James D. Watkins

James David Watkins ( born March 7, 1927 in Alhambra, California, † July 26, 2012 in Alexandria, Virginia) was an American naval officer and politician.

Biography

Watkins studied at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis (Maryland) and finished his studies in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He then joined as a professional soldier in the United States Navy and later graduated from postgraduate studies in mechanical engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School, where he graduated in 1958 with a Master of Science ( M.Sc.) in Mechanical Engineering.

During his military service, he was from 1975 to 1978 chief of naval personnel department ( Chief of Naval Personnel ), after 1979 as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations and then following on July 31, 1981 Admiral and Commander of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Last Admiral Watkins was on 30 June 1982 to 30 June 1986, Chief of Naval Operations, and thus the highest-ranking officer and Admiral Chief of Staff of the U.S. Navy. After his retirement he the former commander of the Atlantic Fleet, Admiral Carlisle Trost followed.

On March 1, 1989 Watkins was appointed by U.S. President George Bush to Secretary of Energy ( Secretary of Energy) in the cabinet and stayed until the end of Bush's term of office on 20 January 1993 in office. As Energy Secretary, he was also responsible for the production of nuclear weapons.

After leaving the government, he went into the private sector and was among other things a board member of VESTAR Inc. and Southern California Edison. Between 1993 and 1998 he was also curator ( trustee ) of the Carnegie Corporation.

Awards

Selection of decorations, sorted on the basis of the Order of Precedence of the Military Awards:

Alexandria (Virginia) Edison International Andrew Carnegie Distinguished Service Medal (US Navy) Bronze Star Medal James R. Schlesinger Charles Duncan, Jr. James B. Edwards Donald P. Hodel John S. Herrington Bill Richardson Samuel Bodman Steven Chu Ernest Moniz Edward Walter Eberle Harold Rainsford Stark Ernest King Chester W. Nimitz Forrest Sherman Thomas Hinman Moorer Elmo Zumwalt Thomas B. Hayward Jay L. Johnson Vern Clark Michael Mullen Gary Roughead Integrated Authority File
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