Roberts, Leo W. Papers

Supply and Commissary Officer, USS Williamsburg, 1950-1952; Presidential Mess Officer, 1950-1952; White House Aide, 1950-1952.

The papers of Leo W. Roberts contain approximately eighty photographs (with written descriptions by Roberts) of President Truman and his staff at the presidential vacation homes and on the presidential yacht, the USS Williamsburg and of other subjects; correspondence; printed material; newspaper clippings; and Roberts's written comments on his duties aboard the presidential yacht, as Presidential Mess Officer, and as a White House Aide.

Size: Less than one-half of a linear foot (approximately 300 pages).
Access: Open.
Copyright: Copyright in the unpublished writings of Leo W. Roberts in this collection has been donated to the United States Government. Documents created by U.S. Government employees in the course of their official duties are in the public domain. Copyright interest in any other writings in this collection is assumed to remain with the authors of the documents, or their heirs.
Processed by: Jay Sexton as part of the Internship Program at the Truman Library.
Supervising Archivists: Randy Sowell and Amy Williams.

The papers of Leo W. Roberts consist for the most part of materials relating to Roberts's duties from 1950 to 1952 as Supply and Commissary Officer aboard the presidential yacht, the USS Williamsburg; as Presidential Mess Officer; and as a White House Aide. During this period, Roberts was a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy.

The Roberts Papers are arranged in a single series, a Subject File, mostly consisting of materials removed from two souvenir albums that Roberts compiled and gave to the Truman Library in 1996. These materials include approximately eighty photographs, most of which depict President Truman, his family, and members of his official staff on board the Williamsburg and at the President's vacation homes, the "Little White House" in Key West, Florida, and "Shangri-La" (later renamed Camp David) in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland. The U.S. Navy was responsible for President Truman's comfort while he was aboard the presidential yacht and during his vacations at Key West or Shangri-La. Of particular note here are a series of photographs of President Truman and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, taken during an Anglo-American conference aboard the Williamsburg in January, 1952. There are also a few photographs of Roberts and his family in the collection. The photographs are accompanied by useful handwritten descriptions provided by Roberts. The collection contains photocopies of the photographs and descriptions, along with cross reference sheets for the original items, which have been transferred to the Truman Library's audiovisual collection. The papers also contain printed material, newspaper clippings, correspondence, memorabilia, Roberts's written reflections on this part of his naval career, menus for special dinners aboard the Williamsburg, and a color poster depicting the presidential yacht.

The collection documents Roberts's duties as supply officer for the Williamsburg, his role in establishing the White House Staff Mess in 1951, and his concurrent responsibilities as one of the White House Aides-a group of officers from each branch of the armed services who assisted the President and First Lady at state dinners, receptions, and other social functions. The papers also contain general information about presidential yachts, and some documentation of other aspects of Roberts's life and career.

Other materials at the Truman Library concerning the Williamsburg and related duties performed by Lt. Commander Roberts during this period include the papers of Robert Dennison and William Rigdon; the Robert Dennison Files, which are part of the Staff Member and Office Files of the Harry S. Truman Papers; and a number of oral history interviews, particularly those with Donald J. MacDonald and William Rigdon. The Library's Vertical File also contains information about the Williamsburg and other presidential yachts.