Harold Vanderbilt, also the fourth generation of the Vanderbilt family, the son of William Vanderbilt's third child, Kissam Vanderbilt, was somewhat capable among the extravagant fourth generation Vanderbilt family members.
He attended Harvard but did not earn a degree, and later entered the New York Central Railroad Company at his father's arrangement. When World War I broke out, he enlisted in the military, serving as a Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve, commanding a patrol boat in New York, responsible for anti-submarine warfare, and visited the coast of Ireland before the war ended.
After the death of Kissam Vanderbilt, he inherited his fortune, becoming the Vanderbilt family's only spokesperson at the New York Central Railroad Company!
Moreover, Harold Vanderbilt was also a skilled shell game player; he even participated in the gambling master contest previously held by the Surf Hotel, advancing to the final four.
