My mom and dad, Lonnie and Elenor Baggett, were good friends of Ernie's mom and dad, Arthur and Grace Fitzgerald, of Silverhill, AL. My dad has since passed away, but my mom, who is 93, is still with us. We send our sincere sympathy to the family and our appreciation for Ernie’s standing up for our nation, even though he was persecuted. We need more patriots such as this.  We have such sweet memories of his mom who did so many things with my mom.  Ms. Fitzgerald even helped to do my brothers’ wedding rehearsal dinners. Also, I remember the time I got blistered at the beach and Ms. F. applied a cow’s ointment to me and wrapped me in her husband’s old pajamas to recuperate. I would not have made it back to Atlanta and work, if not for her. I was working for the airlines at the time and had come home to visit. My mom and Ms. Fitzgerald were very close friends and they loved farming and animals. They spent many happy times together.  Ernie’s mom was so proud of him and often spoke of him. Our prayers continue for everyone. 

Ernie Fitzgerald Remembered

http://chuckspinney.blogspot.com/2019/02/ernie-fitzgerald-remembered.html


Other memories to be posted shortly. 

Media links:

A. Ernest Fitzgerald, Exposer of Pentagon Waste, Dies at 92
by Richard Sandomir
The New York Times
February 14, 2019
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/14/obituaries/a-ernest-fitzgerald-dead.html

A. Ernest Fitzgerald, once called “America’s most famous whistleblower,” dies at 92
by Tinker Ready
The National Whistleblower Center Legal Defense and Education Fund 
February 8, 2019
https://www.whistleblowersblog.org/2019/02/articles/whistleblower-news/a-ernest-fitzgerald-once-americas-most-famous-whistleblower-dies-at-92/

A. Ernest Fitzgerald, Pentagon whistleblower fired by Nixon, dies at 92
by Harrison Smith
The Washington Post
February 7, 2019
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/a-ernest-fitzgerald-pentagon-whistleblower-fired-by-nixon-dies-at-92/2019/02/07/2f3277f4-2afe-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html?utm_term=.1d16d31ff065

A Tribute to Pentagon Whistleblower Ernie Fitzgerald
by Mark Thompson
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) 
February 5, 2019
https://www.pogo.org/analysis/2019/02/remembering-ernie-fitzgerald/

Prepared Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa:  A Tribute to Ernie Fitzgerald
by Chuck Grassley
February 6, 2019
https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-pays-tribute-ernie-fitzgerald

RIP A. Ernest Fitzgerald
by David Boaz
Cato Institute
February 8, 2019
https://www.cato.org/blog/rip-ernest-fitzgerald



Ernie brought honesty and vision to government procurement at a time of wild overspending and corruption by the nation's military-industrial complex.  He took their best shots and used his great sense of humor to convey to the public how absurd their practices were.  He popularized the concepts that "secret patriots"  in the trenches of government procurement were being punished for "committing truth"  about cost overruns and "gold plating"  of weapons  systems and that "time wounds all heels."  Over the years he mobilized an army of whistleblowers throughout government at all levels and paved the way for a sweeping federal whistleblower protection law.  I was privileged to be a recipient of numerous leads for Congressional investigations from Ernie and his many contacts over my 21 years as a House and Senate  investigator.  Ernie must be regarded as an historical figure in the ongoing effort to eliminate fraud and abuse from the  procurement process and provide cost-effective weapons that actually work and are conceived for missions that  make sense. 

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Arthur Ernest Fitzgerald

31 juillet 1926 – 31 janvier 2019

Murphy Funeral Homes

Montrez votre soutien

Envoyez Vos
Condoléances

Partager
L'avis De Décès

Obtenir les mises à jour

Prestations de Service