History / Offices

Secretary of the Navy

72 people have held this office since Jun 18, 1798. Vacant or no longer exists.

Holders
72
26 D · 24 R · 13 U · 5 W · 2 DR · 1 F · 1 UUP
Longest tenure
8 years
Robert Smith
Current
—
nobody
history/office/secretary-of-the-navyEvery holder, newest first
+72
180018201840186018801900192019401960198020002020Benjamin Stoddert · 1798-06-18 – 1801-03-31 · FederalistWilliam Jones · 1813-01-19 – 1814-12-01 · Democratic-RepublicanJohn Branch · 1829-03-09 – 1831-05-12 · DemocratLevi Woodbury · 1831-05-23 – 1834-06-30 · DemocratJames Kirke Paulding · 1838-07-01 – 1841-03-04 · DemocratGeorge Edmund Badger · 1841-03-06 – 1841-09-11 · WhigAbel P. Upshur · 1841-10-11 – 1843-07-23 · WhigDavid Henshaw · 1843-07-24 – 1844-02-18 · DemocratGeorge Bancroft · 1845-03-11 – 1846-09-09 · DemocratWilliam Ballard Preston · 1849-03-08 – 1850-07-22 · WhigWilliam Alexander Graham · 1850-08-02 – 1852-07-25 · WhigJohn P. Kennedy · 1852-07-26 – 1853-03-04 · Unconditional Union PartyIsaac Toucey · 1857-03-07 – 1861-03-04 · DemocratGideon Welles · 1861-03-07 – 1869-03-04 · DemocratRichard W. Thompson · 1877-03-13 – 1880-12-20 · WhigWilliam Collins Whitney · 1885-03-07 – 1889-03-04 · DemocratJohn Davis Long · 1897-03-06 – 1902-04-30 · RepublicanCharles Joseph Bonaparte · 1905-07-01 – 1906-12-16 · RepublicanTruman Handy Newberry · 1908-12-01 – 1909-03-04 · RepublicanJosephus Daniels · 1913-03-05 – 1921-03-04 · DemocratEdwin Denby · 1921-03-06 – 1924-03-10 · RepublicanCharles Francis Adams III · 1929-03-05 – 1933-03-04 · RepublicanCharles Edison · 1940-01-02 – 1940-06-24 · DemocratFrank Knox · 1940-07-11 – 1944-04-28 · RepublicanJames Forrestal · 1944-05-19 – 1947-09-17 · DemocratFrancis P. Matthews · 1949-08-10 – 1951-07-31 · DemocratDan A. Kimball · 1951-07-31 – 1953-01-20 · DemocratRobert B. Anderson · 1953-02-04 – 1954-03-03 · DemocratCharles Thomas · 1954-05-03 – 1957-04-01 · RepublicanThomas S. Gates, Jr. · 1957-04-01 – 1959-06-08 · RepublicanWilliam B. Franke · 1959-06-08 – 1961-01-19 · RepublicanJohn Connally · 1961-01-25 – 1961-12-20 · DemocratFred Korth · 1962-01-04 – 1963-11-01 · DemocratPaul B. Fay · 1963-11-01 – 1965-01-01Charles F. Baird · 1967-07-01 – 1967-08-31Paul Robert Ignatius · 1967-09-01 – 1969-01-24 · DemocratJohn Chafee · 1969-01-31 – 1972-05-04 · RepublicanJohn Warner · 1972-05-04 – 1974-04-08 · RepublicanJ. William Middendorf II · 1974-04-08 – 1977-01-20 · RepublicanW. Graham Claytor, Jr. · 1977-02-14 – 1979-08-24 · DemocratEdward Hidalgo · 1979-10-24 – 1981-01-20 · DemocratJohn Lehman · 1981-02-05 – 1987-04-10 · RepublicanJim Webb · 1987-05-01 – 1988-02-23 · DemocratWilliam L. Ball · 1988-03-28 – 1989-05-15 · RepublicanHenry L. Garrett III · 1989-05-15 – 1992-06-26 · RepublicanJ. Daniel Howard · 1992-06-26 – 1992-07-07Sean O'Keefe · 1992-07-07 – 1993-01-20 · RepublicanFrank Kelso · 1993-01-20 – 1993-07-21John Howard Dalton · 1993-07-22 – 1998-11-16Richard Danzig · 1998-11-16 – 2001-01-20 · DemocratRobert B. Pirie, Jr. · 2001-01-20 – 2001-05-24Gordon R. England · 2001-05-24 – 2003-01-24 · RepublicanSusan Livingstone · 2003-01-30 – 2003-02-07 · RepublicanHansford T. Johnson · 2003-02-07 – 2003-09-30Gordon R. England · 2003-10-01 – 2006-01-03 · RepublicanDonald C. Winter · 2006-01-03 – 2009-03-13 · RepublicanB. J. Penn · 2009-03-13 – 2009-05-19Ray Mabus · 2009-05-19 – 2017-01-20 · DemocratSean Stackley · 2017-01-20 – 2017-08-03Richard V. Spencer · 2017-08-03 – 2019-11-24 · RepublicanJames E. McPherson · 2020-04-07 – 2020-05-29Kenneth Braithwaite · 2020-05-29 – 2021-01-20 · RepublicanThomas Harker · 2021-01-20 – 2021-08-09Carlos Del Toro · 2021-08-09 – 2025-01-20John Phelan · 2025-03-25 – 2026-04-22 · RepublicanRobert Smith · 1801-01-01 – 1809-01-01 · Democratic-RepublicanJohn Y. Mason · 1844-01-01 – 1845-01-01 · DemocratJohn Y. Mason · 1846-01-01 – 1849-01-01 · DemocratJames C. Dobbin · 1853-01-01 – 1857-01-01 · DemocratPaul Nitze · 1963-11-29 – 1967-06-30 · DemocratDionel M. Aviles · 2005-12-29 – 2006-01-03 · RepublicanThomas Modly · 2019-07-15 – 2020-04-07
