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COMMANDER // 1916–2009

Robert McNamara

Lieutenant ColonelUnited StatesSouth Vietnam4 battles2 wars

Lifespan

1916 – 2009

1925195019752000Cold War · 1945-1991Vietnam War · 1955–1975 broad period; major U.S. combat 1965–1973Bay of Pigs invasion — April 20, 1961 · United States · Cold WarGulf of Tonkin incident — August 2, 1964 · United States · Vietnam WarOperation Pierce Arrow — August 5, 1964 · United States · Vietnam WarTet Offensive — 1968 · South Vietnam · Vietnam War

Active service 1961–1968 — 4 battles across 2 wars; first command at age 45.

Profile

Robert Strange McNamara, also known by his initials RSM, was an American businessman and government official who served as the eighth United States secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson at the height of the Cold War. He remains the longest-serving secretary of defense, having remained in office over seven years. He played a major role in promoting the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. McNamara was responsible for the institution of systems analysis in public policy, which developed into the discipline known today as policy analysis.

Source · Wikipedia · Q191999

Battles (4)

Last verified June 2026
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