<P> James Vincent Forrestal ( February 15 , 1892 -- May 22 , 1949 ) was the last Cabinet - level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense . </P>
<P> James Vincent Forrestal ( February 15 , 1892 -- May 22 , 1949 ) was the last Cabinet - level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense . </P>
first secretary of defense for the united states
first secretary of defense for the united states
James Vincent Forrestal
James Vincent Forrestal