1978 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

Gerald J. Gallinghouse

 

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.