TUXEDO Tuxedo resident William E. Lemanski has published a 240-page biography of Kermit Roosevelt, the troubled and enigmatic second son of Theodore Roosevelt.
Lemanski will be a guest of the Monroe Historical Society on Saturday, May 12, to discuss his book, Lost in the Shadow of Fame. The book was released by the Sunbury Press of Camp Hill, Pa.
Lemanskis book tracks Kermits adventurous life from childhood, accompanying TR on his historic African adventure and later exploration of an unknown river through the jungles of Amazonia.
Kermits heroic service in Mesopotamia with the British in World War I, his development of major shipping companies following the war and his service in World War II are discussed in detail.
In between the wars, Kermit travelled the world, securing rare animal species for the great natural history museums.
Lemanski also documents Kermits close relationship with his cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Kermit, a confidant of FDR, became a serious threat for the war-weary president as he began philandering with a mysterious woman, disappearing with her for periods of time as he neglected his wife and children. Alcohol began to rule his life.
Despite repeated attempts, FDR was unable to control Kermit and in desperation, he assigned him to the far reaches of Alaska with the rank of army major. Within a short period of time, he committed suicide.
However, Lemanski secured previously classified government documents, sequestered in the National Archives for seven decades that paint a different picture of Kermits last days and strongly suggest a government cover-up.
Despite being denied access, Lemanski finally secured copies of the 633 documents through the office of former U.S. Rep. John Hall. His analysis highlights many inconsistencies and implausibilitys in the official cause of death that may point to foul play.
The book closes out the remarkable story of Kermits life and continues the legacy of derring-do by his son Kermit Jr. Known to the family as Kim, he became a clandestine operative in the CIA and near single-handedly overthrew the government of Iran in 1953 - a major coup of international impact that affects the world today.
The book is available on the Sunbury Press web site and on Amazon Books and will shortly be available on Nook and Kindle.
Lemanski is a former writer for The Photo News.