We need to give more than just lip service to our people, our submarines, as the core of our professional business. We also need to keep our future in focus. We have the most versatile platform and capable warriors in the U.S. Armed Forces, and we need to keep our edge in the maritime sphere. I firmly believe that the submarine force is critical to our national defense. It is our responsiblity to keep charging forward and operating in a manner where others understand our importance too.
- RADM Al Konetzni, Jr., former Commander Submarine Force Pacific
The U.S. armed forces are all-volunteer, and U.S. Navy submarines are manned by volunteers from within the Navy. Submarine personnel are accepted only after the most rigorous testing and observation. After acceptance into the submarine program, candidates undergo a demanding training schedule, which includes attendance by all Officers and and non-nuclear trained enlisted personnel at the Naval Submarine School New London,in Groton, Connecticut, as well as rigorous technical training in different specialty areas. Further training and qualification at sea are required before submariners are awarded the coveted "dolphins" - the submarine insignia worn by officers (gold) and enlisted personnel (silver) to demonstrate their achievement.
Some 5,000 officers and 55,000 enlisted people make up the submarine force. In addition to submarines, these highly skilled people are assigned to submarine tenders, submarine rescue ships, deep-diving submersibles, floating dry docks, shore support facilities, submarine staffs, and senior command staffs.
The submarine force has always been a small fraction of the active Navy. In 1998 only about 7% of the Navy's people were submariners. They operated one-third of the Navy's warships, a highly cost-effective employment of personnel. Today, at the end of the decade, the smaller submarine force of the late 1990s continues to man a significant fraction of the Navy's warships, and some of the most capable and versatile.
The insignia of the U.S. Navy's Submarine Service is a Submarine flanked by two dolphins in a horizontal position with their heads resting on the upper edge of the bow planes. Dolphins, the traditional attendants to Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea and patron deity of sailors, are symbolic of a calm sea. The Submarine insignia adopted in March, 1924, is a bow view of a submarine proceeding on the surface with bow planes rigged for diving. The dolphins represented on this insignia are fish, not mammals. The more familiar gray bottle-nose dolphin is a marine mammal. Its keen intelligence, curiosity, and friendliness to man have led submariners to consider it as a mascot of the Silent Service.
The origin of the U.S. Navy Submarine Insignia dates back to 13 June 1923. Captain Ernest J. King, USN,Commander, Submarine Division Three (later Fleet Admiral and Chief of Naval Operations during World War II), suggested to the Secretary of the Navy, via the Bureau of Navigation (later known as BUPERS), that a distinguished device for qualified submariners be adopted. He submitted a pen-and-ink sketch of his own showing a shield mounted on the beam of a submarine, with dolphins forward and aft of the conning tower. The suggestion was strongly endorsed by Commander Submarine Divisions, Atlantic. During the next several months the Bureau of Navigation solicited additional designs from several sources. Among the designs were a submarine and shark motif, a submarine and shield, and submarines with ancient dolphins.
A Philadelphia firm, Bailey, Banks and Biddle, which had done work for the Navy previously, was requested to design a suitable badge. In 1928, Mr. George Meale, representing the firm, mentioned to Ensign William Crawford Eddy that they were looking for a design for "Submarine Wings" to denote qualifications in Submarines. Using his original sketches of the 1926 Naval Academy class crest that he had designed, Eddy came up with the present submarine insignia which was adopted by the Navy and is in use today (shown above), abow view of surface submarine, with bow planes rigged for diving, flanked by dolphins in horizontal position, their heads resting on the upper edge of the bow planes. Future Navy Captain Eddy then recommended to the Secretary of the Navy that the design be adopted. The recommendation was accepted by Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Acting Secretary of the Navy. The submarine insignia was to be worn at all times by officers and men qualified in submarine duty attached to submarine units or organizations, ashore or afloat, and not to be worn when not attached.
