Griselio Torresola
Encyclopedia
Griselio Torresola born in Jayuya, Puerto Rico
, was one of two Puerto Rican
Nationalists who attempted to assassinate United States
President
Harry Truman. During the attack on the president, Torresola mortally wounded White House policeman Private Leslie Coffelt
and wounded two other law enforcement officers. Torresola was killed by a shot to the head from the mortally-wounded Coffelt.
in August 1948. He was employed by a New York stationery and perfume store. A divorce from his first wife affected him emotionally and eventually he lost his job. He remarried and lived with his wife and two children on a welfare check of $125 a month.
Torresola was a member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
and soon joined forces with fellow Nationalist Oscar Collazo
. They participated in the attempted assassination of president Truman on November 1, 1950, while the president was residing in the Blair-Lee House while the White House
was being renovated. The Nationalist Party was led by the charismatic Pedro Albizu Campos
, for whom Torresola was a bodyguard. The party had rejected political participation through balloting and advocated violent resistance to U.S. governance.
Nationalists were increasingly angered by what they viewed as great injustices, including the Ponce Massacre
, the extrajudicial murders of some members, the jailing of Albizu for his advocacy of violent resistance, and the impending changes of Puerto Rico's status from a non-autonomous territory to a partially self-governing commonwealth. They viewed Puerto Rico
as a colony
demanding independence. On October 30, 1950, his brother and sister participated in the failed Jayuya Uprising
.
, Torresola and Oscar Collazo
attempted to enter the President's residence and assassinate him. Torresola walked up Pennsylvania Avenue from the west side while his partner, Oscar Collazo, engaged Secret Service
Special Agents and White House policemen with his Walther P 38
from the east. Torresola approached a guard booth at the west corner of the Blair-Lee house, and noted an officer, Leslie Coffelt
, sitting inside. Torresola, in a double handed, isosceles shooting stance, quickly pivoted from left to right around the opening of the booth, and fired four shots from his 9 mm German Luger, semi-automatic pistol at close range at Coffelt. Three of the shots struck Coffelt in the chest and abdomen, and the fourth went through his policeman's tunic. Coffelt slumped down in his chair, mortally wounded.
Torresola turned his attention to plainclothes White House policeman Joseph Downs. Downs, who moments before had paused to chat with Coffelt, was proceeding down a walkway to the basement door at the west end of the Blair-Lee house when he heard shots being fired. Downs turned back towards the guard booth and Torresola, but was shot once in the hip before he could draw his weapon. He was then shot twice more by Torresola, once in the back and once in the neck. Downs staggered back to the basement door, opened it, slid in, then slammed the door behind him, depriving Torresola of entry into the Blair-Lee House. Torresola then turned his attention to the sound of the shoot-out between his partner, Collazo, and several law enforcement officers. Torresola noted wounded District of Columbia policeman Donald Birdzell aiming at Collazo from the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue. Torresola aimed and shot Birdzell in the left knee from a distance of approximately 40 feet.
Torresola stood to the immediate left of the Blair House steps while he reloaded his empty gun. President Truman, who was asleep in his second floor bedroom, awoke to the sound of the gunshots outside. Truman went to his bedroom window, opened it, and looked outside. From where he stood reloading off, Torresola was thirty-one feet away from the president. It is not known whether either man saw the other. At the same time, the dying Secret Serviceman Leslie Coffelt staggered out of his guard booth, leaned against it and aimed his revolver at Torresola who was approximately 20 feet away. Coffelt fired, hitting Torresola two inches above the left ear on a slight upward angle, killing him instantly. Torresola left behind a young wife and two young children. Coffelt succumbed to three bullet wounds several hours later. Leslie Coffelt was accorded burial at Arlington National Cemetery. A plaque at the Blair-Lee House commemorates Coffelt's sacrifice, heroism, and fidelity to his duty and his country. The assassination attempt lasted less than 40 seconds.
Jayuya, Puerto Rico
Jayuya is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the mountainous center region of the island, north of Ponce; east of Utuado; and west of Ciales. Jayuya is spread over 18 wards and Jayuya Pueblo...
, was one of two Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
Nationalists who attempted to assassinate United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Harry Truman. During the attack on the president, Torresola mortally wounded White House policeman Private Leslie Coffelt
Leslie Coffelt
Leslie William "Les" Coffelt was an officer of the White House Police Force who was killed while defending U.S. President Harry S...
and wounded two other law enforcement officers. Torresola was killed by a shot to the head from the mortally-wounded Coffelt.
Early life and political background
Torresola came from a family which believed in the Puerto Rican independence cause. They had participated in many of the island's past revolts. Torresola moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in August 1948. He was employed by a New York stationery and perfume store. A divorce from his first wife affected him emotionally and eventually he lost his job. He remarried and lived with his wife and two children on a welfare check of $125 a month.
Torresola was a member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. Its main objective is to work for Puerto Rican Independence.In 1919, José Coll y Cuchí, a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, felt that the Union Party was not doing enough for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and he...
and soon joined forces with fellow Nationalist Oscar Collazo
Oscar Collazo
Oscar Collazo , was one of two Puerto Ricans who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Harry S. Truman.-Early life:...
