The Donovan writes:

I composed and signed every letter like that I had to send, thankfully not many. The higher you go, the greater the number, in events like this, where do you draw the line?
I somehow doubt that McNamara was personally signing similar letters. Or Stimson, either.
Let’s face it – reality is, Rumsfeld doesn’t know these casualties personally, as I knew mine.
Yes, the casualty level at this point, or any likely level in the immediate future, is in small enough numbers that he could, in fact, sign them all personally.
What’s your cut-off point?
I understand your point – and if I were in Rumsfeld’s shoes, I would be sorely tempted to sign them myself, if only to remind me of the cost of my decisions, good and bad. But that makes it even harder to back off, if later you find yourself wading knee-deep in blood in a Korea scenario, for example.
But does it bother me that he doesn’t sign each one personally? No, not in the final analysis. It’s just not his job. That was *my* job.