Gerald Joseph Gallinghouse was a proud native New Orleans where he was very active
in civic affairs, and served with distinction as one of the most highly regarded federal
prosecutors in the region’s history. He was a true American patriot, and was known
affectionately to friends and family as “The Bald Eagle.”
Mr. Gallinghouse graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University, where he served
as Student Body President and President of the Alumni Association. He attended Louisiana
State University School of Law, receiving his juris doctorate in 1948.
In 1941 he enlisted in the U. S. Navy, and during his military training he studied
at Columbia University, Harvard School of Business and Notre Dame University. He served
tours in the European Theater (North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Southern France) and,
in 1945, was ordered to the Pacific for the planned invasion of Japan.
In 1948, after law school, he joined the law firm of Deutch, Kerrigan & Styles and
remained with the firm until 1961. He was appointed President of the Orleans Parish
Levee Board by Governor Jimmy Davis and during his tenure as President he made more
than 315 speeches on hurricane flood protection. He was asked to fill the vacancy
as Judge of First City Court for Orleans Parish and served in that capacity for over
a year.
In 1970 President Richard M. Nixon appointed Mr. Gallinghouse as U. S. Attorney for
the Eastern District of Louisiana and was re-appointed by President Gerald R. Ford
in 1974 and asked to remain by President James E. “Jimmy” Carter. In 1978 he returned
to private law practice.
In 1980 he was appointed Special United States Prosecutor.
