William E. Mayer

William E. Mayer (September 24, 1923 – February 10, 2010) was an American government official who served as the Alcohol, Drug Use and Mental Health Administrator from 1981 to 1983 and then Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs from 1983 to 1989.

Career
Mayer was born in 1923 and his parents where dentists. He went to school at University of Washington, Northwestern University Medical School, and the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. He later served in the Korean war and received a bronze star with valor.

Mayer also was Director of Health, Director of the International Forum on AIDS Research at the National Academy of Sciences an was the US Assistant surgeon general of the United States.

Before he was administrator for Alcohol, Drug use and Substance Abuse, he was the chief medical officer at the San Diego health department. Prior to that, he served as the Director of the California Department of Health from 1973 to 1975 as well as the Director of the California Department of Mental Health from 1971 to 1973. Mayer also administered public health to those in Humboldt, Contra Costa and the Del Norte counties in California.