John Phelan R
Mar 25, 2025 – Apr 22, 2026 · 13 months · appointed by Donald Trump
Carlos Del Toro
Aug 9, 2021 – Jan 20, 2025 · 3.4 years · appointed by Joe Biden
Thomas Harker
Jan 20, 2021 – Aug 9, 2021 · 7 months · appointed by Joe Biden
Kenneth Braithwaite R
May 29, 2020 – Jan 20, 2021 · 8 months · appointed by Phil Baker
James E. McPherson
Apr 7, 2020 – May 29, 2020 · 2 months · appointed by Phil Baker
Thomas Modly
Jul 15, 2019 – Apr 7, 2020 · 9 months · appointed by Phil Baker
Richard V. Spencer R
Aug 3, 2017 – Nov 24, 2019 · 2.3 years · appointed by Donald Trump
Sean Stackley (acting)
Jan 20, 2017 – Aug 3, 2017 · 6 months
Ray Mabus D
May 19, 2009 – Jan 20, 2017 · 7.7 years · appointed by Barack Obama
B. J. Penn
Mar 13, 2009 – May 19, 2009 · 2 months · appointed by Barack Obama
Donald C. Winter R
Jan 3, 2006 – Mar 13, 2009 · 3.2 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Dionel M. Aviles R
Dec 29, 2005 – Jan 3, 2006 · 5 days · appointed by George W. Bush
Gordon R. England R
Oct 1, 2003 – Jan 3, 2006 · 2.3 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Hansford T. Johnson
Feb 7, 2003 – Sep 30, 2003 · 8 months · appointed by George W. Bush
Susan Livingstone R
Jan 30, 2003 – Feb 7, 2003 · 8 days · appointed by George W. Bush
Gordon R. England R
May 24, 2001 – Jan 24, 2003 · 20 months · appointed by George W. Bush
Robert B. Pirie, Jr.
Jan 20, 2001 – May 24, 2001 · 4 months · appointed by George W. Bush
Richard Danzig D
Nov 16, 1998 – Jan 20, 2001 · 2.2 years · appointed by Bill Clinton
John Howard Dalton
Jul 22, 1993 – Nov 16, 1998 · 5.3 years · appointed by Bill Clinton
Frank Kelso
Jan 20, 1993 – Jul 21, 1993 · 6 months · appointed by Bill Clinton
Sean O'Keefe R
Jul 7, 1992 – Jan 20, 1993 · 6 months · appointed by George H. W. Bush
J. Daniel Howard
Jun 26, 1992 – Jul 7, 1992 · 11 days · appointed by George H. W. Bush
Henry L. Garrett III R
May 15, 1989 – Jun 26, 1992 · 3.1 years · appointed by George H. W. Bush
William L. Ball R
Mar 28, 1988 – May 15, 1989 · 14 months · appointed by Ronald Reagan
Jim Webb D
May 1, 1987 – Feb 23, 1988 · 10 months · appointed by Ronald Reagan
John Lehman R
Feb 5, 1981 – Apr 10, 1987 · 6.2 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan
Edward Hidalgo D
Oct 24, 1979 – Jan 20, 1981 · 15 months · appointed by Jimmy Carter
W. Graham Claytor, Jr. D
Feb 14, 1977 – Aug 24, 1979 · 2.5 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter
J. William Middendorf II R
Apr 8, 1974 – Jan 20, 1977 · 2.8 years · appointed by Richard Nixon
John Warner R
May 4, 1972 – Apr 8, 1974 · 23 months · appointed by Richard Nixon
John Chafee R
Jan 31, 1969 – May 4, 1972 · 3.3 years · appointed by Richard Nixon
Paul Robert Ignatius D
Sep 1, 1967 – Jan 24, 1969 · 17 months · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
Charles F. Baird
Jul 1, 1967 – Aug 31, 1967 · 2 months · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
Paul Nitze D
Nov 29, 1963 – Jun 30, 1967 · 3.6 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
Paul B. Fay
