From 1861 to 1954, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was the second-highest civilian office in the Department of the Navy (reporting to the
United States Secretary of the Navy). That role has since been supplanted by the office of
Under Secretary of the Navy and the office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy has been abolished. There have, however, been a number of offices bearing the phrase "Assistant Secretary of the Navy" in their title (see below for details).
At present, there are four Assistant Secretaries of the Navy, each of whom reports to and assists the Secretary of the Navy and the Under Secretary of the Navy:
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was established in 1861, to provide a senior deputy to the Secretary. The Assistant Secretary was responsible for the Navy's civilian personnel, as well as for administration of
shore facilities (such as naval bases and shipyards).
Gustavus Fox was the first to hold the post, serving throughout the Civil War. The office was disestablished in 1869, during Reconstruction, but was reestablished by Congress on July 11, 1890.
James R. Soley was the first to be appointed to the newly reestablished position.
The Assistant Secretary was the Navy's number-two civilian until 1940, when Congress established the position of Under Secretary of the Navy, who was given oversight of the Assistant Secretary's activities.
James V. Forrestal, later
Secretary of Defense, was the first to serve as Under Secretary; he held the post until 1944, when he became
Secretary of the Navy.
During the 20th century, the responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary were divided among several officials. During the 1920s, for example, to reflect the increasing importance of
naval aviation, Congress established the position of
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air.
The office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy was disestablished in 1954.[1]
Famous Assistant Secretaries of the Navy
U.S. President
Theodore Roosevelt served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1898, during the William McKinley administration.
U.S. President
Franklin D. Roosevelt served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913 until 1920, and helped to implement Navy policies during
World War I.
According to author Edward J. Renehan, Jr., no fewer than five members of the extended
Roosevelt clan served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy: Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt,
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. who served from 1921 through 1924 under Harding and Coolidge,
Theodore Douglas Robinson (the son of Corinne Roosevelt) who served from 1924 through 1929 under Coolidge, and finally
Henry Latrobe Roosevelt, a descendant of
Robert Fulton's old friend "Steamboat Nicholas" Roosevelt, who served from 1933 through 1936 under FDR.[2]