Distinguished Submariner Award
The Naval Submarine League Distinguished Submariner Award recognizes the personal contributions of submarine qualified individuals, officer or enlisted. This award was originally established in 1983 as the Submarine Hero Award, and renamed in 2000 as the Distinguished Submariner Award.
The award is to be made to the most deserving individual when considering his or her lifetime achievements. The contributions may have been during distinguished service in positions of responsibility in the fleet, or, following naval service, the awardee made contributions of extraordinary value to the success of the submarine force, the Navy, or the nation.
Nominations may be submitted by email to execdirector@navalsubleague.org and should provide a description (no more than a one-page attachment) of how the person meets the criteria above.
2018 Award Winners: ADM Hank Chiles, USN, Ret. and RADM Jerry Holland, USN, Ret.
2018 Distinguished Submariner: ADM Hank Chiles, USN, Ret.
Citation for Admiral Hank Chiles, USN, Ret.
For outstanding and continuing meritorious service in support of the Navy and the submarine force.
Admiral Chiles served the Navy and his country with great distinction for over 26 years of commissioned service. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1960. His early submarine assignments included duties on USS TRITON (SSN 586) and USS TECUMSEH (SSBN 628). Staff duties as Material Officer at COMSUBRON 15 followed. He served as Executive Officer in USS DRUM (SSN 677) before being selected as a CNO Scholar at Oxford University, UK. Following a very successful tour as Commanding Officer on USS GURNARD (SSN 662), he headed the Prospective Commanding Officer’s Course at Naval Reactors. Assignments of increased authority and responsibility followed, including a tour as Squadron Commander at SUBRON THREE; Commander Naval Training Center, San Diego; and Commander of Submarine Group Eight. He assumed duties as Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet in 1990. In 1993 he was assigned as the Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff at the U.S. Strategic Command and in 1994 became the Commander in Chief, holding that position until retirement in 1996. Admiral Chiles held the Chair of Leadership at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1999 to 2003. He currently chairs a number of high level commissions and study efforts in support of nuclear weapons issues and submarine developments. He serves as a member of Board of Directors at several key industries and National Laboratories. It is most appropriate that his dedicated service is recognized by the Naval Submarine League as a Distinguished Submariner for 2018.
2018 Distinguished Submariner: RADM Jerry Holland, USN, Ret.
Citation for Rear Admiral Jerry Holland, USN, Ret.:
For outstanding and continuing meritorious service in support of the Navy and the submarine force.
Rear Admiral Holland served the Navy and his country with great distinction for many years. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1955. Early submarine duties were on DARTER, SCORPION, and GATO. Submarine Command tours included USS PINTADO, USS PLUNGER, Submarine Squadron ONE, Submarine Group FIVE, and Submarine School. A leadership assignment to the U.S. Naval Academy included his selection as the Project Officer for the preparation for the admittance of women. As a Flag Officer he served on the CNO staff as Director of Nuclear Weapons and Deputy Director for Space, Command and Control, as well as a tour as a Deputy Director for Operations, Joint Staff. He was the original author of the Naval Warfare Publication, NWP-26, which addressed the development of coordinated anti-submarine warfare. After retiring, he served for 11 years as President of the Educational Foundation of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). Rear Admiral Holland is a frequent contributor to the U.S. Naval Institute “Proceedings” and “The Submarine Review.” His articles have been published in the Naval War College Review, Arms Control Today and SIGNAL Magazine, a classified symposium proceedings published by the John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He served as the Vice President of the Naval Historical Foundation, and was the editor of the Foundations’s book,“The Navy.” In addition he has served on numerous Boards including the Naval Submarine League and AFCEA. It is most appropriate that his dedicated service is recognized by the Naval Submarine League as a Distinguished Submariner for 2018.
Distinguished Submariner Awardees
Prior to 2019, the award was restricted to “a Naval Officer, whose contributions have been of extraordinary value to the success of the United States Navy’s submarine program … considering the entire history of the submarine program.”
2017 ADM Powell F. Carter, USN, Ret. (posthumously), VADM Daniel L. Cooper, USN, Ret., and VADM Ron Thunman, USN, Ret.
2016 ADM Bruce DeMars, USN, Ret., and ADM William Smith, USN, Ret.
2015 VADM Kenneth M. Carr, USN, Ret. & VADM John H. Nicholson, USN, Ret.
2014 VADM Bernard M. Kauderer, USN, Ret., & ADM Charles Larson, USN, Ret. (posthumously)
2013 VADM E. A. Burkhalter, Jr., USN, Ret. & ADM Frank B. Kelso, II, USN, Ret. (posthumously)
2012 VADM Patrick J. Hannifin, USN, Ret.
2011 ADM Kinnaird R. McKee, USN, Ret.
2010 VADM Joe Williams, Jr., USN, Ret.
2009 Team Submarine
2008 Submarine Force Master & Senior CPO’s & COB’s
2007 Submarine Medal of Honor Winners
2006 RADM Robert H. Wertheim, USN, Ret.
2005 ADM Carlisle A. H. Trost, USN, Ret.
2004 The Submarine Family
2003 ADM William J Crowe, Jr., USN, Ret.
2002 ADM James D. “Jim” Watkins, USN, Ret.
2001 CAPT Edward L. “Ned” Beach, USN, Ret.
2000 WW II Submariners
Submarine Hero Awardees
1999 VADM James F. Calvert, USN, Ret.
1998 VADM Arnold F. “Arnie” Schade, USN, Ret.
1997 ADM Robert L. J. “Bob” Long, USN, Ret.
1996 VADM Dennis Wilkinson, USN, Ret.
1995 VADM Eli Reich, USN, Ret.
1994 RADM John S. “Jack” Coye, USN, Ret.
1993 Mrs. Patricia Lee Lewis
1992 CAPT Slade D. Cutter, USN, Ret.
1991 RADM William T. “Bill” Kinsella, USN, Ret.
1990 RDML Richard H. “Dick” O’Kane, USN, Ret.
1989 CAPT George L. Street III, USN, Ret.
1988 RADM Roy S. Benson, USN, Ret.
1987 ADM I. J. “Pete” Galantin, USN, Ret.
1986 RADM Frederick B. “Fred” Warder, USN, Ret.
1985 RADM Eugene B. “Gene” Fluckey, USN, Ret.
1984 ADM Bernard A. “Chick” Clarey, USN, Ret.
1983 VADM Lawson P. “Red” Ramage, USN, Ret.