Edward Hidalgo
Encyclopedia
Edward Hidalgo 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.
on October 12, 1912, to Egon and Domita Kunhardt Hidalgo. At the age of six his family moved to New York where he became a citizen and anglacised his name. He graduaded from Holy Cross College
in 1933, and a J.D, from Columbia University
in 1936. 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)
. 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
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.
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.
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.
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 which he said were related to the Air Forces F-16 program.
United States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
in the Carter administration
Presidency of Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter served as the thirty-ninth President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. His administration sought to make the government "competent and compassionate" but, in the midst of an economic crisis produced by rising energy prices and stagflation, met with difficulty in achieving its...
from October 24, 1979 to January 20, 1981. He had previously served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Navy...
from April 1977 to October 1979.
Early life
Hidalgo was born Eduardo Hidalgo in Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
on October 12, 1912, to Egon and Domita Kunhardt Hidalgo. At the age of six his family moved to New York where he became a citizen and anglacised his name. He graduaded from Holy Cross College
Holy Cross College (Indiana)
Holy Cross College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, residential institution of higher education in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community northeast of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States — as are Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame...
in 1933, and a J.D, from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1936. 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)
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E," was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
. From 1945 to 1946 he served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal
James Forrestal
James Vincent Forrestal was the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense....
. During his service on the Enterprise he was award the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
Legal career
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.
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.
Secretary of the Navy
Hidalgo served from April 25, 1977 as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower, Reserve Affairs and Logistics). On September 13, 1979 President CarterJimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
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.
Later career and controversy
After his term as Secretary of the Navy he became a consultant with General DynamicsGeneral Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
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 which he said were related to the Air Forces F-16 program.