Caspar Weinberger

Caspar Weinberger
Weinberger in the 1980s
15th United States Secretary of Defense
In office
January 21, 1981 – November 23, 1987
PresidentRonald Reagan
DeputyFrank Carlucci
W. Paul Thayer
William Taft IV
Preceded byHarold Brown
Succeeded byFrank Carlucci
10th United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare
In office
February 12, 1973 – August 8, 1975
PresidentRichard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Preceded byElliot Richardson
Succeeded byF. David Mathews
20th Director of the Office of Management and Budget
In office
June 12, 1972 – February 1, 1973
PresidentRichard Nixon
Preceded byGeorge Shultz
Succeeded byRoy Ash
Chair of the Federal Trade Commission
In office
December 31, 1969 – August 6, 1970
PresidentRichard Nixon
Preceded byPaul Dixon
Succeeded byMiles Kirkpatrick
Director of the California Department of Finance
In office
March 1, 1968 – December 31, 1969
GovernorRonald Reagan
Preceded byGordon P. Smith
Succeeded byVerne Orr
Chair of the California Republican Party
In office
1962–1964
Preceded byJohn Krehbiel
Succeeded byGaylord Parkinson
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 21st district
In office
January 5, 1953 – January 5, 1959
Preceded byArthur H. Connolly Jr.
Succeeded byMilton Marks
Personal details
Born
Caspar Willard Weinberger

(1917-08-18)August 18, 1917
San Francisco, California, U.S.
DiedMarch 28, 2006(2006-03-28) (aged 88)
Bangor, Maine, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
(m. 1942)
Children2
EducationHarvard University (BA, LLB)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1941–1945
RankCaptain
Unit41st Infantry Division
Battles/warsWorld War II

Caspar Willard Weinberger (August 18, 1917 – March 28, 2006) was an American politician and businessman. As a Republican, he served in a variety of state and federal positions for three decades, most notably as Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 1981 to November 1987.[1] He was indicted on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing government investigations as part of the Iran–Contra investigation, but was pardoned by President George H. W. Bush before facing trial.

Weinberger was a member of the California State Assembly from 1953 to 1959. He also served as Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and Director of the Office of Management and Budget under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He later became vice president and general counsel of Bechtel Corporation.

Weinberger's tenure as Secretary of Defense was marked by his hard line against the Soviet Union, in disagreement with the State Department. He promoted the Strategic Defense Initiative, an orbital weapons program. Weinberger was awarded both the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1987 and an honorary British knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. In 1993, he became Chairman of Forbes magazine.

  1. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Phi Beta Kappa Politicians in Maine". politicalgraveyard.com.