List of United States Naval Academy alumni

The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland with the mission of educating and commissioning officers for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Academy was founded in 1845 and graduated its first class in 1846. The Academy is often referred to as Annapolis, while sports media refer to the Academy as "Navy" and the students as "Midshipmen"; this usage is officially endorsed.^[1] During the latter half of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th, the United States Naval Academy was the primary source of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps officers, with the Class of 1881 being the first to provide officers to the Marine Corps. Graduates of the Academy are also given the option of entering the United States Army or United States Air Force. Most Midshipmen are admitted through the congressional appointment system.^[2] The curriculum emphasizes various fields of engineering.^[3]

Traditional hat toss at the graduation ceremony at the United States Naval Academy

Logo of the Naval Academy

The list is drawn from graduates, non-graduate former Midshipmen, current Midshipmen, and faculty of the Naval Academy. Over 50 U.S. astronauts have graduated from the Naval Academy, more than from any other undergraduate institution.^[a] Over 990 noted scholars from a variety of academic fields are Academy graduates, including 45 Rhodes Scholars and 16 Marshall Scholars. Additional notable graduates include 1 President of the United States, 2 Nobel Prize recipients, and 73 Medal of Honor recipients.^[b]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Medal of Honor recipients

Main article: List of Medal of Honor recipients educated at the United States Naval Academy

Academics

"Class year" refers to the alumni's class year, which usually is the same year they graduated. However, in times of war, classes often graduate early. For example, the Class of 1943 actually graduated in 1942.

Name Class year Notability References William Harwar Parker 1848 Naval Academy Instructor and Professor of Mathematics, Navigation and Astronomy (1853–1857); served with the Virginia State Navy during the American Civil War, then the Confederacy and Confederate States Naval Academy by serving as its Superintendent from October 1863 on the school ship CSS Patrick Henry, located outside of Richmond, Virginia on the James River, Virginia; In April 1865, as the Confederate capital at Richmond was evacuated, he led the C.S. Naval Academy's midshipmen as a guard for their failing Government's archives and treasury [4][5] Alfred Thayer Mahan 1859 Rear Admiral; theorist of naval warfare as Sea Power; Mahan Hall at the Academy named in his honor [6][7] William Sims 1880 Admiral; World War I commander; served twice as President of the Naval War College [8][9] Edward Walter Eberle 1885 Admiral; Superintendent of the Academy (1915–1919); Chief of Naval Operations (1923–1927) [i][10] John A. Lejeune 1888 World War I Army Division commander; Commandant of the Marine Corps (1920–29); superintendent of Virginia Military Institute (1929–37) [e][11][12] Emory S. Land 1902 Vice Admiral; Chairman of the United States Maritime Commission during World War II; oversaw establishment of the United States Merchant Marine Academy [13] James L. Holloway Jr. 1919 Admiral; Destroyer officer in both World Wars; developed the Holloway Plan for the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC); Superintendent of the Academy (1947–1950); father of Admiral James L. Holloway III [14][15] Edward J. O'Donnell (military) 1929 Rear Admiral, fought in WWII and Korea, commanded Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. Superintendent of the Naval Postgraduate School (1965-1967); President of the New York Maritime College for six years (1967-1972). [16] William Appleman Williams 1945 Influential and controversial historian of American foreign policy during the Cold War [17] Stansfield Turner 1947 Admiral; Rhodes Scholar; President of the Naval War College (1972–1974), Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) (1977–1981) [k][18][19] Carlisle Trost 1953 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1986–1990); submarine officer; graduated first in his class; Olmsted Scholar [i][20][21][22] John Rodgers (theologian) 1954 U.S. Marine; Anglican bishop and dean-president of Trinity School for Ministry [23][24] Dennis C. Blair 1968 Admiral; Rhodes Scholar; commander of U.S. Pacific Command (1999–2002); former President of Institute for Defense Analyses; third Director of National Intelligence (2009–2010) [k][25] Ronald K. Machtley 1970 Representative from Rhode Island (1987–1995); president of Bryant University (1996–) [m][26][27]

William Harwar Parker Alfred Thayer Mahan Dennis Blair

Astronauts

Main article: List of astronauts educated at the United States Naval Academy

Name Class year Notability References Alan Shepard 1945 Rear Admiral; World War II veteran; Navy test pilot; first U.S. Astronaut in space on board Mercury-Redstone 3 and only Mercury Seven astronaut to walk on the Moon. He commanded the Apollo 14 mission. [a][28][29] Walter Schirra 1946 Captain; World War II veteran; was one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts chosen for the Project Mercury, America's first effort to put humans in space. He was the only person to fly in all of America's first three space programs (Mercury, Gemini and Apollo). He logged a total of 295 hours and 15 minutes in space. Fifth American and the ninth human to ride a rocket into space. He was the first person to go into space three times. James Irwin 1951 Colonel (USAF); U.S. Astronaut, Aeronautical Engineer, Test Pilot, and a United States Air Force Pilot. He served as Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 15, the fourth human lunar landing. He was the eighth person to walk on the Moon and the first, and youngest, of those astronauts to die. Jim Lovell 1952 Served in the Korean War; Navy test pilot; astronaut participating in Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and commanding the ill-fated Apollo 13, which he brought back safely [a][30][31] William Anders 1955 Apollo 8 Command Pilot, first human crew to orbit the Moon and, notably, Anders took the famous Earthrise photograph Bruce McCandless II 1958 CAPT (USNA); U.S. Astronaut, (1937–2017) was a U.S. naval officer and aviator, electrical engineer, and NASA astronaut. In 1984, during the first of his two Space Shuttle missions, he made the first untethered free flight by using the Manned Maneuvering Unit. Charles F. Bolden Jr. 1968 Major general; United States Marine Corps test pilot; pilot of STS-61-C and STS-31; commanded STS-45 and STS-60; nominated in 2009 to be NASA Administrator [a][32][33] Ken Bowersox 1978 Pilot of STS-50, commanded STS-61, STS-73, STS-82 and International Space Station Expedition 6 [a][34][35] Wendy B. Lawrence 1981 Navy helicopter pilot; mission specialist for STS-67, STS-86, STS-91, and STS-114; daughter of William P. Lawrence, who was superintendent of the academy while she was a midshipman. William Lawrence had been a finalist in the Mercury astronaut selection [a][36][37] Kayla Barron 2010 Varsity Cross Country; Gates Cambridge Scholarship; Navy submarine officer; among the first women on submarines; selected as an astronaut in 2017 [a][36][38]

