United States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy is the civilian head of the Department of the Navy in the United States and civilian head of the United States Navy. The position was a member of the President's Cabinet until 1947, when the Navy, Army, and newly created Air Force were placed in the Department of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy was placed under the Secretary of Defense. Naval and Marine personnel informally refer to the Secretary of the Navy as SecNav.
Responsibilities
The Secretary of the Navy is responsible for, and has the authority under Title 10 of the United States Code, to conduct all the affairs of the Department of the Navy, including: recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping, training, mobilizing, and demobilizing. The Secretary also oversees the construction, outfitting, and repair of naval ships, equipment and facilities. The Secretary is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies and programs that are consistent with the national security policies and objectives established by the President and the Secretary of Defense. The Department of the Navy consists of two uniformed Services: the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, in the absence of a naval office analogous to the British First Sea Lord, the Secretary of the Navy's position was much more influential in terms of naval policy than the British First Lord of the Admiralty.
Dates of appointment given:
- George M. Robeson, 26 June, 1869 – 4 March, 1877
- Richard W. Thompson, 13 March, 1877 – 20 December, 1880
- Nathan Goff, Jr., 7 January, 1881 – 4 March, 1881
- William H. Hunt, 7 March, 1881 – 16 April, 1882
- William E. Chandler, 16 April, 1882 – 4 March, 1885
- William C. Whitney, 7 March, 1885 – 4 March, 1889
- Benjamin F. Tracy, 6 March, 1889 – 4 March, 1893
- Hilary A. Herbert, 7 March, 1893 – 4 March, 1897
- John D. Long, 6 March, 1897 – 30 April, 1902
- William H. Moody, 1 May, 1902 – 30 June, 1904
- Paul Morton, 1 July, 1904 – 30 June, 1905
- Charles J. Bonaparte, 1 July, 1905 – 16 December, 1906
- Victor H. Metcalf, 17 December, 1906 – 30 November, 1908
- Truman H. Newberry, 1 December, 1908 – 4 March, 1909
- George von L. Meyer, 6 March, 1909 – 4 March, 1913
- Josephus Daniels, 5 March, 1913 – 4 March, 1921
- Edwin Denby, 6 March, 1921 – 10 March, 1924
- Curtis D. Wilbur, 19 March, 1924 – 4 March, 1929
- Charles F. Adams III, 5 March, 1924 – 4 March, 1933
Dates of appointment given:
- Lieutenant Lazarus L. Reamey, 28 March, 1894 – 24 November, 1895[1]
- Commander Philip Andrews, 25 October, 1909[2] – 1 January, 1912[3][4]
- Lieutenant Commander Leigh C. Palmer, 1 January, 1912[5] – after 1 January, 1912[6]
- Lieutenant Commander Needham L. Jones, 22 August, 1913[7] (and as Naval Aide to the President)
- Commander Daniel W. Wurtsbaugh, 21 April, 1915[8]
- Lieutenant Commander Byron McCandless, 22 August, 1916[9]
- Commander Percy W. Foote, 31 July, 1918[10]
See Also
Bibliography
Footnotes
- ↑ Hamersly. Living Officers 1898. pp. 165-166.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1911. p. 14.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1911. p. 14.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1912. p. 22.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1912. p. 22.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1912. p. 22.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1915. p. 20.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1916. p. 16.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1917. p. 28.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1919. pp. 23-23.
