Gordon R. England facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gordon England
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Official portrait, 2003
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| 29th U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense | |
| In office January 4, 2006 – February 11, 2009 Acting: May 13, 2005 – January 3, 2006 |
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| President | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Secretary | Donald Rumsfeld Robert Gates |
| Preceded by | Paul Wolfowitz |
| Succeeded by | William J. Lynn III |
| 72nd and 73rd U.S. Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office October 1, 2003 – January 3, 2006 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | Donald C. Winter |
| In office May 24, 2001 – January 24, 2003 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Richard Danzig |
| Succeeded by | Himself |
| 1st U.S. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security | |
| In office January 24, 2003 – October 1, 2003 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | James Loy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gordon Richard England
September 15, 1937 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Dotty England |
| Education | University of Maryland, College Park (BS) Texas Christian University (MBA) |
Gordon Richard England (born September 15, 1937) is an American politician and businessman. He held important government roles under U.S. President George W. Bush. He served as the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense. He was also the U.S. Secretary of the Navy two times.
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Early Life and Education
Gordon England was born on September 15, 1937, in Baltimore, Maryland. He went to Mount Saint Joseph High School. He graduated from there in 1955.
He earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1961. This was from the University of Maryland, College Park. Later, in 1975, he received an MBA from Texas Christian University. He was part of several honor societies for business, leadership, and engineering.
Gordon England's Career Journey
England began his business career in 1966 at Honeywell. He worked as an engineer on the Project Gemini space program. He then worked for Litton Industries. There, he managed programs for the E-2 Hawkeye aircraft used by the United States Navy. He also led his own company, GRE Consultants.
By 1977, he joined General Dynamics. He held many positions, including Director of Avionics. He later became Vice President of Engineering. He also served as President and General Manager of General Dynamics Land Systems. He then returned to General Dynamics Fort Worth as Division President. He stayed in that role when Lockheed bought the division. He then became President of Lockheed for four years.
England returned to General Dynamics as an Executive Vice President. From 1997 to 2001, he oversaw the company's Information Systems and International sectors. After his long business career, England moved into government service. He joined the administration of President George W. Bush.
England was chosen to be the Secretary of the Navy. Some people questioned this choice. This was because he had no military service experience. He had spent his career in the defense industry. However, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld wanted leaders with corporate experience. This policy led to England's appointment. He was sworn in on May 24, 2001.
During his first term, England worked to modernize the Navy. He aimed to develop "futuristic weapons." These weapons would help counter new threats. He worked with Admiral Vernon Clark. Together, they made big changes to the Navy. This included retiring many ships. They also reduced thousands of jobs. They combined Navy and Marine Corps air forces. They also changed how crews were deployed. This allowed some ships to stay at sea longer. They also planned to get more warships ready faster during emergencies.
On May 31, 2002, England ordered all United States Navy ships to fly the first navy jack. This was to honor those lost in the September 11, 2001 attacks. This flag is to be flown during the War on Terrorism. England left this role in January 2003 for a new government position.
Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
On January 24, 2003, England took on a new role. He became the Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security. This was in the new United States Department of Homeland Security. His time in this role was short. But it helped him gain more experience in Washington. It also expanded his connections within the White House.
England returned to lead the Navy. He was sworn in again on October 1, 2003. He became only the second person to hold the post twice. He was also the first to serve two terms in a row. His time at the Department of Homeland Security had broadened his view. He saw the administration's fight against terrorism differently. This led him to pursue new goals at the Pentagon. He worked for stronger ties between the Navy and the Coast Guard. He also sought to give more help to Marines fighting in Iraq.
In June 2004, the Supreme Court made a ruling. It gave prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba the right to present their cases in U.S. courts. England was chosen to lead a review of these cases. A panel of three military officers conducted the review. Prisoners could provide facts to support their request for release. England stated the main question was: "Are they still threats to America?" As a result of this review, 38 prisoners were released. This was because there was not enough evidence against them. Donald C. Winter later replaced England as Secretary of the Navy.
Deputy Secretary of Defense
England was nominated as Deputy Secretary of Defense on May 13, 2005. He immediately started the role in a temporary way. This was while he waited for his official approval. He replaced Paul Wolfowitz. Many in the media saw this as a positive change. England was known for being more focused on managing the Pentagon. President Bush officially appointed him on January 4, 2006. England resigned when the new Obama administration took office.
Acting Secretary of Defense
On January 22, 2009, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced something. He would hand over his duties to Gordon R. England. This was because Gates needed surgery. On January 23, 2009, while Gates had surgery, Gordon England was in charge of the Pentagon. England continued in this role while Gates recovered. During this time, England served as the acting Defense Secretary.
Awards and Other Activities
England has been involved in many community and government groups. He served as a city councilman. He was also vice-chair on the board of Goodwill Industries. He was on the USO's Board of Governors. He also served on the Defense Science Board. He was on the Board of Visitors at Texas Christian University.
He has received many awards for his work and service. These include the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Maryland. He also received the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award. Other honors include the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America. He also got the Silver Knight of Management Award. He received the Henry M. Jackson Award and the IEEE Centennial Award.
In 2012, England was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. This was for his work in digital avionics. He is also a member of the Naval Order of the United States.
