FBI Memo For The Director, FBI (Record, September 1942)

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Credit

Credit to Douglas M. Charles, FBI historian and author of "Hoover's War on Gays: Exposing the FBI's Sex Deviates Program".

Full Text

I thought you might be interested in knowing of the reported friendship between Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles and the subject of an Internal Security case, namely one Harden de Valson Pratt.

Harden de Valson Pratt, who resides at Minigret Cove, Charlestown, Rhode Island, was reported as acting in a suspicious manner and contacting various Army officers. Investigation was instituted by the Providence Office of the Bureau. The investigation revealed that Pratt was a Captain in the United STates Army during the last war and that he is presently a retired architect. During the course of the investigation, it was reported by various individuals that Pratt was a sexual pervert and that this was the main reason for contacting United States Army personnel.

Pratt was interviewed by an Agent of the Bureau at which time he stated that he was a close personal friend of Undersecretary of State Welles, and he displayed to the interviewing Agent a personal letter from Mr. Welles which began, "Dear Harden" and recalled the previous happy times they had enjoyed. The letter further referred to a suggestion which Pratt had submitted to Mr. Welles concerning the war effort and which Mr. Welles stated in his letter had been passed on to the War Department. Pratt also stated that he an Mr. Welles were roommates at Harvard University a number of years ago.

Respectfully,

D. M. Ladd

Header Info

JWB:ijm

100-134410

September 4, 1942

Memorandum for the Director