William O'Dwyer

William O'Dwyer
100th Mayor of New York City[1]
In office January 1, 1946 – August 31, 1950
Preceded by	Fiorello H. La Guardia
Succeeded by	Vincent R. Impellitteri
Kings County District Attorney
In office January 1, 1940 – August 1, 1945
Preceded by	William F.X. Geoghan
Succeeded by	George J. Beldock
United States Ambassador to Mexico
In office November 23, 1950 – December 6, 1952
Appointed by	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	Walter C. Thurston
Succeeded by	Francis White
Personal details
Born	(1890-07-11)July 11, 1890 Bohola, County Mayo, Ireland
Died	November 24, 1964(1964-11-24) (aged 74) New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Catherine Lenihan (m. 1916; d. 1946) Elizabeth Sloan Simpson (m. 1949)
Alma mater	Fordham University Law School

William O'Dwyer (July 11, 1890 – November 24, 1964) was an Irish-American politician and diplomat who served as the 100th Mayor of New York City, holding that office from 1946 to 1950.

Life and career

O'Dwyer was born in Bohola, County Mayo, Ireland and studied at St. Nathys College, Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon. He emigrated to the United States in 1910, after abandoning studies for the priesthood. He sailed to New York as a steerage passenger on board the liner, Philadelphia, and was inspected at Ellis Island on June 27, 1910. He first worked as a laborer, then as a New York City police officer, while studying law at night at Fordham University Law School. He received his degree in 1923 and then built up a successful practice before serving as a Kings County (Brooklyn) Court judge. He won election as the Kings County District Attorney in November 1939^[2] and his prosecution of the organized crime syndicate known as Murder, Inc. made him a national celebrity.

After losing the mayoral election to Fiorello La Guardia in 1941, O'Dwyer joined the United States Army for World War II, achieving the rank of brigadier general as a member of the Allied Commission for Italy and executive director of the War Refugee Board, for which he received the Legion of Merit.^[3] During that time, he was on leave from his elected position as district attorney and replaced by his chief assistant, Thomas Cradock Hughes, and was re-elected in November 1943.

In 1945, O'Dwyer received the support of Tammany Hall leader Edward V. Loughlin, won the Democratic nomination, and then easily won the mayoral election. At his inauguration, O'Dwyer celebrated to the song, "It's a Great Day for the Irish", and addressed the 700 people gathered in Council Chambers at City Hall: "It is our high purpose to devote our whole time, our whole energy to do good work...." He established the Office of City Construction Coordinator, appointing Park Commissioner Robert Moses to the post, worked to have the permanent home of the United Nations located in Manhattan, presided over the first billion-dollar New York City budget, created a traffic department and raised the subway fare from five cents to ten cents. In 1948, O'Dwyer received The Hundred Year Association of New York's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York." In 1948, he received the epithets "Whirling Willie" and "Flip-Flop Willie" from U.S. Representative Vito Marcantonio of the opposition American Labor Party while the latter was campaigning for Henry A. Wallace.^[4]

Shortly after his re-election to the mayoralty in 1949, O'Dwyer was confronted with a police corruption scandal uncovered by the Kings County District Attorney, Miles McDonald. O'Dwyer resigned from office on August 31, 1950. Upon his resignation, he was given a ticker tape parade up Broadway's Canyon of Heroes in the borough of Manhattan. President Harry Truman appointed him U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. He returned to New York City in 1951 to answer questions concerning his association with organized crime figures and the accusations followed him for the rest of his life. He resigned as ambassador on December 6, 1952, but remained in Mexico until 1960.^[5]

He visited Israel for 34 days in 1951 on behalf of his Jewish constituents.^[6] He helped organize the first Israel Day Parade,^[7] along with New York's Jewish community.

Death

William O'Dwyer died in New York City on November 24, 1964, in Beth Israel Hospital, aged 74, from heart failure^[8][9] and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 2, Grave 889-A-RH.^[10]

See also

• List of mayors of New York City
• New York City tugboat strike of 1946

References

External links

• William O'Dwyer at Find a Grave