President Harry Truman's
Excellent Adventure
The story of a great American road trip.

Bess and Harry Truman in their 1953 Chrysler

From a book by Matthew Algeo

Harry Truman was a different kind of American President. He probably made as many, or more important decisions regarding our nation's history as any of the other 32 Presidents preceding him. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.

Former President Harry S. Truman

The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence, Missouri. His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.

When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $1350.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.

After President Dwight Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service detail following them. When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, saying, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.

Today, many in Congress have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices.

Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!"

How times have changed! Let's dig him up and clone him. I'll vote for him! --

See Washington Post article.

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