The following is President Reagan’s letter accepting the resignation of Caspar Weinberger as Secretary of Defense and thanking him for his great service to our nation:
THE WHITE HOUSE November 5, 1987 Dear Cap: It is with the deepest regret that I accept your resignation as Secretary of Defense, effective upon the appointment and qualification of your successor. Nearly 20 years ago, I had the good fortune to have you serve as my Director of Finance for the State of California. Your exceptional performance in that post as well as in subsequent positions with the Federal Government — among them, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare — left me no doubt that you would make an outstanding Secretary of Defense. Not only was I correct in my judgment, but I am confident that you will be remembered as the most distinguished and effective Secretary of Defense in our Nation’s history. For the past seven years, you have worked tirelessly to help restore both America’s military strength and its self-confidence. You have always recognized that the mantle of liberty carries with it responsibility and leadership. You’ve been indispensable in upgrading our military preparedness by promoting the B – 1 bomber, overseeing expansion of our Navy to 600 ships, and eloquently advocating the Strategic Defense Initiative — the most important technological breakthrough in defense strategy in our lifetime. You have successfully enhanced the quality of our military personnel and improved morale, so that today the percentage of high school graduates among enlistees in our armed services is the highest in our Nation’s history. You have also set an example in cracking down on waste and abuse in Pentagon spending, ensuring American taxpayers that their hard-earned monies are being properly and efficiently utilized. I know well that you are an ardent admirer of Winston Churchill and an astute observer of history. As Secretary of Defense, you have demonstrated time and again the vision, the passion, the sound judgment, and the ability to inspire which Churchill possessed in such full measure. You recognize, as he did, that we live in a dangerous time when the survival and triumph of freedom are not self-evident. If freedom is to endure and expand, it will only be because we understand the lessons of history and the nature of the implacable enemy that confronts us globally. Having immersed yourself in these issues, you have helped this Nation apply these lessons to the many crises that we have faced together. As a result, the United States has been able to conduct itself in the 1980s in a way befitting a great Nation and the leader of the free world. Cap, you have my heartfelt gratitude for your incomparable service to our Nation. I know that as you return to the private sector, you will continue to champion the public policies that have kept our Nation strong, prosperous, and free. Nancy joins me in offering you and Jane, and your loved ones, our warm best wishes for every future happiness. May God bless and keep you.
Reagan’s words — “we live in a dangerous time when the survival and triumph of freedom are not self-evident. If freedom is to endure and expand, it will only be because we understand the lessons of history and the nature of the implacable enemy that confronts us globally” — still ring true today.