. They participated in the attempted assassination of president Truman on November 1, 1950, while the president was residing in the Blair-Lee House while the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
was being renovated. The Nationalist Party was led by the charismatic Pedro Albizu Campos
Pedro Albizu Campos
Don Pedro Albizu Campos was a Puerto Rican politician and one of the leading figures in the Puerto Rican independence movement. He was the leader and president of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party from 1930 until his death...
, for whom Torresola was a bodyguard. The party had rejected political participation through balloting and advocated violent resistance to U.S. governance.
Nationalists were increasingly angered by what they viewed as great injustices, including the Ponce Massacre
Ponce massacre
The Ponce massacre occurred on 21 March 1937 when a peaceful march in Ponce, Puerto Rico, by the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party commemorating the ending of slavery in Puerto Rico by the governing Spanish National Assembly in 1873, and coinciding with a protest against the incarceration by the...
, the extrajudicial murders of some members, the jailing of Albizu for his advocacy of violent resistance, and the impending changes of Puerto Rico's status from a non-autonomous territory to a partially self-governing commonwealth. They viewed Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
as a colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
demanding independence. On October 30, 1950, his brother and sister participated in the failed Jayuya Uprising
Jayuya Uprising
The Jayuya Uprising, also known as the Jayuya Revolt or El Grito de Jayuya, refers to a nationalist revolt in the town of Jayuya, Puerto Rico which occurred on October 30, 1950...
.
The assassination attempt
In the attack on the Blair HouseBlair House
Blair House is the official state guest house for the President of the United States. It is located at 1651-1653 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., opposite the Old Executive Office Building of the White House, off the corner of Lafayette Park....
, Torresola and Oscar Collazo
Oscar Collazo
Oscar Collazo , was one of two Puerto Ricans who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Harry S. Truman.-Early life:...
attempted to enter the President's residence and assassinate him. Torresola walked up Pennsylvania Avenue from the west side while his partner, Oscar Collazo, engaged Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
Special Agents and White House policemen with his Walther P 38
Walther P 38
The Walther P38 is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that was developed by Walther as the service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II...
from the east. Torresola approached a guard booth at the west corner of the Blair-Lee house, and noted an officer, Leslie Coffelt
Leslie Coffelt
Leslie William "Les" Coffelt was an officer of the White House Police Force who was killed while defending U.S. President Harry S...
, sitting inside. Torresola, in a double handed, isosceles shooting stance, quickly pivoted from left to right around the opening of the booth, and fired four shots from his 9 mm German Luger, semi-automatic pistol at close range at Coffelt. Three of the shots struck Coffelt in the chest and abdomen, and the fourth went through his policeman's tunic. Coffelt slumped down in his chair, mortally wounded.
Torresola turned his attention to plainclothes White House policeman Joseph Downs. Downs, who moments before had paused to chat with Coffelt, was proceeding down a walkway to the basement door at the west end of the Blair-Lee house when he heard shots being fired. Downs turned back towards the guard booth and Torresola, but was shot once in the hip before he could draw his weapon. He was then shot twice more by Torresola, once in the back and once in the neck. Downs staggered back to the basement door, opened it, slid in, then slammed the door behind him, depriving Torresola of entry into the Blair-Lee House. Torresola then turned his attention to the sound of the shoot-out between his partner, Collazo, and several law enforcement officers. Torresola noted wounded District of Columbia policeman Donald Birdzell aiming at Collazo from the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue. Torresola aimed and shot Birdzell in the left knee from a distance of approximately 40 feet.
Torresola stood to the immediate left of the Blair House steps while he reloaded his empty gun. President Truman, who was asleep in his second floor bedroom, awoke to the sound of the gunshots outside. Truman went to his bedroom window, opened it, and looked outside. From where he stood reloading off, Torresola was thirty-one feet away from the president. It is not known whether either man saw the other. At the same time, the dying Secret Serviceman Leslie Coffelt staggered out of his guard booth, leaned against it and aimed his revolver at Torresola who was approximately 20 feet away. Coffelt fired, hitting Torresola two inches above the left ear on a slight upward angle, killing him instantly. Torresola left behind a young wife and two young children. Coffelt succumbed to three bullet wounds several hours later. Leslie Coffelt was accorded burial at Arlington National Cemetery. A plaque at the Blair-Lee House commemorates Coffelt's sacrifice, heroism, and fidelity to his duty and his country. The assassination attempt lasted less than 40 seconds.
Aftermath
Oscar Collazo was sentenced to death, later commuted by Truman to a life sentence. After 27 years in Leavenworth Federal Prison in Kansas, Collazo's sentence was reduced to time served by President Jimmy Carter and he was released in 1979. He returned to Puerto Rico where he continued to support the independence movement. He died in 1994, aged 80. Collazo is quoted as saying "It would not be justice to Griselio if we merely remembered him for his ability with weapons. We must remember the brave and expert guerilla of the mountains of Jayuya as the patriot who never had doubts when his country called him to completion of his duty."See also
- Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950sPuerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950sThe Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950s was a call for independence and uprising by the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party against United States Government rule of Puerto Rico and against the approval of the creation of the political status "Free Associated State" for Puerto Rico which...
- List of famous Puerto Ricans