Thomas S. Gates, Jr.

When Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev announced the incident four days later and accused the United States of spying the Eisenhower administration initially suggested that the plane might have strayed into Soviet airspace. During World War II he served in the Navy rose to the rank of lieutenant commander and participated in campaigns in the Pacific and Mediterranean areas. Summary of Gates' tenure as defense secretary
In a lengthy statement entitled "Department of Defense 1953-1960" prepared at the close of Gates's tenure the Department of Defense summarized its accomplishments during the Eisenhower years concluding that "today our armed forces have the greatest striking power in our history many times greater than in 1953.

Thomas Sovereign Gates Jr. During his tenure he establiThomas S. Gates, Jr.d a task force to set nuclear target priorities.