James A. Lovell Charles Bolden Wendy Lawrence

Athletes

Basketball players

See also: Navy Midshipmen men's basketball

Name Class year Notability References Laurence Wild 1913 1913 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American; Head coach of the Navy Midshipmen men's basketball team; 30th Governor of American Samoa (1940–1942) [39][40] Elliott Loughlin 1933 1933 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American; recipient of the Silver Star, two-time recipient of the Navy Cross and Legion of Merit [41] Hank Egan 1960 National Basketball Association (NBA) Assistant Coach Cleveland Cavaliers (2006–present); Assistant Coach Golden State Warriors (2002–2003); Assistant Coach San Antonio Spurs (1995–2002); 1999 NBA Champion with San Antonio Spurs; Head Coach at the United States Air Force Academy 1971–1984 [42] David Robinson 1987 Former NBA player with San Antonio Spurs; Rookie of the Year in 1990; NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 1995; played on NBA championship teams in 1999 and 2003; won the FIBA World Championship in 1986, a bronze medal in the 1988 Olympics, and gold medals in 1992 and 1996; member of the Basketball Hall of Fame induction Class of 2009 [43][44] Doug Wojcik 1987 Assistant at Navy (1990–99), Notre Dame (1999–2000), North Carolina (2000–03), and Michigan State (2003–05); head men's basketball coach at the University of Tulsa (2005–2012) and College of Charleston (2012–2014) [45][46]

David Robinson

Football players

See also: Navy Midshipmen football

Name Class year Notability References Thomas J. Hamilton 1927 Halfback on 1926 National Championship team; Head coach and athletic director at both the Academy and the University of Pittsburgh; Commissioner of the AWWU/Pac-8 Conference; World War II veteran; winner of the Theodore Roosevelt Award from the NCAA, the Stagg Award from the American Football Coaches Association and the Gold Medal from the National Football Foundation; member of College Football Hall of Fame [47] Slade D. Cutter 1935 An all-American football player, he achieved instant fame as a first classman when he won the 1934 Army-Navy game with a first-quarter field goal. On the basis of his Academy football career, he was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. [48] Donald B. Whitmire 1945 Don Whitmire played tackle at 5-11 and 215-pounds for Alabama, 1941–1942 and Navy, 1943–1944. He made one All America (NEA) in 1942, was consensus All-America 1943, and unanimous All-America 1944. Rip Miller, Navy line coach, recruited him for Navy after spotting his picture in Street and Smith Football Magazine in 1943. The Washington Touchdown Club in 1944 voted Whitmire the Rockne Trophy as the nation's best lineman. Whitmire was brigade commander, the highest rank a midshipman can attain, at the Naval Academy. On the basis of his Alabama and Academy football career, he was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956. [49] Ben Chase 1946 1944 consensus All-American Leon Bramlett 1947 Bramlett first played football for the University of Mississippi in 1941 and the University of Alabama. He graduated in 1947 from the Navy Academy, where he was in 1944 and 1945 an All-American player. He also lettered in boxing and was a heavyweight champion in 1944 and 1945. In 1988, Bramlett was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. [50] Bob McElwee 1957 National Football League (NFL) referee for 27 years (1976–2003); officiated three Super Bowls; commissioned in the United States Air Force [51] Bob Reifsnyder 1959 1957 All-American defensive end; 1957 Maxwell Award winner; Member College Football Hall of Fame; Professional football player [52] Joe Bellino 1961 1960 Heisman Trophy winner; American football halfback in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots [53] Roger Staubach 1965 1963 Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award in 1963, his junior year at the Academy; National Football League Hall of Fame quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys; member of College Football Hall of Fame [54] Tom O'Brien 1971 Associate head coach University of Virginia (2013–present); Former Football Head Coach North Carolina State (2007–2012); former Football Head Coach with Boston College (1996–2006) [55] John Stufflebeem 1975 Recipient of the Silver Anniversary Awards from the National Collegiate Athletic Association [56] Phil McConkey 1979 National Football League wide receiver who won Super Bowl XXI with the New York Giants [57] Napoleon McCallum 1985 Former National Football League running back for the Los Angeles Raiders (1986–1994); fulfilled his Navy commitment while playing for the Raiders; inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003; the Academy's Napoleon McCallum Trophy is named in his honor [58] Kyle Eckel 2005 Former National Football League running back Malcolm Perry 2019 Drafted in 2019 by the Miami Dolphins