Nov 1, 1963 – Jan 1, 1965 · 14 months · appointed by John F. Kennedy
Fred Korth D
Jan 4, 1962 – Nov 1, 1963 · 22 months · appointed by John F. Kennedy
John Connally D
Jan 25, 1961 – Dec 20, 1961 · 11 months · appointed by John F. Kennedy
William B. Franke R
Jun 8, 1959 – Jan 19, 1961 · 19 months · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Thomas S. Gates, Jr. R
Apr 1, 1957 – Jun 8, 1959 · 2.2 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Charles Thomas R
May 3, 1954 – Apr 1, 1957 · 2.9 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Robert B. Anderson D
Feb 4, 1953 – Mar 3, 1954 · 13 months · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dan A. Kimball D
Jul 31, 1951 – Jan 20, 1953 · 18 months · appointed by Harry S. Truman
Francis P. Matthews D
Aug 10, 1949 – Jul 31, 1951 · 2 years · appointed by Harry S. Truman
James Forrestal D
May 19, 1944 – Sep 17, 1947 · 3.3 years · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Frank Knox R
Jul 11, 1940 – Apr 28, 1944 · 3.8 years · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Charles Edison D
Jan 2, 1940 – Jun 24, 1940 · 6 months · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Charles Francis Adams III R
Mar 5, 1929 – Mar 4, 1933 · 4 years · appointed by Herbert Hoover
Edwin Denby R
Mar 6, 1921 – Mar 10, 1924 · 3 years · appointed by Warren G. Harding
Josephus Daniels D
Mar 5, 1913 – Mar 4, 1921 · 8 years · appointed by Woodrow Wilson
Truman Handy Newberry R
Dec 1, 1908 – Mar 4, 1909 · 3 months · appointed by Theodore Roosevelt
Charles Joseph Bonaparte R
Jul 1, 1905 – Dec 16, 1906 · 18 months · appointed by Theodore Roosevelt
John Davis Long R
Mar 6, 1897 – Apr 30, 1902 · 5.1 years · appointed by William McKinley
William Collins Whitney D
Mar 7, 1885 – Mar 4, 1889 · 4 years · appointed by Grover Cleveland
Richard W. Thompson W
Mar 13, 1877 – Dec 20, 1880 · 3.8 years · appointed by Rutherford B. Hayes
Gideon Welles D
Mar 7, 1861 – Mar 4, 1869 · 8 years · appointed by Abraham Lincoln
Isaac Toucey D
Mar 7, 1857 – Mar 4, 1861 · 4 years · appointed by James Buchanan
James C. Dobbin D
Jan 1, 1853 – Jan 1, 1857 · 4 years · appointed by Millard Fillmore
John P. Kennedy UUP
Jul 26, 1852 – Mar 4, 1853 · 7 months · appointed by Millard Fillmore
William Alexander Graham W
Aug 2, 1850 – Jul 25, 1852 · 2 years · appointed by Millard Fillmore
William Ballard Preston W
Mar 8, 1849 – Jul 22, 1850 · 16 months · appointed by Zachary Taylor
John Y. Mason D
Jan 1, 1846 – Jan 1, 1849 · 3 years · appointed by James K. Polk
George Bancroft D
Mar 11, 1845 – Sep 9, 1846 · 18 months · appointed by James K. Polk
John Y. Mason D
Jan 1, 1844 – Jan 1, 1845 · 12 months · appointed by John Tyler
David Henshaw D
Jul 24, 1843 – Feb 18, 1844 · 7 months · appointed by John Tyler
Abel P. Upshur W
Oct 11, 1841 – Jul 23, 1843 · 21 months · appointed by John Tyler
George Edmund Badger W
Mar 6, 1841 – Sep 11, 1841 · 6 months · appointed by William Henry Harrison
James Kirke Paulding D
Jul 1, 1838 – Mar 4, 1841 · 2.7 years · appointed by Martin Van Buren
Levi Woodbury D
May 23, 1831 – Jun 30, 1834 · 3.1 years · appointed by Andrew Jackson
John Branch D
Mar 9, 1829 – May 12, 1831 · 2.2 years · appointed by Andrew Jackson
William Jones DR
Jan 19, 1813 – Dec 1, 1814 · 22 months · appointed by James Madison
Robert Smith DR
Jan 1, 1801 – Jan 1, 1809 · 8 years · appointed by John Adams
Benjamin Stoddert F
Jun 18, 1798 – Mar 31, 1801 · 2.8 years · appointed by John Adams

Dates are from Wikidata, which has gaps for some historical offices. Consecutive terms of one person are merged.