ABSTRACT
Well before the Foster Court of Inquiry completed deliberations, steps had been taken to expand the pursuit of homosexuals within the navy. Instead of focusing primarily on sailors, Hudson, Arnold, and the “operators” now turned their attention to civilians. What eventually brought the Newport sex scandal into the nation’s headlines, however, was its formal authorization by the Navy Department, including approval from both the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. What had once been a limited investigation at a single post now expanded throughout the northeast as Section A within the Assistant Secretary of the Navy’s office. Because that official was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the historical significance of the scandal increased materially.
