Chase, Harold W. (Harold William), 1922-1982

American political scientist; United States deputy assistant secretary of defense, 1977-1980.

Biographical/Historical Note

American political scientist; United States deputy assistant secretary of defense, 1977-1980.

Harold W. Chase was born on February 6, 1922 in Worcester, Massachusetts. He obtained his undergraduate and graduate education from Princeton University, earning his B.A. in 1943, M.A. in 1948 and Ph.D. in 1954. Dr. Chase was an instructor and assistant professor of political science at the University of Delaware (1948-1950) and a lecturer and assistant professor at Princeton University (1952-1957). Dr. Chase joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1957 as an associate professor; he was promoted to professor in 1962. From 1973-1974, Dr. Chase served as acting vice president for academic administration.

Harold Chase was also a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, serving in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Other appointments in the military included company commander and staff officer (1950-1952), chief instructor and officer-in-charge of the non-commissioned officers' school (1950-1951), commanding officer (1952-1954) colonel and psychological operations officer in the Republic of Vietnam (1968-1969), and brigadier general and major general in the Marine Corps Reserve (1971-1977). In 1977, Dr. Chase took a leave of absence from Minnesota to accept the post as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs in President Carter's administration. In 1981, Dr. Chase returned to his position as professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. Harold Chase died on January 12, 1982.