James R. Schlesinger

James R. Schlesinger
James R. Schlesinger
	Official portrait
1st United States Secretary of Energy
	In office; August 9, 1977 – August 23, 1979
President	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	John F. O'Leary (FEA)
Succeeded by	Charles Duncan Jr.
12th United States Secretary of Defense
	In office; July 2, 1973 – November 19, 1975
President	Richard Nixon; Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Elliot Richardson
Succeeded by	Donald Rumsfeld
9th Director of Central Intelligence
	In office; February 2, 1973 – July 2, 1973
President	Richard Nixon
Deputy	Vernon A. Walters
Preceded by	Richard Helms
Succeeded by	Vernon A. Walters (acting)
Chair of the Atomic Energy Commission
	In office; August 17, 1971 – January 26, 1973
President	Richard Nixon
Preceded by	Glenn Seaborg
Succeeded by	Dixy Lee Ray
Personal details
Born	James Rodney Schlesinger; February 15, 1929; New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	March 27, 2014 (aged 85); Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Resting place	Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Rachel Line Mellinger (m. 1954; died 1995)
Children	8
Education	Harvard University (BA, MA, PhD)

James Rodney Schlesinger (February 15, 1929 – March 27, 2014) was an American economist and public servant who was best known for serving as Secretary of Defense from 1973 to 1975 under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Prior to becoming Secretary of Defense, he served as Chair of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) from 1971 to 1973, and as CIA Director for a few months in 1973. He became America's first Secretary of Energy under Jimmy Carter in 1977, serving until 1979.

While Secretary of Defense, he opposed amnesty for draft resisters and pressed for development of more sophisticated nuclear weapon systems. Additionally, his support for the A-10 and the lightweight fighter program (later the F-16) helped ensure that they were carried to completion.

^ "James R. Schlesinger – Richard Nixon / Gerald Ford Administration". Office of the Secretary of Defense – Historical Office.
^ "James R. Schlesinger – Richard Nixon / Gerald Ford Administration". Office of the Secretary of Defense – Historical Office. When Jimmy Carter became president in January 1977 he appointed Schlesinger, a Republican, as his special adviser on energy and subsequently as the first head of the new Department of Energy in October 1977.

[Historical_Office_James_R._Schlesinger-1] "James R. Schlesinger – Richard Nixon / Gerald Ford Administration". Office of the Secretary of Defense – Historical Office.

[2] "James R. Schlesinger – Richard Nixon / Gerald Ford Administration". Office of the Secretary of Defense – Historical Office. When Jimmy Carter became president in January 1977 he appointed Schlesinger, a Republican, as his special adviser on energy and subsequently as the first head of the new Department of Energy in October 1977.

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James R. Schlesinger
Official portrait

1st United States Secretary of Energy
In office August 9, 1977 – August 23, 1979
President	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	John F. O'Leary (FEA)
Succeeded by	Charles Duncan Jr.
12th United States Secretary of Defense
In office July 2, 1973 – November 19, 1975^[1]
President	Richard Nixon Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Elliot Richardson
Succeeded by	Donald Rumsfeld
9th Director of Central Intelligence
In office February 2, 1973 – July 2, 1973
President	Richard Nixon
Deputy	Vernon A. Walters
Preceded by	Richard Helms
Succeeded by	Vernon A. Walters (acting)
Chair of the Atomic Energy Commission
In office August 17, 1971 – January 26, 1973
President	Richard Nixon
Preceded by	Glenn Seaborg
Succeeded by	Dixy Lee Ray

Personal details
Born	James Rodney Schlesinger (1929-02-15)February 15, 1929 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	March 27, 2014(2014-03-27) (aged 85) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Resting place	Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Republican^[2]
Spouse	Rachel Line Mellinger (m. 1954; died 1995)
Children	8
Education	Harvard University (BA, MA, PhD)