In 1941 the Uniform Regulations were modified to permit officers and enlisted men to wear the submarine insignia after they had been assigned to other duties in the naval service, unless such right had been revoked. The officer insignia was a bronze gold plated metal pin, worn centered above the left breast pocket and above the ribbons or medals. Enlisted men wore an embroidered silk insignia on the outside of the right sleeve, midway between the wrist and elbow until 1947 when it was shifted to above the left breast pocket. In 1943 the Uniform Regulations were modified to allow enlisted men, who were qualified for submarine duty then subsequently promoted to commissioned or warrant ranks, to continue wearing the enlisted submarine insignia until they qualified as submarine officers when they were entitled to wear the officers submarine pin. A 1950 change to Uniform Regulations authorized the embroidered insignia for officers (in addition to pin-on insignia) and a bronze, silver plated, pin-on insignia for enlisted men (in addition to the embroidered device).
Submarine Combat Patrol Pin
The Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia is a uniform breast pin worn by officers and men of the United States Navy's Submarine Service who have completed war patrols. Such patrols were conducted during World War II, the Vietnam War, and the First Gulf War.
The pin shows the broadside of a Gato-class submarine. A scroll beneath the submarine holds service stars, one bronze star for each successful patrol after the first or a silver star for five successful patrols. Successful patrols are those so designated by fleet commanders. The Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia is considered a "secondary insignia" and is typically worn in conjunction with a primary warfare badge, such as the Submarine Warfare Insignia.
SSBN Patrol Pin
The SSBN Deterrent Patrol Insignia is a uniform breast pin worn by officers and men of the United States Navy's submarine service who have completed strategic deterrent patrols in nuclear ballistic missile submarines. It is the successor to the Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia awarded for submarine patrols during World War II.
Design of the SSBN pin shows a silver Lafayette-class submarine with superimposed Polaris missile and electron rings with signify the armament and nuclear powered characteristics of the FBM Deterrent Force. A scroll beneath the submarine holds up to six service stars, with one gold star authorized for each successful patrol or a silver star for five successful patrols; so the silver pin shown above with one silver and two gold stars represents eight (8) successful patrols. At twenty (20) successful patrols, the SSBN pin is upgraded to a gold design.
After the insignia was approved, awards were made retroactive to the first strategic deterrent patrol of USS George Washington (SSBN-598) which was completed on 21 January 1961. The strategic deterrent patrols of the Regulus missile boats were not initially deemed worthy of this insignia, but this decision was reversed in 2004.
The SSBN pin is worn on the left uniform pocket, typically below award ribbons. The badge is considered a "secondary insignia", meaning that the badge is worn secondary to a primary warfare pin, such as the Submarine Warfare insignia.
Deep Submergence
The Deep Submergence Insignia is a uniform breast pin worn by officers and men of the United States Navy's submarine service who are qualified in submarines and have completed one year of regular assignment to a Manned or Unmanned Deep Submersible. The badge was first approved on 6 April 1981.
Examples of eligible Deep Submersible Vessels include: Trieste, Trieste II (DSV-1), Alvin (DSV-2), Turtle (DSV-3), Sea Cliff (DSV-4), USS Dolphin (AGSS-555), and NR-1 Deep Submergence Craft. The insignia is also authorized to a supporting deep submergence detachment. Deep submergence rescue vessels (DSRVs) do not qualify.
The Deep Submergence Insignia is issued in two grades, gold for officers and silver for enlisted personnel. The pin shows the broadside of a Trieste in front of a vertical trident, flanked by heraldic dolphins. The badge is considered a "secondary insignia" and is normally worn on the left uniform pocket, beneath award ribbons and any primary warfare badges, such as the Submarine Warfare Insignia.
Personnel eligible to wear other secondary submarine insignias, such as the Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia, SSBN Deterrent Patrol Insignia or the Deep Submergence Insignia, may only wear one such insignia at a time according to their personal desire.
