Clarence M. Kelley

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Clarence M. Kelley
Clarence M. Kelley

Clarence Kelley


In office
July 9, 1973 – February 15, 1978
Preceded by William D. Ruckelshaus
Succeeded by James B. Adams

Born October 24, 1911
Kansas City, Missouri
Died August 5, 1997

Clarence M. Kelley (October 24, 1911 - August 5, 1997) was a public servant and former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Clarence Kelley was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1911. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas in 1936 as a proud member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He then continued his education to earn an LL.B. from the University of Kansas City, Missouri, in 1940. He was admitted to the Missouri Bar the same year and joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent on October 7, 1940. He served in field offices in Huntington, West Virginia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Des Moines, Iowa; and the FBI Training Center in Quantico, Virginia.

Kelley served in the United States Navy from July 22, 1944, to April 9, 1946, having been granted military leave from the FBI.

Returning from military service Kelley was assigned to the Kansas City office, where his performance earned him a promotion to field supervisor. He also served at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 1951. From July 1953 to July 1957 he served as Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the Houston, Seattle, and San Francisco offices. He was then transferred to the Training and Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters, becoming an Inspector. In December 1957 he was promoted to Special Agent in Charge of the Birmingham office and was reassigned to the Memphis office in November 1960, where he served as Special Agent in Charge until his retirement from the FBI on October 24, 1961.

After retiring from the FBI Kelley became the Chief of Police in Kansas City, Missouri. During that time he was a member and officer of several civic associations.

In 1970 Kelley received the J. Edgar Hoover Gold Medal for Outstanding Job Service, presented by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The following year he was named to the Presidential Advisory Committee, and served on both the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals and on the FBI National Academy Review Committee from 1972-1973.

On June 7, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon nominated Kelley to be Director of the FBI. The United States Senate confirmed the nomination June 27 and he was sworn in on July 9. Kelley was the first Director of the FBI to be appointed through the nomination and confirmation process.

Kelley announced his intention to retire in 1977, prompting an exhaustive year-long search for a successor. President Jimmy Carter finally settled upon William H. Webster, who was nominated in January of 1978.

Kelley retired from the FBI February 15, 1978 and was temporarily succeeded by James B. Adams, who served as Acting Director until Webster's confirmation two weeks later.

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Preceded by
William D. Ruckelshaus
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
1973-1978
Succeeded by
James B. Adams