Kenneth E. BeLieu | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait of Kenneth E. BeLieu asUnder Secretary of the Army | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| United States Under Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office February 26, 1965 – July 1, 1965 | |
| Preceded by | Paul B. Fay |
| Succeeded by | Robert H. B. Baldwin |
| United States Under Secretary of the Army | |
| In office September 1971 – June 1973 | |
| Preceded by | Thaddeus Beal |
| Succeeded by | Herman R. Staudt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1914-02-10)February 10, 1914 Portland, Oregon |
| Died | February 10, 2001(2001-02-10) (aged 87) Sterling, Virginia |
| Alma mater | University of Oregon |
| Awards | Silver Star Bronze Star Medal Legion of Merit Croix de Guerre |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1940–1955 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
Kenneth Eugene BeLieu (February 10, 1914 – February 10, 2001) was theUnited StatesAssistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics) 1961–1965,Under Secretary of the Navy in 1965;Under Secretary of the Army 1971–1973; and then director of theNational Petroleum Council in the late 1970s.
Kenneth E. BeLieu was born inPortland, Oregon, 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 theUniversity of Oregon inEugene, Oregon, graduating in 1937.[1]
After three years in business in Portland, in 1940, BeLieu enlisted in theUnited States Army as asecond lieutenant. As a soldier duringWorld War II, he participated in theInvasion of Normandy, theBattle of the Bulge, and theWestern Allied invasion of Germany. BeLieu was awarded theSilver Star, theLegion of Merit, theBronze Star Medal, thePurple Heart, and theCroix de Guerre.
Following the end of World War II, BeLieu served in several assignments with the Army in theUnited States Department of War and with theGeneral Staff of the United States Army. BeLieu was awarded theSilver Star after he assumed command of a tank unit that fought German Panzer tanks near Saint-Lo, France.[1]
TheKorean 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.[1][2] Upon discharge from hospital, BeLieu was assigned to the Office of theSecretary of the Army. There, he served asexecutive officer to two Secretaries of the Army,Frank Pace and laterRobert T. Stevens. BeLieu retired from the Army in 1955 with the rank ofcolonel.
Upon leaving the army, BeLieu attendedHarvard Business School's six-week Advanced Management Program in 1955. From 1955 to 1960, BeLieu was a staff member of the professional staff of both theUnited States Senate Committee on Armed Services (serving as Staff Director of theSenate Preparedness Investigating Subcommittee) and theUnited States Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences (serving as the committee's Staff Director).[3]
In February 1961,President of the United StatesJohn F. Kennedy appointed BeLieuAssistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics), a post he held for four years. In February 1965, PresidentLyndon B. Johnson named BeLieuUnder Secretary of the Navy,[4] and he served in that capacity from February 26, 1965, until July 1965. During his time in theUnited States Department of the Navy, BeLieu was awarded theNavy 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 theLeisure World inLaguna[1]Beach, California (which is todayLaguna Woods Village); as a member of theDefense Science Board; as a member of the board of advisors ofRyan Aeronautical; and as a member of the technical advisory board ofRCA.
On January 21, 1969, PresidentRichard Nixon appointed BeLieuDeputy Assistant to the President for Congressional Relations. He held this post until 1971, when President Nixon nominated him asUnited States Under Secretary of the Army; after being confirmed by theUnited 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.
In the late 1970s, he served as director of theNational Petroleum Council, a council that representedoil andnatural gas companies' interests to theUnited States Secretary of Energy.
After BeLieu retired from government work in 1979, he became aconsultant. He retired toSterling, Virginia. BeLieu died ofcancer February 10, 2001, at the age of 87 at the Johnson health center within the Falcons Landing retirement community in Sterling.[1]
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Unknown | Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Logistics) 1961 – 1965 | Succeeded by Unknown |
| Preceded by | Under Secretary of the Navy February 26, 1965 – July 1965 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Under Secretary of the Army September 1971 – June 1973 | Succeeded by |
| Department of War (1789–1947) |
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| Department of the Army (1947–present) |
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| National | |
| Other | |
