Harry S Truman

[W. Gray]

The HBO movie "Truman" made a point of saying that when Harry Truman left the white house in 1952, he did not own a home and had no income other than his $112.56 monthly Army pension.

How he qualified for a military pension I am not sure but his military pension would amount to $971.98 per month today per a web site inflation program.

However, he had been making $100,000 a year as president for the past eight years with little D. C. expenses. That would have him making well over $1 million annually in today's money.

After he came home he and Bess bought the house on Delaware Street in Independence, Mo, from the mother Wallace estate.

Presidents back then did not earn a presidential pension and did not have Secret Service protection until after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Presidential pensions started in 1958 at $25,000 per year ($200,000, today) so Harry started receiving that also.

Five years later in 1963, he started getting Secret Service protection but Harry requested the Secret Service allow his personal body guard to come along when he went somewhere. Mike Westwood, the bodyguard Independence, Mo policeman, also acted as his personal assistant.