About J. William Middendorf
John William Middendorf II was an American diplomat who was the 62nd Secretary of the Navy from 1974 to 1977 and the United States Ambassador to the European Communities from 1985 to 1987. He wrote books and articles on politics, security, and history. However, when his nomination seemed to be stalled, he discovered that Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger had a candidate of his own (information that Schlesinger had not shared with Middendorf). Middendorf became an investment banker and in 1963 in partnership with Austen Colgate formed his own company, Middendorf, Colgate and Company (with a seat on the New York Stock Exchange).
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.