William Perry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Perry
19th United States Secretary of Defense
In office February 3, 1994 – January 23, 1997
President	Bill Clinton
Deputy	John M. Deutch John P. White
Preceded by	Les Aspin
Succeeded by	William Cohen
19th United States Deputy Secretary of Defense
In office January 21, 1993 – February 3, 1994
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Donald J. Atwood Jr.
Succeeded by	John M. Deutch
Personal details
Born	William James Perry (1927-10-11) October 11, 1927 (age 97) Vandergrift, Pennsylvania
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Stanford University Pennsylvania State University

William James Perry (born October 11, 1927) is an American expert in math, engineering, and business. He is well-known for his important roles in the United States government. He served as the United States Secretary of Defense from 1994 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton. Before that, he was the United States Deputy Secretary of Defense from 1993 to 1994. He also worked as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering from 1977 to 1981.

William Perry's Important Government Roles

William Perry has had a long and impressive career serving the United States. He used his skills in math and engineering to help keep the country safe. His work involved managing the military and making sure it had the best technology.

Secretary of Defense

The United States Secretary of Defense is a very important job. This person is in charge of the entire United States Department of Defense. This department includes all branches of the military, like the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. The Secretary of Defense helps the President make big decisions about national security. They work to protect the country from threats and keep peace around the world. William Perry held this top position for three years.

Other Key Positions

Before becoming Secretary of Defense, William Perry was the United States Deputy Secretary of Defense. This role is like being the second-in-command for the Department of Defense. He helped the Secretary of Defense manage the daily operations of the military.

Earlier in his career, he was the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. In this job, he focused on developing new technologies for the military. This included making sure soldiers had the best equipment and that the country stayed ahead in defense technology. His background as an engineer was very helpful in this role.

Images for kids

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  Perry at the National Defense University graduation in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2008.

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  Perry in Rwanda, 1994.

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  Perry with Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Kenneth Bacon during a flight to Europe, 1995.