[5] In 1968, he was appointed to be Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and was a protege of Paul Nitze.
Soviet diplomat Vladimir Semyonov was initially frustrated to meet often with the second in command negotiator, but their relationship strengthened through a mutual appreciation of classical music and shared experiences of both having teenage daughters.
[7] In 1978, after the resignation of Warnke, Earle was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the United States' chief negotiator at the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT II) with the Soviets and given the rank of Ambassador.
[3] He was an active member of the Lawyers' Alliance for World Security (LAWS) and served on the Arms Control Association Board of Directors from 1987 to 1994.
[3] He died on January 13, 2020, from complications due to Parkinson's disease[1] and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on August 25, 2021.