Kenneth E. BeLieu
Encyclopedia
Kenneth E. BeLieu was the United States
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics)
1961-65, Under Secretary of the Navy
in 1965; Under Secretary of the Army 1971-73; and then director of the National Petroleum Council
in the late 1970s.
on February 10, 1914, the son of Ila Jean BeLieu and Perry G. BeLieu. After graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1933, he attended the University of Oregon
in Eugene, Oregon
, graduating in 1937.
as a Second Lieutenant
. As a soldier during World War II
, he participated in the Invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge
, and the Western Allied invasion of Germany. BeLieu was awarded the Silver Star
, the Legion of Merit
, the Bronze Star Medal
, the Purple Heart
, and the Croix de guerre
.
Following the end of World War II, BeLieu served in several assignments with the Army in the United States Department of War
and with the General Staff
of the United States Army.
The Korean War
saw BeLieu return to the field of battle and in 1950, BeLieu lost his left leg below the knee because of wounds received in combat. Upon discharge from hospital, BeLieu was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Army
. There, he served as Executive Officer
to two Secretaries of the Army, Frank Pace
and later Robert Ten Broeck Stevens
. BeLieu retired from the Army in 1955 with the rank of colonel
.
's Advanced Management Program, graduating in 1955. From 1955 to 1960, BeLieu was a staff member of the professional staff of both the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services
(serving as Staff Director of the Preparedness Investigating Subcommittee) and the United States Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences
(serving as the committee's Staff Director).
In February 1961, President of the United States
John F. Kennedy
appointed BeLieu Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics)
, a post he held for four years. In February 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson
named BeLieu Under Secretary of the Navy
, and he served in that capacity from February 26, 1965 until July 1965. During his time in the United States Department of the Navy
, BeLieu was awarded the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award
.
In July 1965, BeLieu left public service for the private sector. In the second half of the 1960s, he would serve as the President of the Leisure World
in Laguna Beach, California
(which is today Laguna Woods Village
); as a member of the Defense Science Board
; as a Member of the Board of Advisors of Ryan Aeronautical; and as a member of the Technical Advisory Board of RCA
.
On January 21, 1969, President Richard Nixon
appointed BeLieu Deputy Assistant to the President for Congressional Relations. He held this post until 1971, when President Nixon nominated him as United States Under Secretary of the Army
; after being confirmed by the United States Senate
, BeLieu was sworn in as Under Secretary of the Army on September 22, 1971. BeLieu served as Under Secretary of the Army until 1973.
, a council that represented oil and natural gas companies' interests to the United States Secretary of Energy
.
After BeLieu retired from government work in 1979, he became a consultant
. He retired to Sterling, Virginia
, where he died of cancer
on February 10, 2001.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics)
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics)
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy was a civilian office in the United States Department of the Navy, ca 1960s-1970s. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy was responsible for all U.S...
1961-65, Under Secretary of the Navy
Under Secretary of the Navy
The Under Secretary of the Navy is the second-highest ranking civilian official in the United States Department of the Navy. The Under Secretary, called the "Under" in Pentagon slang, reports to the Secretary of the Navy ....
in 1965; Under Secretary of the Army 1971-73; and then director of the National Petroleum Council
National Petroleum Council
The National Petroleum Council is an American advisory committee representing oil and natural gas industry views to the Secretary of Energy.The council was established in 1946 at the request of President Harry S. Truman to represent industry views on any matters relating to oil and natural gas...
in the late 1970s.
Early Life
Kenneth E. BeLieu was born in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
on February 10, 1914, the son of Ila Jean BeLieu and Perry G. BeLieu. After graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1933, he attended the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, graduating in 1937.
Military Career
After three years in business in Portland, in 1940, BeLieu enlisted in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. As a soldier during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he participated in the Invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, and the Western Allied invasion of Germany. BeLieu was awarded the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, the Bronze Star Medal
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...
, the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, and the Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
.
Following the end of World War II, BeLieu served in several assignments with the Army in the United States Department of War
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
and with the General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
of the United States Army.
The Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
saw BeLieu return to the field of battle and in 1950, BeLieu lost his left leg below the knee because of wounds received in combat. Upon discharge from hospital, BeLieu was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Army
United States Secretary of the Army
The Secretary of the Army is a civilian official within the Department of Defense of the United States of America with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, installations, environmental issues, weapons systems and...
