White House Historical Association

Lyndon D. Atwood

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"Lyndon D. Atwood," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/949.
Position
Garage Staff
Years in President's House
circa 1944
Legal Status
Free Person
Gender
Male
Race/Ethnicity
White
Presidency
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Biography
Lyndon Dwight Atwood was born on December 10, 1916, in Washington, D.C. (1) Prior to World War II, Atwood worked for Capital Transit Co., which managed the bus and streetcar systems in the District of Columbia. (2) In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army to fight during World War II. By 1944, he was listed as a mechanic in the White House Garage on that year’s staff roster. In this role, he maintained the fleet of automobiles used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his staff. (3) It is unclear when Atwood departed from the White House. The 1950 Census listed his occupation as automobile mechanic at a car dealer and repair shop in D.C. (4) Further information about his life and career is limited. Atwood died on September 24, 2006, and was buried at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City, Arizona. (5)
(1) Lyndon Dwight Atwood in the U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For District of Columbia, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 7.
(2) Ibid; “MS 442 Capital Transit Company Records, 1862-1956MS 442 Capital Transit Company Records, 1862-1956,” Finding Aid, Historical Society of Washington, D.C. https://dchistory.org/assets/uploads/ms0442.pdf.
(3) Lyndon D Atwood in the U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 00381; Reel: 106.
(4) Lyndon D Atwood in the 1950 United States Federal Census, National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: 3465; Page: 13; Enumeration District: 1-957, Ancestry.com.
(5) “Lyndon Dwight Atwood,” Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/215421555/lyndon-dwight-atwood.
Birthplace
Washington, D.C., USA