#air #air force #asked #doubled #force

I believe the military should be wary of diplomacy until war is declared; then the State Department should keep its nose out and let the military do whatever is necessary to win. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#declared #department #diplomacy #i #i believe

I had learned many years ago in private business never to take responsibility without adequate authority; and the new Secretary of Defense, as budgets were sharply cut, quickly found that out. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#ago #authority #budgets #business #cut

If civilians are going to be killed, I would rather have them be their civilians than our civilians. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#going #i #killed #our #rather

In real danger sometimes even a democracy can really keep a secret. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#democracy #even #keep #real #real danger

In those days secrets were well kept. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#kept #secrets #those #well #were

It all went back to problems we had talked about before, you know, such as the British not believing in formation bombing and not believing in daytime bombing. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#back #before #believing #bombing #british

Later the Administration wanted me to actually sell all remaining surplus by running the War Assets Corporation. I said I couldn't do it without some shoe leather. ↗

— Stuart Symington

#administration #assets #corporation #i #later