Alexander Haig

Alexander Meigs Haig Jr December 2 1924 February 20 2010 was an American politician who served as the 59th United States Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and previously as White House chief of staff under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford as well as United States Deputy National Security Advisor under President Nixon A member of the Republican Party he was a general in the US Army prior to and in between these cabinetlevel position serving first as the vice chief of staff of the Army and then as Supreme Allied Commander Europe In 1973 Haig became the youngest fourstar general in the US Armys history Haig was born and raised in Pennsylvania He graduated from the US Military Academy and served in the Korean War during which he served as an aide to general Alonzo Patrick Fox and general Edward Almond Afterward he served as an aide to defense secretary Robert McNamara During the Vietnam War Haig commanded a battalion and later a brigade of the 1st Infantry Division For his service Haig received the Distinguished Service Cross the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster and the Purple Heart