Edward Hidalgo (October 12, 1912 – January 21, 1995) served as the United States Secretary of the Navy in the Carter administration from October 24, 1979 to January 20, 1981. He had previously served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) from April 1977 to October 1979.
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Hidalgo was born Eduardo Hidalgo in Mexico City on October 12, 1912, to Egon and Domita Kunhardt Hidalgo.[1] At the age of six his family moved to New York where he became a citizen and anglacised his name.[2] He graduaded from Holy Cross College in 1933, and a J.D, from Columbia University in 1936.[3] During World War II he was a Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve, serving as air combat intelligence officer on the carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6).[4] From 1945 to 1946 he served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal. During his service on the Enterprise he was award the Bronze Star[5]
Prior to World War II Hidalgo was a law clerk for a New York firm; after his war service he resumed his career, running the Mexico City office of the legal firm of Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle before becoming a founding partner in 1948 of Barrera, Siqueiros & Torres Landa, also in Mexico, where he remained until 1965.
From 1965 to 1966 he served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, Paul H. Nitze, and the resumed legal work from 1966 to 1972 as a partner in the law firm of Cahill, Gordon & Reindel, in charge of their European office.[6] In 1972 he left the firm to resumed government service as Special Assistant for Economic Affairs to the Director of the US Information Agency. The following year he became General Counsel and Congressional Liaison of the Agency.[7]
Hidalgo served from April 25, 1977 as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower, Reserve Affairs and Logistics). On September 13, 1979 President Carter announced the nomination of the Hidalgo as Secretary of the Navy, replacing W. Graham Claytor, Jr.. One of his priorities was recruitment of Hispanics into the Navy, particularly in the officer corp.[8]
After his term as Secretary of the Navy he became a consultant with General Dynamics Corporation, a defense contractor that he had negotiated a $ 643 million settleement with while Secretary of the Navy. He was paid $ 66,000 for his services[9] which he said were related to the Air Forces F-16 program.[10]
Hidalgo was married 3 times, the first two ending in divorce and the third with his death in 1995 from cardiac arrest. He had four children.[11]
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joseph T. McCullen, Jr. |
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) April 1977 – October 1979 |
Succeeded by Joseph A. Doyle |
| Preceded by Joseph T. McCullen, Jr. |
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) April 1977 – October 1979 |
Succeeded by Joseph A. Doyle |
| Preceded by W. Graham Claytor, Jr. |
United States Secretary of the Navy October 24, 1979 – January 20, 1981 |
Succeeded by John Lehman |
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