Frederic W. Galbraith
| Frederic W. Galbraith | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Frederic W. Galbraith, Jr. May 6, 1874 Watertown, Massachusetts |
| Died | June 9, 1921 (aged 47) Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Cause of death | Traffic collision |
| Resting place |
Spring Grove Cemetery Cincinnati, Ohio 39°10′27.6″N 84°31′30.0″W / 39.174333°N 84.525000°W |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Massachusetts Nautical Training School |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | National Commander of The American Legion |
| Term | 1920 – 1921 |
| Predecessor | Franklin D'Olier |
| Successor | John G. Emery |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Rank |
 Colonel
|
| Commands held | 147th Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
Frederic W. Galbraith (born Frederic W. Galbraith, Jr.; May 6, 1874 – June 9, 1921) was the National Commander of The American Legion, from 1920 to 1921. He was a decorated World War I veteran who was instrumental in helping to make the Legion the largest and most powerful war veterans' organization in the U.S.
Galbraith was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1874. His two brothers were college professors, but he left school at the age of 10 to go with his father to California for work. He was soon the youngest track-walker on the Southern Pacific Railroad. At thirteen he returned to Massachusetts and began working in a manufacturing plant. At night he studied for the entrance exams at the United States Naval Academy. Denied admission because he was six months too old, he then entered the Massachusetts Nautical Training School. He completed its three-year course in a year and was soon a third mate on a vessel bound for Japan.
When Galbraith was twenty-four he was a master of a ship. On one occasion in the South China Sea he rescued the entire crew of another vessel that had caught fire in a storm. This feat of heroism was widely celebrated at the time in the Asiatic region. He was presented with a silver medal in recognition of his actions.
After six years at sea he returned to become the treasurer of a bankrupt paper box company in Springfield, Massachusetts. The next year he was able to use his management skills to save the company $100,000 and thenceforth his rise in the business world was rapid. He eventually became an officer or director with several large corporations.
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