Slade Cutter Roger Staubach Napoleon McCallum

Olympics competitors

Name Class year Notability References Harris Laning 1895 Admiral; captain of the United States Rifle Team which won the gold medal at the 1912 Summer Olympics for military team shooting [59][60][61] Carl Osburn 1907 Winner of 11 Olympic medals: 5 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze: for shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics, 1920 Summer Olympics, 1924 Summer Olympics; holding the record for total medal count by an American male for 84 years (1924–2008) [62][63] Edwin Graves 1921 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew (rowing) [64] Virgil Jacomini 1921 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew [64] Edward Moore 1921 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew [64] Sherm Clark 1922 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew [64] Vincent Gallagher 1922 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew [64] Donald Johnston 1922 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew [64] William Jordan 1922 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew [64] Clyde King 1922 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew [64] Alden Sanborn 1922 Co-winner of the 1920 Olympics gold medal for crew [64] Paul Stroop 1926 Alternate on 1928 gymnastics team <null/> Thomas F. Connolly 1933 Vice Admiral; bronze medalist in Rope Climbing at the 1932 Summer Olympics [65] Charles Manring 1952 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew (rowing) [66] Robert Detweiler 1953 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew [66] Frank Shakespeare 1953 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew [66] William Fields 1954 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew [66] Wayne Frye 1954 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew [66] Richard Murphy 1954 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew [66] Henry Proctor 1954 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew [66] Edward Stevens 1954 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew [66] James Dunbar 1955 Co-winner of the 1952 Olympics gold medal for crew [66] Peter S. Blair 1955 As captain of the 1956 Olympic wrestling team, Blair won a bronze medal losing on points to the silver and gold winners. [67] Casey Bahr 1970 1972 Summer Olympics soccer team [68]

Harris Laning

Other sports figures

Name Class year Notability References John McMullen 1940 PhD in mechanical engineering; established John J. McMullen & Associates, a naval architecture and marine propulsion firm; former owner of the Houston Astros baseball team and the New Jersey Devils hockey team [69] Peter S. Blair 1955 Blair wrestled at 191 pounds (87 kg) and won back-to-back NCAA championships in 1954 and 1955. His final record as a midshipman was 57–5 with 31 falls. After commissioning, Ensign Blair remained at the academy to train for the 1956 Olympic Trials. In the AAU National Freestyle Championships, he pinned five consecutive opponents to capture the title. Two weeks later, he earned a berth on the team bound for Melbourne. As captain of the Olympic team, Blair won a bronze medal. He is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. [67] Joe Hunt 1940s Hunt won the 1943 US Single's Championship in tennis. He was not given a leave to defend his title in 1944 and he died in a fighter plane accident in 1945. Hunt was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. [70] Brian Stann 2000 former U.S. Marine and professional Mixed Martial Artist who competed in the UFC, former Light Heavyweight Champion of the WEC; former Color commentator [71][72] Billy Hurley 2004 PGA golfer [73] Noah Song 2019 Professional baseball player [74]

Attorneys

Name Class year Notability References Richard H. Scott 1880 Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court [75] Charles Swift 1984 Navy attorney, Primary counsel in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld [76][77]

Businesspeople

Name Class year Notability References John McMullen 1940 PhD in mechanical engineering; established John J. McMullen & Associates, a naval architecture and marine engineering firm; former owner of the Houston Astros baseball team and the New Jersey Devils hockey team [69] John Geisse 1941 Founder of Target Stores and served in USN during World War II [b][78] Ross Perot 1953 President of his class and Battalion Commander; Surface Warfare Officer; became a self-made billionaire in the computer industry; candidate for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996; heavily involved in the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue [79][80] Ernst Volgenau 1955 USAF officer; founder and former CEO of SRA International; benefactor and former rector of George Mason University [81][82][83] Dr. J. Phillip "Jack" London 1959 United States Naval Aviator; Chairman of the Board, Executive Chairman, and former CEO, CACI International, Inc (NYSE, Fortune 1000, national security IT & solutions corp.); Boards: U.S. Naval Institute, U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation, Naval Historical Foundation, and CAUSE (wounded veterans support) [84] Ron Terwilliger 1963 Chairman and CEO of Trammell Crow Residential, the largest developer of multi-family housing in the United States; principal owner of new WNBA franchise, Atlanta Dream; led team of investors that tried to buy the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team in 2006; former chairman of Urban Land Institute [b][85] Richard Armitage 1967 President of Armitage International; ambassador to the new independent states of the former Soviet Union (1992–1993) [g][86]

H. Ross Perot

U.S. Government

President of the United States

Name Class year Notability References Jimmy Carter 1947 The 39th President of the United States (1977–1981); Nobel Peace laureate of 2002; Georgia State Senator (1963–1966); 76th Governor of Georgia (1971–1975); post-World War II submariner [d][87][88]

U.S. Cabinet members

Name Class year Notability References James D. Watkins 1949 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1982–1986); United States Secretary of Energy (1989–1993); Chairman of United States Commission on Ocean Policy that crafted Oceans Act of 2000 [i][j][89] Anthony Principi 1967 Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2001–2005) [j][90]