. There, he served as Executive Officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
to two Secretaries of the Army, Frank Pace
Frank Pace
Frank Pace, Jr. was a the 3rd United States Secretary of the Army and business executive.-Biography:Pace was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania...
and later Robert Ten Broeck Stevens
Robert Ten Broeck Stevens
Robert Ten Broeck Stevens was a U.S. businessman and former chairman of J.P. Stevens and Company, which was one of the most established textile manufacturing plants in the U.S...
. BeLieu retired from the Army in 1955 with the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
Political Career
Upon leaving the army, BeLieu attended Harvard Business SchoolHarvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
's Advanced Management Program, graduating in 1955. From 1955 to 1960, BeLieu was a staff member of the professional staff of both the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate Committee on Armed Services
The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy , benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and...
(serving as Staff Director of the Preparedness Investigating Subcommittee) and the United States Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences
United States Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences
The Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences was a standing committee of the United States Senate from 1958 until 1977, when it was folded into the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation...
(serving as the committee's Staff Director).
In February 1961, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
appointed BeLieu Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics)
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics)
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy was a civilian office in the United States Department of the Navy, ca 1960s-1970s. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy was responsible for all U.S...
, a post he held for four years. In February 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
named BeLieu Under Secretary of the Navy
Under Secretary of the Navy
The Under Secretary of the Navy is the second-highest ranking civilian official in the United States Department of the Navy. The Under Secretary, called the "Under" in Pentagon slang, reports to the Secretary of the Navy ....
, and he served in that capacity from February 26, 1965 until July 1965. During his time in the United States Department of the Navy
United States Department of the Navy
The Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
, BeLieu was awarded the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award
Navy Distinguished Public Service Award
The Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, established in 1951, is an award presented by the U.S. Secretary of the Navy to civilians for specific courageous or heroic acts or exceptionally outstanding service of substantial and long-term benefit to the Navy, Marine Corps, or Department of the...
.
In July 1965, BeLieu left public service for the private sector. In the second half of the 1960s, he would serve as the President of the Leisure World
Leisure World
Leisure World is the name of several retirement communities:* Leisure World, Arizona* Leisure World, Seal Beach, California* Laguna Woods Village, Laguna Woods, California, formerly known as Leisure World* Leisure World, Rossmoor, Maryland...
in Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city and artist community located in southern Orange County, California, United States, approximately southwest of the county seat of Santa Ana...
(which is today Laguna Woods Village
Laguna Woods Village
Laguna Woods Village is an age-restricted community for active mature adults aged 55 and over. The development, formerly known as Leisure World, was developed by Ross Cortese.-Location:...
); as a member of the Defense Science Board
Defense Science Board
The Defense Science Board is a committee of civilian experts appointed to advise the U.S. Department of Defense on scientific and technical matters...
; as a Member of the Board of Advisors of Ryan Aeronautical; and as a member of the Technical Advisory Board of RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
.
On January 21, 1969, President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
appointed BeLieu Deputy Assistant to the President for Congressional Relations. He held this post until 1971, when President Nixon nominated him as United States Under Secretary of the Army
United States Under Secretary of the Army
The United States Under Secretary of the Army is the second-highest ranking civilian official of the United States Department of the Army, serving directly under the United States Secretary of the Army...
; after being confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, BeLieu was sworn in as Under Secretary of the Army on September 22, 1971. BeLieu served as Under Secretary of the Army until 1973.
Later Life
In the late 1970s, he served as Director of the National Petroleum CouncilNational Petroleum Council
The National Petroleum Council is an American advisory committee representing oil and natural gas industry views to the Secretary of Energy.The council was established in 1946 at the request of President Harry S. Truman to represent industry views on any matters relating to oil and natural gas...
, a council that represented oil and natural gas companies' interests to the United States Secretary of Energy
United States Secretary of Energy
The United States Secretary of Energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fifteenth in the presidential line of succession. The position was formed on October 1, 1977 with the creation of the Department of Energy when President Jimmy...
.
After BeLieu retired from government work in 1979, he became a consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
. He retired to Sterling, Virginia
Sterling, Virginia
Sterling, Virginia is a census-designated place in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 Census was 27,822.It is located northwest of Herndon, east of Ashburn, and west of Great Falls, and includes part of Dulles International Airport and the former AOL corporate headquarters...
, where he died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on February 10, 2001.