Hershel W. Gober

Hershel Wayne Gober
Acting United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
In office July 25, 2000[1] – January 20, 2001[2]
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Togo D. West, Jr.
Succeeded by	Anthony Principi
In office July 1, 1997[3] – January 2, 1998[4]
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Jesse Brown
Succeeded by	Togo D. West, Jr. (acting)
United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs
In office February 4, 1993[1] – August 10, 2000[5]
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Anthony J. Principi
Succeeded by	Leo Mackay, Jr.
Director of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs
In office January 4, 1988[2] – February 4, 1993[2]
Preceded by	Grady Brown[6]
Succeeded by	Nick Bacon[6]
Personal details
Born	(1936-12-21) December 21, 1936[1][2] Monticello, Arkansas[1][2]
Political party	Democrat
Spouse(s)	Mary Lou Keener[1]
Alma mater	Alaska Methodist University[1]
Profession	Soldier, Public servant
Awards	Purple Heart[1] Bronze Star[1] Soldier's Medal[1]
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army[1] United States Marine Corps[1]
Battles/wars	Vietnam War[1]

Hershel Wayne Gober (born December 21, 1936^[2]) is a former government official and Vietnam War veteran. He served as acting United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) on two occasions during the administration of Bill Clinton. The first occasion to serve as Acting Secretary was from July 1, 1997^[3] until January 2, 1998^[4] between the resignation of Secretary Jesse Brown and the appointment of Togo D. West, Jr. as Acting Secretary. The second time to serve as Acting Secretary came on July 25, 2000^[1] and lasted until January 20, 2001^[2] after the resignation of Secretary West; this time Gober served in the post until the end of the Clinton presidency.

He started out in the VA as Deputy Secretary, serving from February 4, 1993^[1] until August 10, 2000.^[5] Gober was also briefly Secretary-designate, when Clinton named him on July 31, 1997^[7] to replace Jesse Brown. However, the nomination was withdrawn before Senate action on October 27 the same year.^[7] This happened because of fears nomination hearings for Gober would become heated due to questions about a 1993 claim of sexual misconduct made against him;^[8] he also wished to stay as Deputy Secretary.^[9]

During his tenure Gober played an important role in the Clinton (to whom he was a close and longtime aide^[3]) era VA. He headed a delegation traveled to Vietnam to seek the fullest possible accounting of missing veterans.^[10] He was also active in improving health care and expanding clinics for veterans.^[10]

Before serving in the VA, Gober was Director of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs from January 4, 1988^[2] to February 4, 1993^[2] during President Clinton's tenure as Governor.^[11]

In Vietnam

Gober served two tours in Vietnam.^[1] In addition to his combat duties, at one point he worked with an American/Vietnamese team that produced songs to help sway Vietnamese public opinion in favor of the American and South Vietnamese causes as and to encourage the leadership in Washington to favor reaching the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people. Later, in 1969, he was wounded while serving as a company commander.^[12]

In 1970, Gober released a 45 rpm single,"Picture of a Man," which received some airplay on popular music radio stations.^[13]

Gober had at least 5 single releases and one album as a recording artist; the first two were as Hershel Almond on Ace and Challenge in 1959. The others were on ABC ("The Proud American", 1966), Tee Pee (1967) and Buddah (1969).^[14]

References

External links

• Department of Veterans Affairs biography of Acting Secretary Gober at the Wayback Machine (archived January 29, 2004)
• Profile at American President: An Online Reference Resource
• Recordings of Gober singing songs in Vietnam are available in the Edward G. Lansdale collection at the Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford University

United States Secretaries of Veterans Affairs Derwinski Brown West Gober (acting) Principi Nicholson Peake Shinseki McDonald