Melvin Laird
Melvin Laird | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, c. 1969 | |
| White House Domestic Affairs Advisor | |
| In office May 1, 1973 – January 8, 1974 Acting: May 1, 1973 – June 6, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | John Ehrlichman |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Reese Cole Jr. |
| 10th United States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office January 22, 1969 – January 29, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Clark Clifford |
| Succeeded by | Elliot Richardson |
| Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1969 | |
| Leader | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Gerald Ford |
| Succeeded by | John B. Anderson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 7th district | |
| In office January 3, 1953 – January 21, 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Reid F. Murray |
| Succeeded by | Dave Obey |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 24th district | |
| In office January 6, 1947 – January 3, 1953 | |
| Preceded by | Melvin R. Laird Sr. |
| Succeeded by | William Walter Clark |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Melvin Robert Laird Jr. September 1, 1922 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Died | November 16, 2016 (aged 94) Fort Myers, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouses | Barbara Masters
(m. 1942; died 1992)Carole Fleishman (m. 1993) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Carleton College (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant (junior grade) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Purple Heart |
Melvin Robert Laird Jr. (September 1, 1922 – November 16, 2016) was an American politician, writer and statesman. A member of the Republican Party, he served a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin from 1953 to 1969 representing Wisconsin's 7th congressional district before serving as United States Secretary of Defense from 1969 to 1973 under President Richard Nixon. Laird was instrumental in forming the administration's policy of withdrawing U.S. soldiers from the Vietnam War; he coined the expression "Vietnamization," referring to the process of transferring more responsibility for combat to the South Vietnamese forces. First elected in 1952, Laird was the last living former U.S. representative elected to the 83rd Congress at the time of his death and the last living representative to have served during the presidency of Harry Truman.