"close enough for government work" 1965

[Jonathan Lighter]

I first heard this in 1973.  The earliest I've found it in print is

  1968 Fred MacKenzie The Men of Bastogne (N.Y.: David McKay) 189 [ref. to 1944] : [Lieut. Col.] Harry Kinnard quipped, "That's close enough for government work."

  JL


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