Harold William Chase

Harold William Chase (February 6, 1922 – January 12, 1982) was an American professor of political science. He was also a major general in the United States Marine Corps Reserve who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs in the administration of President Jimmy Carter.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and educated at Princeton University, Chase held brief academic appointments at the University of Delaware and Princeton. In 1957, he joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota. He remained a professor there until his death, though he held a number of visiting positions at other institutions. His specialties were American constitutional law and public law.

Chase enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during World War II and was wounded twice in the Battle of Iwo Jima. After the war, he remained in the Marine Corps Reserve, holding a number of notable appointments and rising through the ranks eventually to the rank of major general. He saw active service in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense from 1977 to 1980, he had responsibility for all reserve forces, including the National Guard, and advocated for making the job more attractive to potential recruits as a way to strengthen the reserves, rather than a draft.

Early life and education Harold William Chase was born February 6, 1922, in Worcester, Massachusetts. His parents were Louis Chase and Bessie (Lubin) Chase. He had a sister, Lydia, and three brothers, Gordon, Herbert, and Arnold.

Chase graduated from Phillips Andover Academy in 1939. He entered Princeton University as a member of the undergraduate Class of 1943 but earned his bachelor's degree in 1944, with a major in political science. He went on to earn a master's degree and a Ph.D. in 1948 and 1952, respectively, both also from Princeton. They remained married until his death. They had two sons, Bryce and Eric Chase. Eric graduated from Princeton in 1968; Harold Chase swore him in as a Marine officer the day before Eric graduated.

Academic career

After earning his Ph.D. in 1948, Chase joined the faculty of the University of Delaware as an instructor and assistant professor of political science, serving there until 1950. In 1952, he returned to Princeton as a lecturer and assistant professor of political science. He remained at Princeton until 1957, when he moved to the University of Minnesota as an associate professor of political science. He was promoted to full professor in 1962. He was an advisory editor in political science for Charles Scribner's Sons from 1962 to 1973 and an advisory editor to the Dictionary of American History in 1973. He received a teaching award from the College of Liberal Arts.

Military and government service Chase enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on September 9, 1942, during World War II. In May 1943, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Following additional training and service stateside, he was ordered overseas beginning in July 1944. He was wounded twice in the Battle of Iwo Jima (February 19 – March 26, 1945). He was released from active duty in January 1946, after the conclusion of the war. The United States Senate confirmed the nomination the following November 2. In this role, Chase "was in charge of all reserve forces, including the National Guard." He served until December 1980, following Carter's defeat by Ronald Reagan in the presidential election the previous month,

Death and legacy On January 12, 1982, while in San Diego, California, as a visiting professor at the University of California, San Diego, Chase died following a heart attack. His funeral and burial were at Arlington National Cemetery. According to the association, the spirit of the essay accords with Chase's belief "that the Marine Corps' strength and its usefulness to the country stemmed in large measure from its intellectual openness and from its ability to accept change."