Secretaries of military services

Name Class year Notability References Curtis D. Wilbur 1888 Secretary of the Navy (1924–1929); increased the size of the Navy and modernized it; also a federal appellate judge [l][91][92] Robert B. Pirie Jr. 1955 Secretary of the Navy (acting) (2001); son of Vice Admiral Robert B. Pirie, Class of 1926 [l][93][94] Frank B. Kelso 1956 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1990–1994); Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic; submarine officer; Secretary of the Navy (acting) (1993) [i][l][95][96] John Howard Dalton 1964 Secretary of the Navy (1993–1998); banker [l][97][98] James H. Webb Jr. 1968 Marine Corps officer and Vietnam veteran; United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (1984–1987); Secretary of the Navy (1987–88); noted American novelist for books such as Fields of Fire and A Sense of Honor; US Senator from Virginia (2006–2012) [l][99][100] Kenneth J. Braithwaite 1984 Navy Admiral (2007-2011); worked in the health industry until 2017, when he was nominated as the United States Ambassador to Norway (2017-2020), current Secretary of the Navy (2019-present) [l]

Frank Kelso

U.S. legislators

Main article: List of legislators educated at the United States Naval Academy

Name Class year Notability References Jeremiah Denton 1947 Rear Admiral; Senator from Alabama (1981–1987); naval aviator who spent almost eight years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam [m][101][102][103] Ronald Machtley 1970 Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Rhode Island from 1989 to 1995. Since 1996, Machtley has served as president of Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. John McCain 1958 Captain; U.S. Senator from Arizona (1987–2018); Republican Presidential Nominee in 2008; Vietnam-era Naval Aviator and POW [m][99][104][105] Richmond Pearson Hobson 1889 Admiral; Representative from Alabama (1907–1915); recipient of the Medal of Honor for attempting to block a channel during the Spanish–American War, was taken prisoner [f][106][107][108][109] Elaine Luria 1997 Commander; Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd district (2019–2023) [110] Tim Sheehy 2008 Navy SEAL; Republican U.S. Senator from Montana (2025–present) [111][112] Mikie Sherrill 1994 Lieutenant; Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey's 11th district (2019–present) [m][113][114] James H. Webb Jr. 1968 Senator from Virginia (2007–2013); Marine Corps officer and Vietnam veteran; United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (1984–1987); Secretary of the Navy (1987–88); noted American novelist for books such as Fields of Fire and A Sense of Honor [l][m][99][100][115] Charles Wilson 1956 Representative from Texas (1973–1996); convinced Congress to support the largest ever CIA covert operation to supply the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War; profiled in the book and film Charlie Wilson's War [m][116][117]

Charlie Wilson John McCain

National Security advisers

Name Class year Notability References John Poindexter 1958 National Security Advisor 1985–1986; convictions, later reversed, of involvement in the Iran-Contra affair; Earned a PhD in physics from the California Institute of Technology [99][118] Robert McFarlane 1959 National Security Advisor (1983–1985); convicted, later pardoned for his role in the Iran-Contra affair [99] James W. Nance 1944 Rear admiral; Deputy National Security Advisor, 1981-82; acting National Security Advisor, 1981–1982; earned an MA in international relations from George Washington University [119]

John Poindexter

Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Name Class year Notability References William D. Leahy 1897 Chief of Naval Operations (1937–1939); became the first fleet admiral during World War II and crafted future thought leadership; served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, which was the role model for the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Governor of Puerto Rico (1939–1940); ambassador to the Vichy French [i] Arthur W. Radford 1916 Admiral; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1953–1957) [h][120] Thomas Hinman Moorer 1933 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1967–1970); Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1970–1974) [h][i][121] William J. Crowe 1947 Admiral; Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff (1985–89); ambassador to the United Kingdom (1994–97) [g][h][122] Peter Pace 1967 General; Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2001–05); first U.S. Marine appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2005–2007) [h][123] Michael Mullen 1968 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (2005–07); Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2007–11) [h][i][124]

William Crowe

Vice Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Name Class year Notability References Robert T. Herres 1954 Air Force General and fighter pilot; First Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1987–1990); Chairman of USAA Group (1993–2002); Distinguished Eagle Scout Award recipient [n][125][126] William A. Owens 1962 Admiral; submariner; Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1994–1996) [n][127][128] Peter Pace 1967 General; Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2001–2005); first United States Marine appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2005–2007) [n][123][129] Edmund Giambastiani 1970 Admiral; submariner; Commander United States Joint Forces Command (2002–2005); Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2005–2007) [n][130][131]

