James Lee Herdt (born February 12, 1947) is a retired senior sailor in the United States Navy who served as the ninth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy from March 27, 1998, to April 22, 2002.

After attending Machinist's Mate "A" School in Great Lakes, Illinois, he served sea tours aboard the USS Independence (CV-62) and USS Will Rogers (SSBN-659) and shore tours at Nuclear Power Training Unit, Windsor, Connecticut, and Radiological Repair Facility in New London, Connecticut.

Returning to active duty in 1976, he served as a Naval Reserve Recruiter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in 1978 rejoined the regular navy.

He has served as Command Master Chief at Nuclear Field "A" School, Orlando, Florida, on board USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), and at Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois.

He has earned a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in human resources management from Florida Institute of Technology in 1992.