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Robert McNamara
Secretary of Defense · 1961
Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense. 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.
Positions
- Secretary of Defense1961-01-21–1968-02-29
Biography
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.
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, “Robert McNamara: Secretary of Defense,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/appointee/wQ191999/robert-mcnamara (accessed 2026-10-13).