| ROBERTMCNAMARA | US secretary of defense for seven years of the Vietnam War: 2 wds. |
| CABINETPOST | Secretary of Defense, for one |
| TUSK | Means of defense for an elephant |
| ITCH | After seven years of marriage, it'll bring dogs up to scratch (4) |
| MICHAELBOATMAN | "The Good Fight" costar who played Specialist Samuel Beckett on 1988-1991 drama series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War: 2 wds. |
| CHINABEACH | 1988-1991 drama series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War: 2 wds. |
| DANADELANY | "Tulsa King" costar who played army nurse Colleen McMurphy on 1988-1991 drama series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War: 2 wds. |
| BROKENMIRROR | Item that can bring seven years of bad luck, according to 44-Across |
| DONALDRUMSFELD | Two-time US secretary of defense who oversaw the start of the Iraq War: 2 wds. |
| GEORGEMARSHALL | General with a plan to help Europe after WWII who was US secretary of defense during the Korean War: 2 wds. |
| SOLDIERSTOWER | University of Toronto's carillon structure honouring the memory of the members of the school who fell in the World Wars: 2 wds. |
| SALT | Charlie, podium finisher for BSA against the might of the Manx Nortons in the early years of the World 500cc Championship. (4) |
| RASPUTIN | Russian mystic who gained influence in the country in the early years of the 20th century while acting as faith-healer to the family of the Tsar (8) |
| LIN | United States sculptor and architect whose public works include the memorial to veterans of the Vietnam War in Washington (born in 1959). |
| MAYAGUEZ | Amaze guy about last incident of the Vietnam war (8) |
| PETEHEGSETH | Former TV personality who was appointed US Secretary of Defense, secondarily titled the Secretary of War, in 2025 (4,7) |
| NOSIR | Sir ___, Jane Fonda documentary about the Vietnam war (2 words) |
| AMERASIAN | Child of the Vietnam War |
| AGENTORANGE | *Infamous defoliant of the Vietnam War era |
| KIRSTENDUNST | The Power of the Dog actress who plays a journalist in the new movie Civil War: 2 wds. |
