Highest-Ranking Armenian-American in US Military History, Dies at 105

On November 6, at the age of nearly 105, Paul Robert Ignatius (Ignatosian), a distinguished Armenian-American statesman who wrote his name in golden letters in the history of the United States, passed away in Washington. As Secretary of the U.S. Navy (1967-1969), Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and president of the prestigious "Washington Post" newspaper, he became the highest-ranking Armenian to hold military office in U.S. history. A symbol of his unparalleled legacy is one of the most powerful warships in the American fleet, the destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117), which bears his name.

Paul Robert Ignatius was born on November 11, 1920, in Glendale, California, to Armenian immigrants Hovsep Ignatosian and Eliza Jamkochian. His father, Hovsep, had immigrated to the U.S. from Western Armenia with his three brothers in 1904 and settled in Pittsburgh, where the family was forced to drop the "-ian" suffix from their surname. His mother, Eliza, was also from Western Armenia; her family had first emigrated to England and then settled in California in 1911.

Paul Ignatius received an excellent education, graduating from the University of Southern California and Harvard Business School. Before entering public service, he founded the management consulting firm "Harbridge House."

Like tens of thousands of Armenian Americans, Ignatius also did his duty during World War II, serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. His service was on the aircraft carrier "Manila Bay," aboard which he participated in the largest naval battle of the war, the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines.

He survived the horrors of war when a powerful Japanese fleet attacked their carrier group. "At that time, two of the Japanese warships were the largest warships in the world," he recounted years later. "Several American warships were sunk... It was a long and brutal massacre."

Later, in Lingayen Gulf, Ignatius's ship was attacked by two Japanese kamikaze pilots. One of the planes crashed into the carrier's deck and exploded. "We had a great captain and were able to extinguish the fire before it reached the aviation fuel and ammunition," he recalled. Thanks to the crew's heroism, the ship was saved.

After the war, Ignatius began his brilliant career in the U.S. Department of Defense. In 1961, under President John F. Kennedy, he was appointed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Installations and Logistics. His rise continued during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson: he held the position of Under Secretary of the Army, and then, on September 1, 1967, he reached the pinnacle of his career, being appointed Secretary of the U.S. Navy. He held this post until January 1969, during one of the most difficult periods in American history—the height of the Vietnam War.

After his public service, Ignatius's activities continued in civilian life. For two years, he led one of the most influential media outlets in the U.S., the "Washington Post" newspaper, and then for 15 years, he was the president of the "Air Transport Association."

He also authored two books: "On Board: My Life in the Navy, Government, and Business," and a memoir titled "Now I Know in Part: A Coming of Age Story," where he tells about his childhood and his family's journey.

Paul Ignatius was not only a brilliant figure but also a family man. He and his wife, Nancy, had four children who continued the family tradition, achieving great success. One of his sons, David Ignatius, is a famous columnist and novelist for the "Washington Post," and another, Adi, is the editor-in-chief of the "Harvard Business Review." Of his daughters, Sarah is the executive director of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), and Amy is a judge on the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

In 2006, at the age of 86, Paul Ignatius undertook one of the most important journeys of his life, visiting his ancestral land, the city of Kharberd in Western Armenia, with his children. Seeing the ruined Armenian churches and schools, he experienced mixed feelings—sadness and, at the same time, pride in his roots. That visit became a powerful link between the past and the present, completing the life story of a man who, born across the ocean, never forgot his Armenian identity.