Alumnus Paul Ignatius, former Secretary of the Navy, praised USC’s liberal arts education. (Image source: Navy Department Library.)
USC Dornsife honors 104-year-old alumnus, veteran and former Secretary of the Navy
Paul Ignatius, a 1942 USC Dornsife graduate and World War II veteran, leaves a legacy that spans public service, journalism and philanthropy.
Few USC alumni have received the rare honor of having a naval ship named after them. Paul Ignatius may be the only one. The Half Century Trojans Hall of Fame honoree and former Secretary of the Navy died last week at 104.
Ignatius graduated with a history degree from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in 1942, shortly before he was called to serve in the Navy during World War II.
He would go on to serve high-level roles in the administrations of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson — first as Assistant Secretary of the Army, then as Under Secretary of the Army and Assistant Secretary of Defense, and finally as Secretary of the Navy.