Peter Pace

Ambassadors

Name Class year Notability References William Harrison Standley 1895 Admiral; signed the London Naval Treaty of 1930 on behalf of the United States; Chief of Naval Operations (1933–1937); United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union (1942–44) [i][132] William D. Leahy 1897 Chief of Naval Operations (1937–39); became the first fleet admiral during World War II and crafted future thought leadership; served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, which was the role model for the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Governor of Puerto Rico (1939–40); ambassador to the Vichy French [i] Raymond A. Spruance 1906 Admiral; destroyer and battleship commander; Commander of the United States Fifth Fleet; Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet recipient of the Navy Cross and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal; U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines; USS Spruance (DDG-111), USS Spruance (DD-963), and the Spruance-class destroyer series of ships were named for him [133] Alan G. Kirk 1909 United States Ambassador to Belgium (1946–49), Soviet Union (1949–51), China (1962–63) [g] Jerauld Wright 1918 Admiral; destroyer and cruiser commander; commander of the United States Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean; commander of the United States Atlantic Command; recipient of two Navy Distinguished Service Medals and the Silver Star; U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of China; son of Army Lieutenant General William M. Wright Selden Chapin 1920 Director-General of Foreign Service (1946–47); United States Ambassador to Hungary (1947–49), Netherlands (1949–53), Panama (1953–55), Iran (1955–58), Peru (1960) [g] George Anderson 1927 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1961–63); ambassador to Portugal (1963–66) [g] Horacio Rivero Jr. 1931 First Puerto Rican and second Hispanic four-star Admiral in the modern United States Navy; ambassador to Spain (1972–1974) [g][134] William J. Crowe 1947 Admiral; Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff (1985–89); ambassador to the United Kingdom (1994–97) [g][h][122] William Anders 1955 Astronaut, flew on Apollo 8; ambassador to Norway (1975–77) [a][g][135] Jack R. Binns 1956 Ambassador to Honduras (1980–81); career Foreign Service Officer [136][137] Joseph Prueher 1964 Admiral; ambassador to China (1999–2001) [g][138] Richard Armitage 1967 President of Armitage International; ambassador to the new independent states of the former Soviet Union (1992–93) [g][86] Paul D Wohlers 1974 United States Ambassador to Macedonia (2011–15) [g] Reuben E. Brigety, II 1995 United States Ambassador to the African Union (2013–15), currently Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs [g][139]

William Leahy

Governors

Name Class year Notability References Edward David Taussig 1867 1st Naval Governor of Guam [140] William Elbridge Sewell 1871 6th Naval Governor of Guam [141] Templin Potts 1876 11th Naval Governor of Guam [142] George Salisbury 1879 15th Naval Governor of Guam [143][144] William John Maxwell 1880 18th Naval Governor of Guam (1914–1916) [145] John Martin Poyer 1884 12th Governor of American Samoa (1915–1919) [146][147] Robert Coontz 1885 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1919–1923); governor of Guam (1912–1914) [i][148] William Gilmer 1885 Captain; Governor of Guam (1918–19) and (1919–20) [149] Henry Hughes Hough 1891 Admiral; Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, a role that he only acted in for a year. He was the first non-acting military governor to govern as a Captain, rather than a Rear Admiral, and the first not to be born in the United States. [150] Henry Francis Bryan 1887 Rear Admiral; 17th Governor of American Samoa (1925–1927) [151][152] William Michael Crose 1888 Commander; 7th Governor of American Samoa (1910–1913) [153] Adelbert Althouse 1891 Captain; 27th and 29th Naval Governor of Guam (1922–1923) [154] Luke McNamee 1892 10th and 12th Naval Governor of Guam; Admiral in charge of the Battle Fleet [155] Edward Stanley Kellogg 1892 Captain; 16th Governor of American Samoa (1923–1925) [156] Alfred Walton Hinds 1894 Captain; 17th Naval Governor of Guam (1913–1914) [157] Henry Bertram Price 1895 Captain; 30th Naval Governor of Guam (1923–1924) [158] Stephen Victor Graham 1896 Rear Admiral; 18th Governor of American Samoa (1927–1929) [159] Gatewood Lincoln 1896 Captain; 22nd Governor of American Samoa (1931–1932) [160][161] Ivan Wettengel 1896 Captain; 25th Naval Governor of Guam (1920–21) [162] William D. Leahy 1897 Chief of Naval Operations (1937–1939); became the first fleet admiral during World War II and crafted future thought leadership; served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, which was the role model for the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Governor of Puerto Rico (1939–1940); ambassador to the Vichy French [i] William P. Cronan 1898 Captain; 19th Naval Governor of Guam (1916) [163] George Landenberger 1900 Captain; 23rd Governor of American Samoa (1934–36) [164][165] Frank Freyer 1902 Captain; 14th Naval Governor of Guam; Chief of Staff of the Peruvian Navy [166] Otto Dowling 1903 Captain; 25th Governor of American Samoa (1932–1934) [167][168] MacGillivray Milne 1903 Captain; 27th Governor of American Samoa (1936–1938) [169][170] Nathan Post 1904 Captain; 7th and 10th Governor of American Samoa (1913 and 1914) [171] Edmund Root 1905 Captain; 34th Naval Governor of Guam (1931 and 1933) [172] Charles Armijo Woodruff 1906 Commander; 11th Governor of American Samoa (1914–15) [173] George A. Alexander 1906 Captain; 35th Naval Governor of Guam (1933–36) [174] Willis W. Bradley 1907 Captain; Governor of Guam (1929–1931); Representative from California (1947–1949); Medal of Honor recipient for actions during an ammunition explosion on board USS Pittsburgh (CA-4) in 1917 [m][175][176][177] Alfred Winsor Brown 1907 Captain; Governor of Guam (1924–1926) [178] Lloyd C. Stark 1908 Governor of Missouri (1937–1941) [c] William A. Hodgman 1908 Captain; 23rd Naval Governor of Guam. [179] Benjamin McCandlish 1909 Commodore; 36th Naval Governor of Guam. [180] Samuel Wilder King 1910 Representative from Hawaii (1935–1943); 11th Territorial Governor of Hawai'i (1953–1957) [m][181][182] George McMillin 1911 Rear admiral; 38th and final Naval Governor of Guam (1940–41); Surrendered to the Empire of Japan during the First Battle of Guam [183] Laurence Wild 1913 Captain; 1913 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American; Head coach of the Navy Midshipmen men's basketball team; 30th Governor of American Samoa (1940–1942) [39][40] Arthur Emerson 1916 21st Governor of American Samoa [184][185] Ralph Hungerford 1919 Captain; 33rd Governor of American Samoa [186] Samuel Canan 1920 34th Governor of American Samoa (1945) [187] John Gould Moyer 1921 Rear admiral; 31st Governor of American Samoa (1942–44) [188] Harold Houser 1921 Rear admiral; 35th Governor of American Samoa (1945–47) [189] Jesse Rink Wallace 1922 29th Governor of American Samoa (1940) [190][191] Vernon Huber 1922 Rear admiral; 36th Governor of American Samoa (1947–49) [192][193] Daniel Walker 1946 Governor of Illinois (1973–77) [c][194] Jimmy Carter 1947 The 39th President of the United States (1977–1981); Nobel Peace laureate of 2002; Georgia State Senator (1963–66); 76th Governor of Georgia (1971–75); post-World War II submariner [c][d][87][88] Frank D. White 1956 Governor of Arkansas (1981–83); pilot in the United States Air Force [c][195] Matt Blunt 1993 Governor of Missouri (2005–09) [c][196]

