Harry Truman actually said...

The Secretary of Defense as the head of the Department of Defense will exercise authority, direction and control over the department.

Message to the Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan 8 of 1949: Department of Defense.

07/17/1949

More Harry Truman Quotes

This plan, therefore, will bring their legal status into accord with existing administrative practice.

This plan is a major step in the rebuilding and strengthening of the Department of Labor which I am convinced is essential to the sound and ...

The wisdom of this step has been demonstrated by greatly improved staff assistance to the President, which has contributed importantly to th...

In my judgment, this course has been fundamentally unsound and should be reversed.