Harold Brown (Secretary of Defense)

Harold Brown
14th United States Secretary of Defense
In office January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981
President	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Donald Rumsfeld
Succeeded by	Caspar Weinberger
3rd President of the California Institute of Technology
In office 1969–1977
Preceded by	Lee Alvin DuBridge
Succeeded by	Robert F. Christy (acting)
8th United States Secretary of the Air Force
In office October 1, 1965 – February 15, 1969
President	Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	Eugene M. Zuckert
Succeeded by	Robert Seamans
2nd Director of Defense Research and Engineering
In office May 8, 1961 – September 30, 1965
President	John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	Herbert York
Succeeded by	John S. Foster Jr.
Personal details
Born	(1927-09-19)September 19, 1927 New York City, U.S.
Died	January 4, 2019(2019-01-04) (aged 91) Rancho Santa Fe, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic[1]
Spouse	Colene Dunning McDowell ​ ​ (m. 1953)​
Children	2
Education	Columbia University (BS, MS, PhD)
Scientific career
Fields	Nuclear physics Atomic physics
Institutions	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory California Institute of Technology
Thesis	Beta-spectra of gaseous argon-41 and oxygen-15 (1951)
Doctoral advisor	Isidor Isaac Rabi

Harold Brown (September 19, 1927 – January 4, 2019) was an American nuclear physicist who served as United States Secretary of Defense from 1977 to 1981, under President Jimmy Carter. Previously, in the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations, he held the posts of Director of Defense Research and Engineering (1961–1965) and United States Secretary of the Air Force (1965–1969).^[2]

A child prodigy, Brown graduated from the Bronx High School of Science at age 15, and earned a Ph.D. in physics from Columbia University at age 21.^[3] As Secretary of Defense, he set the groundwork for the Camp David Accords, took part in strategic arms negotiations with the Soviet Union, and supported, unsuccessfully, ratification of the SALT II treaty.