John T. McNaughton -- Find a Way Out

In the long and troubled saga of America’s involvement in Vietnam, few people in Washington were as influential as John T. McNaughton in building the case for escalation of the conflict and few worked so diligently in the background to find a way out. His 1967 death in a mid-air plane crash and the loss of many of his papers have thwarted thorough examination of his career. I have established this blog with the objective of assembling information about McNaughton's life and conflicts.

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

The Dirksen Congressional Center in McNaughton's hometown of Pekin, Illinois, recently posted this July 21, 1967, photo of President Johnson and Senator Everett Dirksen. This was two days after the tragic plane crash that took the lives of McNaughton, his wife, and their younger son. Dirksen was said to have been instrumental in making funeral arrangements and assuring the President's attendance at the July 25 services at the National Cathedral.