Kenneth Royall | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, c. 1947 | |
| 1st United States Secretary of the Army | |
| In office September 18, 1947 – April 27, 1949 | |
| President | Harry S. Truman |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Gordon Gray |
| 56th United States Secretary of War | |
| In office July 19, 1947 – September 18, 1947 | |
| President | Harry S. Truman |
| Preceded by | Robert P. Patterson |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| United States Under Secretary of War | |
| In office November 9, 1945 – July 18, 1947 | |
| President | Harry S. Truman |
| Preceded by | Robert P. Patterson |
| Succeeded by | William Henry Draper Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 24, 1894 Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | May 25, 1971 (aged 76) Durham, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Margaret Pierce Best |
| Children | 3, including Kenneth Jr. |
| Education | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1921 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Kenneth Claiborne Royall Sr. (July 24, 1894 – May 25, 1971) was a U.S. Army general and the last man to hold the office of Secretary of War, which was abolished in 1947. Royall served as the first Secretary of the Army from 1947 to 1949, until he was compelled into retirement for refusing to comply with President Harry S. Truman's Executive Order 9981 for the racial desegregation of the military forces of the United States.