Who was the first secretary of war (defense)?

Question

I think it was james vincent forrestal...

Answer 1

James Vincent Forrestal

You are correct. He served under Harry S. Truman from September 17, 1947 to March 28, 1949.

Answer 2

The first Secretary of Defense was James Forrestal.  

But that is not what you asked.  

We originally had a Secretary of War (representing the Army) and a Secretary of the Navy (representing the Navy).  They were separate departments in the US government.  

The first Secretary of War (of the USA under the Constitution) was Henry Knox.  

The first Secretary of War (of the USA under the Articles of Confederation) was Benjamin Lincoln.  

If one wants specific answers one needs to ask specific questions.  

Answer 3

If you want the first Sec. of War, (The Defense department used to be the War department) then it is Henry Knox...George Washington Appointed him.

Answer 4

I dont know if anybody knew, but James Forrest also, despite being the first SECDEF, committed suicide.  

Answer 5

The first secretary of war was Henry Knox, in the cabinet of George Washington.

The first secretary of defense was James Forrestal, appointed by Harry Truman after the Department of Defense was created in 1947.  Prior to that, the Department of War (the United States Army, with the Air Force being part of the Army) and the Department of the Navy (with the Marine Corps totally under the command of the Navy) were separate departments.