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Thomas S. Gates, Jr.

Secretary of Defense · 1957–1959

Thomas S. Gates, Jr., Secretary of Defense. Thomas Sovereign Gates Jr. (April 10, 1906 – March 25, 1983) was an American politician and diplomat who served as Secretary of Defense from 1959 to 1961 and Secretary of the Navy from 1957 to 1959, both under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. During his tenure as Secretary of Defense, he established a task force to set nuclear target priorities.

Positions

  • Secretary of the Navy1957-04-01–1959-06-08
  • Secretary of Defense1959-12-02–1961-01-20

Biography

Thomas Sovereign Gates Jr. (April 10, 1906 – March 25, 1983) was an American politician and diplomat who served as Secretary of Defense from 1959 to 1961 and Secretary of the Navy from 1957 to 1959, both under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. During his tenure as Secretary of Defense, he established a task force to set nuclear target priorities.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

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From Senate roll call votes, Wikidata, Wikipedia and Office of Government Ethics records.

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Capitol Receipts, “Thomas S. Gates, Jr.: Secretary of Defense,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/appointee/wQ1361114/thomas-s-gates-jr (accessed 2026-10-13).

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