Matthew Roy Blunt

Literary figures

Name Class year Notability References Yates Stirling Jr. 1872 Navy Rear Admiral and author, lecturer and critic of naval and foreign policy [197][198] Donald Keyhoe 1919 Marine Corps Major and aviator; author, UFO researcher [199] Robert A. Heinlein 1929 Science fiction author; winner of several Hugo and Nebula Award prizes for groundbreaking science fiction [200][201] William Lederer 1936 Science fiction writer and playwright who co-authored The Ugly American (1958) [202][203] Edward L. Beach Jr. 1939 Author of three novels, including Run Silent, Run Deep (1955), and ten books on naval history. [204] P. T. Deutermann 1963 Author of at least 22 novels, including Pacific Glory (2011), for which he received the W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction by the American Library Association. [205] James H. Webb Jr. 1968 Marine Corps officer and Vietnam veteran; United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (1984–1987); Secretary of the Navy (1987–88); noted American novelist for books such as Fields of Fire and A Sense of Honor; US Senator from Virginia (2006–2012) [l][99][100] Jonathan P. Brazee 1979 Marine Corps infantry Colonel; speculative fiction author of over 40 novels; winner of two Nebula Award science fiction prizes. [206]

Jim Webb

Military figures

Chiefs of Naval Operations

Main article: List of Chiefs of Naval Operations educated at the United States Naval Academy

Name Class year Notability References William S. Benson 1877 Admiral; first Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) (1915–19); defined the functions of the new CNO position and strengthened the Navy [i][207][208] William D. Leahy 1897 First Fleet admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1937–39), during World War II; became the first fleet admiral and crafted future thought leadership. Served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, which was the role model for the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Governor of Puerto Rico (1939–1940); ambassador to Vichy France [i][209] Chester W. Nimitz 1905 Fleet Admiral; held the dual command of Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet ("CinCPac" pronounced "sink-pack"), for U.S. naval forces and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CinCPOA), for U.S. and Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II; Chief of Naval Operations (1945–1947) [i][210][211] Arleigh Burke 1923 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1955–61). Carrier and destroyer commander during World War II. Korean War veteran; Arleigh Burke-class of destroyers was named after him [i][212][213] Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. 1942 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1970–74). Destroyer service during World War II, Korean War service aboard USS Wisconsin; destroyer and guided-missile frigate commander; Commanded brown-water Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Seven during Vietnam War; as CNO, undertook initiatives to modernize service personnel policies and upgrade the fleet by increased construction of missile patrol boats and guided missile frigates; Zumwalt-class of destroyers was named after him.[214] Carlisle Trost 1953 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1986–90); submarine officer; graduated first in his class; Olmsted Scholar [i][20][21][22] Frank Kelso 1956 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1990–94); Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic; submarine officer; Secretary of the Navy (acting) (1993) [citation needed] Jay L. Johnson 1968 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (1996–2000); aviator [i] Michael Mullen 1968 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (2005–07); chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2007–11) [i][215] Gary Roughead 1973 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (2007–11); Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) [i] Jonathan Greenert 1975 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (2011–15); Submarine Warfare Officer (SS) [216] John M. Richardson 1982 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (2015–2019); Director of Navy Nuclear Propulsion (2012–2015); Submarine Warfare Officer (SS) [217] Michael Gilday 1985 Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations (2019–present); Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) [218]

