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Letters sent from JFK

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Permalink Reply by Herman Darvick on March 25, 2018 at 12:37pm

When John F Kennedy first entered Congress in 1947 he was asked for his signature to be used as his printed free frank on his envelopes. In 1947, he signed the way it is signed on your 1958 letter. He never signed that way after 1947-1948. Your signature was signed by a secretary in 1958 copying his signature from his original 1947 free franked envelope.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Lovato on March 25, 2018 at 3:23pm

Dear Herman,

Since this letter came from JFK's office who could have signed it. Sgt. Lewis worked for my Dad at the time and was asking the JFK to get his orders changed so he didn't have to go to Korea. So we know that his orders got changed as a result of JFK's office reaching out to the general commanding. So as I am told that the signature is not JFK who in his office would have signed it?

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Permalink Reply by Rick Meyer on March 25, 2018 at 4:23pm

Probably whoever was responsible for his constituent mail. Would be nearly impossible to know who exactly that person was. He probably had many. Even today congressmen and senators reply to these inquiries. If the congressman or senator is a popular figure like say John McCain their mail is signed by others or by autopen. First time I've seen one replied to claiming to furnish the actual correspondence they received back from the senator's inquiry. Interesting letter though.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Lovato on March 25, 2018 at 4:54pm

Would it help to get the letter sent by the commanding general? Or the change in orders that my Dad had to issue?

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Permalink Reply by Rick Meyer on March 25, 2018 at 5:31pm

Not really. The signature still wouldn't be JFK. It's signed by somebody else and who knows who that could be.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Lovato on March 25, 2018 at 5:51pm

Here is a copy of Special Orders issued by Herbert M. Jones Maj. General, United States Army, The Adjutant General as referred to in the letter to Sgt. Lewis. Does something like this help?

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Permalink Reply by Herman Darvick on March 25, 2018 at 8:20pm

One of JFK's secretaries who was authorized to sign letters in his name signed it. The content is authentic.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Lovato on March 26, 2018 at 11:02am

Yes, I wonder if his office distinguished between ordinary constituency letters and one that might impact on a military career, as in this case.

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Permalink Reply by goodcat on March 26, 2018 at 11:05am

Chris

This is not an authentic signature.

There are no other ways to say this.

Be very happy that Herman took the time to comment

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Lovato on March 26, 2018 at 11:13am

Yes, Herman said that it is probably the secretary who was authorized to sign letters related to military matters within his office. Apparently, JFK had several different people authorized to sign different types of correspondence. It appears that this signature may have been copied from JFK's original signature card he signed when he first was elected Senator. It would be interesting to see other letters dealing with military matters coming from his office to see if this same secretary's signature is used. The nice thing is that I have all the correspondence related to this and it fills out the history of the interaction. So even if JFK did not sign this at least we have the history of this letter. Thanks for your help.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Lovato on March 26, 2018 at 11:21am

I note that the letter submitted by Andreas Wiemer on Aug. 25, 2011, was also signed with this signature and it too relates to military matters. Seems like a pattern, of the same person signing military related correspondence.