Tower, John

Tower, John (Goodwin)

(1925–91) U.S. senator; born in Houston, Texas. He served in the navy during World War II and then studied at the London School of Economics. He was the first Republican ever elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas (1961–85). He specialized in defense matters and was chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He chaired the Iran-Contra investigation (1986–87). In 1989 he was nominated for secretary of defense, but his nomination was rejected by the Senate after allegations of alcoholism and womanizing, charges he vigorously denied. He died in an airplane crash.