Paul Ignatius
Paul Ignatius | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, c. 1967 | |
| 59th United States Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office September 1, 1967 – January 24, 1969 | |
| President | Lyndon B. Johnson Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Charles F. Baird (acting) |
| Succeeded by | John Chafee |
| 11th United States Under Secretary of the Army | |
| In office February 1964 – December 26, 1964 | |
| President | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Stephen Ailes |
| Succeeded by | Stanley Rogers Resor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paul Robert Ignatius November 11, 1920 Glendale, California, U.S. |
| Died | November 6, 2025 (aged 104) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Spouse |
Nancy Sharpless Weiser
(m. 1947; died 2019) |
| Children | 4, including David and Adi |
| Education | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1943–1946 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Paul Robert Ignatius (November 11, 1920 – November 6, 2025) was an American government official and businessman who served as the 59th United States Secretary of the Navy between 1967 and 1969 during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. He had previously been the United States Under Secretary of the Army in 1964. During his time as Navy Secretary, Ignatius was the highest-ranking Armenian American in the United States government.
After government service, Ignatius served as president of The Washington Post newspaper and served as executive vice president of The Washington Post Company from 1969 until 1971. During his time with The Washington Post, Ignatius reluctantly oversaw the release of the Pentagon Papers, a decision that put him at odds with lead publisher Katharine Graham, who supported the release.
Ignatius also served as president and CEO of Air Transport Association and was a member of the board of trustees of the George C. Marshall Foundation and the Logistics Management Institute.