In 1938, the President stated "I am keen about this place (Pensacola). I am keen about its people, and I am keen about its future!" And to solidify his statement, Roosevelt chose to visit the quiet, coastal town as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1913 and as the American president in 1938 and twice again in 1940.
His first visit was November 17, 1913 where he toured, to name a few, the Pensacola's harbor, Navy Yard, Marine Hospital, Ft. Pickens, and the Ft. Barrancas barracks. This included sailing around the harbor aboard the harbor pilot's boat plus breakfast with Pensacola banker and businessman William K. Knowles. The base had been established in 1825 but abandoned due to the massive damage from the hurricane of 1906. His visit resulted in $65,000 made available for improvements to the Navy Yard for restoring and renovating the base into an advanced marine base.
His second visit was made on August 9, 1938 after he arrived aboard the cruiser (CA-30) USS Houston after a long cruise from San Diego through the Panama Canal to Pensacola. His personal train also arrived to return him to Washington since he rarely flew if he could help it. Upon arrival, he transferred to the destroyer (DD-358) USS McDougal and sailed to the NAS pier. One of the concerns to Pensacolians was the loss of their flight training program at NAS. Roosevelt responded that he had once before reopened their beloved Navy Yard in 1913 and he "considered himself the Godfather of Pensacola." Following an inspection of the area's naval facilities the President was escorted through downtown Pensacola in a long and well-guarded motorcade. Chief of Police Wm. O’Connell and Escambia Sheriff Hamp Gandy provided security for the procession. Chief Walter K. McAdory even arrived with fifteen troopers of the Alabama Highway Patrol to bolster the local security force. All roads that bordered his route were closed until his departure. The parade ended at the corner of Garden and Tarragona where the President's special train had backed up and stopped. Here, the Chief Executive boarded his special railcar called the “Marco Polo” and from its rear platform made a ten-minute speech to the gathered crowds. After a short speech, President Roosevelt entered the railcar and the train departed for Washington around 8:00 PM.
His third and fourth visit was actually part of the same trip. He stopped over in Pensacola on February 15, 1940 on his way to a Caribbean cruise and then visited again on his way back on March 1st. By 1940, Europe was at war and America knew it was only a matter of time before we were as well. A war in the Pacific would require a powerful Navy and Air Corps, which brought NAS Pensacola into focus. Roosevelt chose to visit here to inspect the naval aviation training facilities that he knew would play a vital role in the coming maelstrom. His prediction would prove correct when Pensacola was asked to train 30,000 pilots for the war in the Pacific. On February 14th, city workers hit the streets setting up fence barricades around a railroad siding located on Alcaniz Street between Garden and Gregory. They also built a platform for the President so that he could be carried off the train and placed in his Cadillac “phaeton” automobile for the motorcade through town. His train pulled out of Washington, D. C. on February 14th in a swirling Virginia snowstorm heading for the Gulf Coast and ten days of tarpon fishing in the waters between Pensacola and Tampa. While the President was en route, his security personnel traced his route through town, placing agents at strategic points where snipers might be tempted. One warehouse near the siding was closed because of its proximity to the presidential train and platform. Norven B. Averett, the US Marshall's Chief Deputy in Pensacola checked out everything and everyone that could offer the slightest danger to the president. All rooftops of any building over one story were checked & monitored especially the San Carlos Hotel. Any room facing his route and their occupants were checked for suspicious behavior.
The President’s train arrived on February 15, 1940 at 11:00 AM and backed up slowly to the railroad siding set aside for his specific use. After a few words from the railroad car’s platform, he was placed in his Cadillac for the motorcade trip through town. Thousands of Pensacolians lined the streets along his route, all shouting till they were hoarse. After an obligatory speech, he boarded the destroyer (DD-399) USS Lang before being transferred to the cruiser (CA-37) USS Tuscaloosa for his upcoming fishing cruise.
Upon his return on March 1, 1940, he had to wait out in the Gulf aboard the Tuscaloosa due to a severe fog before transferring once again to the USS Lang. Ft. Barrancas cannons signaled his approach to the city as the Navy ships gave him a 21-gun salute and the band played the national anthem. His 20-car motorcade proceeded through town to his waiting train which he boarded without a speech. He would never return to Pensacola and died in 1945.
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