William Benson Carlisle Trost

Commandants of the Marine Corps

Name Class year Notability References F George Barnett 1881 Major general; 12th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1914–20); served in Cuba, China, Philippines [e][12][219] John A. Lejeune 1888 Lieutenant general; World War I Army Division commander; 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1920–29); Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute (1929–37) [e][11][12] Ben Hebard Fuller 1889 Major general; Commandant of the Marine Corps (1930–34); served in Cuba, China, Philippines; son Edward Fuller, Naval Academy Class of 1916, Marine Captain, killed at Belleau Wood in World War I [e][12][220] Wendell Cushing Neville 1890 Major general; recipient of the Medal of Honor for leadership during ground combat during the landings at United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; Commandant of the Marine Corps (1929–30) [f][12][221] John H. Russell Jr. 1892 Major general; Commandant of the Marine Corps (1934–36); father John Henry Russell member of Naval Academy Class of 1848 [f][12][222] Wallace M. Greene 1930 General; Commandant of the Marine Corps (1964–67) during the early Vietnam War; founding member of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation [f][12][223] Robert E. Cushman Jr. 1935 General; Commandant of the Marine Corps (1972–75) during the late Vietnam War; Navy Cross recipient for actions during Battle of Guam [f][12][224] Charles C. Krulak 1964 General; Commandant of the Marine Corps (1994–97); served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War [f][12][225] Michael W. Hagee 1968 General; Commandant of the Marine Corps (2003–06); served in the Vietnam War [f][12][226]

John A. Lejeune Robert Cushman

Confederate States Navy officers

Name Class year Notability References Jonathan H. Carter 1846 Member of the first class to graduate from the Academy; after joining the Confederate States Navy he went on to supervise the building of gunboats and defenses of the Red River in 1862–1863 [227][228] John Mercer Brooke 1847 Engineer, scientist, and educator; instrumental in the creation of the Transatlantic Cable; noted marine and military innovator; after joining the Confederate States Navy he supervised the establishment of the Confederate States Naval Academy in 1862 and 1863 [229][230] James Iredell Waddell 1847 Instructor at the US Naval Academy; chose to serve the Confederacy in their strategy of commerce raiding; captained CSS Shenandoah which destroyed or captured 38 ships and took over 1,000 prisoners, all without firing a single shot in anger or injuring any person [229][231] William Harwar Parker 1848 Naval Academy Instructor and Professor of Mathematics, Navigation and Astronomy (1853–1857); after the American Civil War started, he served with the Virginia State Navy, and then the Confederacy and Confederate States Naval Academy by serving as its Superintendent from October, 1863 on the school ship CSS Patrick Henry, located outside of Richmond, Virginia on the James River, Virginia; in April 1865, as the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia was evacuated, he led the C.S. Naval Academy's midshipmen as a guard for their failing Government's archives and treasury [4] John W. Dunnington 1855 Commanded three Confederate vessels during the American Civil War: the gunboats CSS Tuscarora and CSS Pontchartrain and the ironclad CSS Virginia II. As a colonel in the Confederate States Army, was chief of ordnance for the Trans-Mississippi Department for several months in 1862 and commanded a brigade at the Battle of Arkansas Post in January 1863. [232]

John Mercer Brooke James Iredell Waddell

Union Navy officers

Name Class year Notability References George Dewey 1858 only person to hold the rank of Admiral of the Navy; American Civil War and Spanish–American War; Battle of New Orleans; won Battle of Manila Bay without loss of life due to combat among his own forces; [233] William B. Cushing 1861 ex Commander; forced to resign from the Academy in the spring of his senior year due to poor grades and conduct but reinstated as an officer after the American Civil War began; sank the Confederate ironclad CSS Albemarle during a nighttime raid, a feat for which he received the Thanks of Congress [234] Yates Stirling 1864 Rear Admiral; gunboat and cruiser commander; commander of the Asiatic Squadron; father of Rear Admiral Yates Stirling Jr. Theodore Frelinghuysen Jewell 1865 Rear Admiral; American Civil War and Spanish–American War; Battle of Manila Bay [235]

George Dewey

Spanish–American War combatants

Name Class year Notability References George Dewey 1858 only person to hold the rank of Admiral of the Navy; American Civil War and Spanish–American War; Battle of New Orleans; won Battle of Manila Bay without loss of life due to combat among his own forces; [233] Winfield Scott Schley 1860 Rear Admiral; Civil War veteran; instructor at the Academy (1867–69) and head of department of modern languages (1872–75); commander of the Flying Squadron of ships in the Spanish–American War [236] William T. Sampson 1861 Rear Admiral; Civil War veteran; instructor at the Academy (1861–64); Superintendent of the Academy (1886–1889); won the Battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish–American War Charles Dwight Sigsbee 1863 Rear Admiral; captain of USS Maine when it exploded in Havana harbor in 1898; commanded squadron which returned body of John Paul Jones from France to the Academy in 1905 Gottfried Blocklinger 1868 Was the Executive Officer, on board USS Charleston during the Capture of Guam to the United States during the Spanish–American War in 1898 [237] James Kelsey Cogswell 1868 Rear Admiral; USS Cogswell was named after him and his son Captain Francis Cogswell; brother-in-law of U.S. Senator John L. Mitchell and uncle of Army Air Service Major General Billy Mitchell [238] Frank Matteson Bostwick 1877 Commodore; cruiser and yacht commander; commander of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Louis McCoy Nulton 1889 Admiral; gunboat, armored cruiser, and battleship commander; Commandant of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard; Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy; Commander-in-Chief of Battle Fleet; recipient of the Navy Cross [239] Arthur L. Willard 1891 As an ensign became first American to plant U.S. flag on Cuban soil during the conflict.[240] Later earned the Navy Cross as commandant of Washington Navy Yard in World War I.[241] Commanded U.S. Navy Scouting Force (1930–32), and Fifth Naval District (1932–35).[242] Wat Tyler Cluverius Jr. 1896 Rear Admiral; the last living surviving officer of the sinking of USS Maine; Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy from 1919 to 1921; President of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. [243]

Charles Sigsbee

Boxer Rebellion combatants

Name Class year Notability References Newt H. Hall 1895 Marine Corps officers who received the Marine Corps Brevet Medal for bravery during the Boxer Rebellion. John Twiggs Myers 1892 United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General who served as an American Legation Guard in Peking during the Boxer Rebellion. Awarded the Marine Corps Brevet Medal for bravery. William G. Powell 1893 United States Marine Corps Brigadier General awarded the Marine Corps Brevet Medal for bravery during the Boxer Rebellion.

