Charles S. Thomas

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Charles S. Thomas

Charles S. Thomas (born September 28, 1897 in Independence , Missouri , † October 17, 1983 in Corona del Mar , California ) was an American businessman and politician who served as Secretary of State for the United States from 1954 to 1957 .

Originally from Missouri, Charles Thomas lived in California from 1914 . He studied first at the University of California and later at Cornell University , which he left after the entry of the United States into World War I to serve as a naval aviator in the US Navy . After retiring from the military, he began working for the George H. Burr Company investment bank in Los Angeles ; In 1925 he achieved partner status there. In 1932 he left the company and became vice president of Foreman and Clarke , a retail chain of which he served as president from 1937.

In the late 1930s, Thomas entered government service and became Deputy Secretary of the Navy as Under Secretary of the Navy . During World War II , he initially served as special advisor to Artemus Gates , the Deputy Naval Minister for Aviation Affairs; later he worked in the same capacity for James V. Forrestal , who was on May 19, 1944 the last Secretary of the Navy in Cabinet rank. During this time he was instrumental in setting up an inventory control system for the US Navy. For his services during the war he was awarded the Presidential Medal for Merit and the Distinguished Service Medal .

Charles Thomas had other occupations while he was working for the government. Among other things, he was a director at Lockheed , vice president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and head of airport supervision in that city. On August 5, 1953, after being nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and confirmed by the US Senate, he was sworn in as State Secretary in the Department of Defense with responsibility for supply and logistics. Within his authority, he finally moved up on May 3, 1954 as the successor to the deputy secretary of defense Robert B. Anderson to Secretary of the Navy . Thomas held this office until April 1, 1957.

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  1. ^ CHARLES S. THOMAS, WHO HEADED THE NAVY AND TWA, DIES AT 86
personal data
SURNAME Thomas, Charles S.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 28, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Independence , Missouri
DATE OF DEATH 17th October 1983
Place of death Corona del Mar , California