John N. McMahon (born July 3, 1929) is a former senior
U.S. official of the
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
.
Background
John Norman McMahon was born on July 3, 1929, in
East Norwalk, Connecticut. His parents were Frederick Francis McMahon and Elizabeth Collins. In 1951, he obtained a bachelor's degree from the
College of Holy Cross.
Career
CIA
McMahon joined the CIA in 1951 or 1966.
[
]
He served as
Deputy Director for Operations
The deputy director of the CIA for operations is a senior United States government official in the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency who serves as head of the Directorate of Operations. The position was established December 1, 1950 and from Janua ...
from January 11, 1978, to April 12, 1981, and later, nominated by US President
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
, as
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence under Director
William J. Casey
William Joseph Casey (March 13, 1913 – May 6, 1987) was the Director of Central Intelligence from 1981 to 1987. In this capacity he oversaw the entire United States Intelligence Community and personally directed the Central Intelligence Agency ...
as of April 27, 1982, succeeding
Bobby Ray Inman
Bobby Ray Inman (born April 4, 1931) is a retired United States Navy admiral who held several influential positions in the United States Intelligence Community.
Early years
Inman was born and raised in the community of Rhonesboro, Upshur Coun ...
.
[
] Questioning McMahon during his nomination included US Senators
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick Moynihan (March 16, 1927 – March 26, 2003) was an American politician, diplomat and sociologist. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented New York in the United States Senate from 1977 until 2001 and served as a ...
(who guided publication of the
VENONA papers in the mid-1990s.
On March 4, 1986, McMahon, age 56, resigned and left office on March 26, succeeded by
Robert M. Gates.
[ "McMahon had clashed with Capitol Hill conservatives who considered him less than zealous in his support of aid to guerrilla fighters in Afghanistan and Nicaragua."][ President Reagan expressed regret at his resignation.][
]
Lockheed Martin
In August 1986, McMahon joined Lockheed Martin Corporation
The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is ...
as an executive vice president for plans and programs in its Missiles & Space Company. In 1995, McMahon was president and CEO of Lockheed Missiles & Space Co.[
]
In 2004, McMahon was registered as a lobbyist for the Lockheed Martin Corporation.[
]
Awards
* 1995: Distinguished Public Service Medal from NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...
[
]
Personal life
On April 15, 1952, McMahon married Margaret Joan Hugger; they had three children. Connections
Married Margaret Joan Hugger, April 15, 1952. Children: Patricia Joy, Christopher John, Timothy Richard, Peter Collins.
Father:
Frederick Francis McMahon
Mother:
Elizabeth (Collins) McMahon
Spouse:
Margaret Joan Hugger
child:
Timothy Richard McMahon
child:
Patricia Joy McMahon
child:
Peter Collins McMahon
child:
Christopher John McMahon
References
External sources
Wilson Center
JOHN N. MCMAHON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR NATIONAL FOREIGN ASSESSMENT, TO AMBASSADOR RICHARD T. KENNEDY, UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MANAGEMENT, 'SPECIAL NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE ON INDIAN REACTIONS TO NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENTS IN PAKISTAN,' 31-32/81
U.S. Senate
Nomination of John N. McMahon: Hearing Before the Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States Senate, Ninety-seventh Congress, Second Session, on Nomination of John N. McMahon to be Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (May 26, 27, 1982)
US Department of State
Memorandum From the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (McMahon) to the Deputy Director for Intelligence (Gates) (1982)
Central Intelligence Agency
Statement of John N. McMahon, Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (April 13, 1984)
Central Intelligence Agency
An Interview with Former DDCI John N. McMahon (1997-1998)
Deputy Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency
1929 births
Living people
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