David Gray (1870-1968) was best known as the United States Ambassador to Éire from 15 April 1940 until 28 June 1947 . His official title was 'Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary' and his official residence was Florida . In his own words, his appointment to the Ambassadorship was nepotic, as he was First Lady's Eleanor Roosevelt's Uncle through marriage . Gray was the Ambassador through most of the Second World War and the start of the Cold War. He led American efforts to convince Éire to enter the war on the side of the Allies. His performance was such that Eamon de Valera sought repeatedly to have Gray replaced by another ambassador, especially after the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. .

The character of David Gray was played in the RTÉ television series Caught in a Free State by the actor O.Z. Whitehead.

As a Roosevelt family member, Gray wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt, as well as Eleanor Roosevelt a number of dry verses and remarks to the President, sometimes humorous and sometimes scathing in his opinion's of De Valera and Irish policy towards the War.