Sidney Souers
1st Director of Central Intelligence
In office
January 23, 1946 – June 10, 1946
PresidentHarry S. Truman
DeputyKingman Douglass
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byHoyt Vandenberg
1st Executive Secretary of the U.S. National Security Council
In office
July 26, 1947 – December 21, 1949
PresidentHarry S. Truman
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byJames Lay
Personal details
Born(1892-03-30)March 30, 1892
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJanuary 14, 1973(1973-01-14) (aged 80)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
EducationPurdue University, West Lafayette
Miami University (BA)
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1929–1946
Rank Rear Admiral
Battles/warsWorld War II

Sidney William Souers (March 30, 1892 – January 14, 1973) was an American military intelligence officer who was the first person to hold the office of Director of Central Intelligence, being head of the National Intelligence Authority, the direct predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency.

From 1947 to 1949, Souers also served as Executive Secretary of the U.S. National Security Council, and was a close and trusted advisor of president Harry S. Truman.

Early life and education

Sidney Souers was born in Dayton, Ohio. He attended Purdue University and eventually Miami University, graduating from the latter in 1914 with a Bachelor of Arts. During his time at Miami, Souers was a member of the Kappa chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon.[1]

After completing his education, Souers was initially attracted to a business career. He was a founder and first president of the First Joint Stock Land Bank of Dayton, and also served as a high ranking business executive in New Orleans and later St. Louis for a number of notable companies, including Piggly Wiggly stores and Metropolitan Life Insurance.[2] He was among the co-founders of American Airlines.[3]

Career

World War II

Souers was called to active duty with the United States Navy on July 22, 1940, after serving eleven years in the naval reserves as an intelligence officer.[4] Initially commissioned as a lieutenant commander, Souers was promoted to full commander in February 1942 when he was assigned to command the Sixth Naval District, headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes in Chicago.[5][6] In May 1943, after a German U-boat was sunk by the U.S. Coast Guard off the South Carolina coast, Souers, along with Royal Navy commander Patrick W. Stone, was tasked with the interrogation of the submarine's crew.[7] Souers was appointed assistant director of the Office of Naval Intelligence on July 24, 1944. He was promoted to rear admiral and deputy chief of Naval Intelligence on November 8, 1945.[8][4] He was eventually relieved of active duty on July 22, 1946, after exactly six years of naval service.[4]

Director of Central Intelligence

Sidney Souers was appointed member of a joint committee of State, War and Navy department employees in December 1944, chaired by Ferdinand Eberstadt and tasked with creating what would become known as the Eberstadt Report. In the report, Souers argued for the creation of a new central intelligence organization after the war that was to be under civilian control. By late 1945, Souers' proposal had come to the attention of president Harry S. Truman, who personally ordered Souers to send a memo to Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on the president's approval of the proposition.[9]

Souers (third from left) meeting with President Truman at a White House meeting of the National Security Council, August 19, 1948

On January 22, 1946, the National Intelligence Authority was officially established, with president Truman appointing Souers as director of its Central Intelligence Group (CIG) division. Souers agreed to serve as interim director until a permanent director could be appointed. Souers was initially tasked with giving daily intelligence briefings to president Truman on current developments in intelligence and national security.[9] Despite being the inaugural holder of the office of Director of Central Intelligence, Souers was insistent on returning to his civilian business career, and was reluctantly relieved of his duties by president Truman on June 7, 1946 following the nomination of Hoyt Vandenberg as CIG director.[10]

Later career

Souers was soon called back to Washington when president Truman appointed him to serve as Executive Secretary of the National Security Council following its creation on July 26, 1947. In this capacity as a non-voting member, he met with the president daily as a personal informant on national security issues and planning. He was the first to brief Truman on the possible existence of a thermonuclear weapon, and remained a key figure in its development, being a major proponent of the establishment of an intelligence division within the Atomic Energy Commission.[4] In March 1949, following the retirement of Chief of Staff to the President Admiral William D. Leahy, Truman selected Souers to fill Leahy's duties of giving daily intelligence briefings in the White House.[11][12] Souers resigned from his position as Executive Secretary on December 21, 1949, though remained Truman's chief consultant on national security until the end of Truman's presidency in 1953.[3][13]

Souers was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by president Truman on December 2, 1952, for "keen foresight and tireless efforts toward fulfillment of a strong and effective security program".[14]

Death and legacy

Souers died at his home in St. Louis on January 15, 1973, aged 80.[3] Following his death, Miami University created the Admiral Sidney Souers Distinguished Alumni Award in 1977 at the bequest of his widow, Sylvia Nettle.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Admiral Sidney W. Souers Distinguished Alumni Award-Past Winners". www.miamialum.org. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
  2. ↑ "NEW ORLEANS MAN TO HEAD PIGGLY STORES". Memphis Commercial Appeal. 4 Mar 1925. p. 15.
  3. 1 2 3 "SIDNEY W. SOUERS, INTELLIGENCE AIDE; First Secretary of National Security Council Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Adair, Bianca. "The Silent Warrior: Rear Admiral Sidney Souers and the Emergence of CIA's Covert Action Authority" (PDF). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ "SIDNEY W. SOUERS RESIGNS". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 30 Dec 1940. p. 15.
  6. ↑ "Sidney Souers in Navy Intelligence Post". St. Louis Star and Times. 13 Feb 1942. p. 17.
  7. ↑ "Sub Crewmen Sink Teeth in Chicken and Captor Gets Medal". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 3 May 1943. p. 2.
  8. ↑ "Truman Makes Promotions in Naval Reserve". Nashville Banner. 9 Oct 1945. pp. 1–2.
  9. 1 2 https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2020/august/how-admiral-souers-shaped-national-security-system
  10. ↑ "TRUMAN ELEVATES GEN. VANDENBERG". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
  11. ↑ "Coordinator of Security; Sidney Souers brings wide training to the task of advising the President on national defense". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
  12. ↑ Brandt, Raymond (3 Dec 1948). "SIDNEY SOUERS MAY BECOME TRUMAN'S MILITARY ADVISOR". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 2.
  13. ↑ Greene, Jerry (22 Dec 1949). "Truman Picks Security Aide". New York Daily News. p. 84.
  14. ↑ "Surprised Admiral Gets A Medal From Truman". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
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