On December 21 , 1987 , President Reagan nominated Howard to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Public Affairs ) and Howard would hold this post from February 1988 through May 1989 . He worked for Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci and dealt with the aftermath of the shooting down of Iran Air Flight 655 by the U.S.S. '' Vincennes '' and the explosion of a gun mount on the U.S.S. '' Iowa '' . He again supported Secretary Carlucci in direct negotiations designed to reduce tensions with the Soviet Union including a historic first visit by a U.S. Secretary of Defense to Moscow and Sevastapol in 1988 . He received the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award
Iran Air Flight 655
Iran Air Flight 655
J. Daniel Howard