John Slezak (April 18, 1896 – April 14, 1984) wasUnited States Under Secretary of the Army from 1954 to 1955.
John Slezak | |
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| United States Under Secretary of the Army | |
| In office February 1954 – January 1955 | |
| President | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Preceded by | Earl D. Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Charles C. Finucane |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1896-04-18)April 18, 1896 |
| Died | April 14, 1984(1984-04-14) (aged 87) |
| Awards | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1924–1946 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
John Slezak was born inStará Turá,Austria-Hungary (in modernSlovakia) on April 18, 1896. After immigrating to theUnited States in 1916, Slezak enlisted in theUnited States Army in 1917 and was posted to theRock Island Arsenal, where he became head of a department in thesmall arms division. In 1919, he enrolled at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison and received aB.S. inmechanical engineering in 1923. He worked as a mechanical engineer atWestern Electric from 1923 to 1930. In September 1924, he was appointed asecond lieutenant in theUnited States Army Reserve, serving as anordnance officer. In 1930, he became president of theTurner Brass Works inSycamore, Illinois, a position he held until 1953.
With the U.S.'s entry intoWorld War II, Slezak became amajor in the United States Army. He was promoted tolieutenant colonel in 1942 andcolonel in 1943. He spent 47 months with the ChicagoOrdnance District, first as Deputy District Chief, then as Chief of the Industrial Division, and finally as District Chief. For his war service, Slezak was awarded theLegion of Merit in 1944; theOak Leaf Cluster in 1946; and theAmerican Campaign Medal and theWorld War II Victory Medal. After the war, as a civilian, Slezak helped to establish themachine tool division of the Army-Navy Munitions Board.
In 1948, Slezak became president and chairman of the board of thePheoil Manufacturing Company inChicago. He served as director of theNational Association of Manufacturers 1952-53.
In 1953,President of the United StatesDwight D. Eisenhower nominated Slezak asAssistant Secretary of the Army (Materiel) and he subsequently held this post from May 4, 1953 until February 7, 1954. Eisenhower then nominated him asUnited States Under Secretary of the Army and he subsequently held this post from February 1954 until January 1955. He then served as director of theAssociation of the United States Army from 1955 to 1957.
From 1957 until his retirement in 1978, Slezak served as chairman of theReserve Forces Policy Board of theUnited States Department of Defense.
Slezak served on theboard of directors of many companies, including the Kable Printing Company (chairman of the board, 1947–72); theHazeltine Corporation; the Clayton Mark Company; and the Roper Corporation.
He was also atrustee of theIllinois Institute of Technology 1949-84 and of theFoundation for Economic Education 1955-67.
Slezak died inSycamore, Illinois on April 14, 1984.
| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by | United States Under Secretary of the Army February 1954 – January 1955 | Succeeded by |
