Harold W. Chase

Harold William Chase (February 6, 1922 – January 12, 1982) was an American professor of political science. He was also a major general in the United States Marine Corps Reserve who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs in the administration of President Jimmy Carter.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and educated at Princeton University, Chase held brief academic appointments at the University of Delaware and Princeton. In 1957, he joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota. He remained a professor there until his death, though he held a number of visiting positions at other institutions. His specialties were American constitutional law and public law.

Chase enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during World War II and was wounded twice in the Battle of Iwo Jima. After the war, he remained in the Marine Corps Reserve, holding a number of notable appointments and rising through the ranks eventually to the rank of major general. He saw active service in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense from 1977 to 1980, he had responsibility for all reserve forces, including the National Guard, and advocated for making the job more attractive to potential recruits as a way to strengthen the reserves, rather than a draft.