Johnson, Louis Arthur, 1891-1966

In a colorful ceremony witnessed by more than 11,000 government and military officials and others, Louis Johnson today took the oath of office as Secretary of Defense. Pictured here (left to right) are Former Secretary of Defense James Forrestal, Mr. Johnson and Chief Justice Fred Vinson who administered the Oath of Office. From: Beth Gore

Louis Johnson, Secretary of Defense, as he arrived at the door of his office in the Pentagon building. From: Beth Gore

Louis Johnson (left) is sworn in as Secretary of Defense by Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson as retiring Secretary of Defense James V. Forrestal (center) looks on.

Frank Pace, Jr., (right), is sworn into office as the new Secretary of the Army by Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson (left), as witnessed by Left to Right, background: Secretary of the Treasury John W. Snyder; Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson; former Secretary of the Army Gordon Gray and Secretary of State Dean Acheson (barely visible).

Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson (second from right) administers the oath of office as Secretary of the Air Force to Thomas K. Finletter.  Officials in attendance are, L to R: W. Stuart Symington, former Secretary of the Air Force; Secretary of State Dean Acheson; and General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Chief of Staff, USAF.

Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson (left) swears in General Omar Bradley (right) as the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Among those present are left to right, background: Dan A. Dimball (partially obscured), Under Secretary of the Navy; W. Stuart Symington, Secretary of the Air Force; Gen. Lawton Collins, Vice Chief of Staff; General Hoyt Vandenberg, Chief of Staff; Mrs. Bradley; Gordon Gray, Secretary of the Army; Stephen Early, Deputy Secretary of Defense.

President Harry S. Truman (seated) signs a proclamation declaring into effect the 12-nation North Atlantic Pact. They are in the Oval Office. Witnessing the signing are, from left to right: Sir Frederic Hoyer-Millar of the United Kingdom; Ambassador Henrik de Kauffmann of Denmark; Canadian Embassy Counselor W. D.

Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson (right) administers the oath of office to John F. Floberg as new Assistant Secretary for Air as Secretary of the Navy Francis P. Matthews (left) and Mrs. Floberg look on.

Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson and Senator Tom Connally (D) Texas, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discuss the re-draft of the Arms Aid Bill which Connally will introduce in the Senate. From: Beth Gore

President Truman is shown presenting the Distinguished Service Medal to General Lucius Clay on the White House lawn. Also shown, in background, are left to right: Louis Johnson, Dean Acheson, Harry Vaughan and many unidentified others.