 |
Robert LovettAn American statesman who served as the United States Secretary of Defense.
Date of Birth: 14.09.1895
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Robert Lovett: American Statesman and Defense Secretary
- World War I Service
- Post-War Career and Banking
- World War II Service
- Post-War Diplomacy
- Deputy Secretary of Defense
- Secretary of Defense
- Later Years and Legacy
Robert Lovett: American Statesman and Defense Secretary
Early Life and EducationRobert Lovett was born in Huntsville, Texas, to Robert Scott Lovett, the chairman of Union Pacific Railroad. He attended Yale University, where he joined the secretive Skull and Bones society and helped establish the university's aviation club.
World War I Service
With the United States' entry into World War I, many of the aviation club members enlisted in the military. Lovett served in France with the Air Service headquarters in Paris and as a bombardier.
Post-War Career and Banking
After the war, Lovett returned to Yale and graduated in 1919. He married Adele Quarterley Brown, the daughter of a New York banker, and continued his education in law and administration at Harvard University. Lovett worked at the National Bank of Commerce and later Brown Brothers Harriman, where he gained expertise in American and European industry, particularly aviation.
World War II Service
In December 1940, Lovett was appointed Special Assistant on Aviation to Secretary of War Henry Stimson. He played a crucial role in expanding American aviation production during World War II. President Harry Truman awarded him the Medal for Distinguished Service in 1945.
Post-War Diplomacy
In 1945, Lovett retired and returned to banking. However, when George Marshall became Secretary of State in 1947, he asked Lovett to serve as his deputy. Lovett held this position until 1949.
Deputy Secretary of Defense
When Marshall became Secretary of Defense in 1950, Lovett again served as his deputy. Chairing a special commission, he played a key role in the creation of the CIA. He also developed the rearmament program necessary for the Korean War.
Secretary of Defense
On September 17, 1951, Lovett succeeded George Marshall as Secretary of Defense. He served until the end of President Truman's term in January 1953.
Later Years and Legacy
Lovett continued to work at Brown Brothers Harriman. President John F. Kennedy offered him a cabinet position, but Lovett declined, citing his advanced age. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 and died in 1986. The Department of Military History at Yale University is named in his honor.
