John Lehman

U.S. Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command

John F. Lehman, Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 14 September 1942. His father commanded an LCS in WWII in the Pacific and received the bronze star for combat in Okinawa. After graduating from high school, Lehman entered St. Joseph's College and graduated with a bachelor's degree in international relations in 1964. He went on to obtain his master's degree at Cambridge University and his doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania. While he was at Cambridge, he spent three years in the Air Force Reserves. In 1968, he left the Air Force Reserves and accepted a commission as an ensign in the U.S. Navy, where he ultimately advanced to the rank of captain as a naval aviator. While serving in the Reserves, he also served on the National Security Council and as deputy director of the U. S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.

In January 1981, while he was president of the Abington Corporation, Lehman was selected to be Secretary of the Navy for President Ronald Reagan's administration. During his tenure as the 65th Secretary of the Navy, Lehman supported the idea of building a "600-ship Navy" to rebuild the fleet after post-Vietnam War cutbacks and to counter the Soviet threat. He also developed what would become to be known as the "Lehman Doctrine," which was the plan for a military response to a Russian invasion of Europe. Lehman, who was still a Reserve naval aviator while serving as secretary, was an advocate for the resurgence of aircraft carriers. His support for the 600-ship Navy, promotion of the U.S. maritime strategy, and reactivation of the Iowa-class battleships were his solution to overcoming Soviet military superiority by bringing the fight to their doorstep. Lehman resigned from the position on April 10, 1987. (US Navy. Published January 9, 2023)