World War I combatants

Name Class year Notability References Frank E. Beatty 1875 Rear Admiral; cruiser and battleship commander; Commandant of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard; USS Beatty (DD-640) and USS Beatty (DD-756) were named for him; father of Vice Admiral Frank Edmund Beatty Jr. Albert W. Grant 1877 Vice Admiral; battleship, steam tanker, and submarine commander; Commander of the United States Atlantic Fleet; USS Albert W. Grant was named after him [244] Hugh Rodman 1880 Admiral; gunboat, protected cruiser, and battleship commander; Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet; USS Rodman and USS Admiral Hugh Rodman were named after him Washington L. Capps 1884 Rear Admiral; Constructor of the Navy; Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Repair; recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal; USS Capps and the USS Admiral W. L. Capps were named for him Nathan C. Twining 1889 Rear Admiral; protected cruiser commander; USS Twining was named in his honor; the uncle of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Nathan Farragut Twining and Marine Corps General Merrill B. Twining Montgomery M. Taylor 1890 Admiral; gunboat, cruiser, and battleship commander; recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal; great-nephew of U.S. President Zachary Taylor; grandson of Army Brigadier General Montgomery C. Meigs; cousin of Army General Montgomery Meigs Carl Theodore Vogelgesang 1890 Rear Admiral; yacht, protected cruiser, and battleship commander; recipient of the Navy Cross; USS Vogelgesang (DE-284) and USS Vogelgesang (DD-862) were named for him George Washington Williams 1890 Rear Admiral; protected cruiser, battleship, and light cruiser commander; recipient of the Navy Cross; USS Williams (DE-290) and USS Williams (DE-372) were named for him [245] Yates Stirling Jr. 1892 Rear Admiral; destroyer and submarine commander; commander of the Yangtze Patrol; son of Rear Admiral Yates Stirling Edward Hale Campbell 1893 Vice Admiral; Judge Advocate General; protected cruiser commander; commander of the Naval Training Station, Newport; recipient of the Navy Cross Joseph M. Reeves 1894 Admiral; collier, protected cruiser, and battleship commander; Commander-in-Chief of the United States Fleet; recipient of the Navy Cross; USS Reeves was named for him [246] Arthur MacArthur III 1896 Captain; submarine, destroyer, minelayer, armored cruiser, and light cruiser commander; recipient of the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal; grandson of Wisconsin Governor Arthur MacArthur Sr.; son of army lieutenant general and Medal of Honor recipient Arthur MacArthur Jr.; brother of army general and Medal of Honor recipient Douglas MacArthur; father of U.S. diplomat Douglas MacArthur II (son-in-law of U.S. Vice President Alben W. Barkley; and son-in-law of Rear Admiral Bowman H. McCalla Walter E. Reno 1905 Lieutenant Commander; destroyer commander; recipient of the Navy Cross; USS Reno was named for him [247] Riley Franklin McConnell 1909 Captain; light cruiser commander; recipient of the Navy Cross; USS McConnell was named for him [248] Zachary Lansdowne 1911 Lieutenant Commander; airship commander; recipient of the Navy Cross; USS Lansdowne was named for him [249] Frederick Lois Riefkohl 1911 Rear Admiral; first Puerto Rican to graduate from the Academy; Navy Cross recipient for actions against a German submarine in World War I; captain of USS Vincennes which was sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942 during World War II [250] Stanton Frederick Kalk 1916 Lieutenant (Junior Grade); recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal (posthumously) for his actions after his ship, USS Jacob Jones (DD-61), was torpedoed by a German submarine; two destroyers, USS Kalk (DD-170) and USS Kalk (DD-611), were named for him. [251]

Nathan Twining Frederick Riefkohl

Spanish Civil War combatant

Name Class year Notability References Frank Glasgow Tinker 1933 The top American ace (mercenary) during the Spanish Civil War. [252]

World War II combatants

Name Class year Notability References William D. Leahy 1897 Chief of Naval Operations (1937–39); became the first Admiral of the Fleet during World War II and crafted future thought leadership; served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, the role model for the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Governor of Puerto Rico (1939–1940); ambassador to Vichy France; father of Rear Admiral William Harrington Leahy [i] Alfred Wilkinson Johnson 1899 Vice Admiral; destroyer, light cruiser, and battleship commander; Director of Naval Intelligence; Commander of the Atlantic Squadron; recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal; U.S. Minister to Nicaragua; married to the great-niece of U.S. Senator Ira Harris and father-in-law of U.S. Ambassador Charles Burke Elbrick [253] Julius A. Furer 1901 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Navy Cross; USS Julius A. Furer was named for him Ernest King 1901 Fleet Admiral; Chief of Naval Operations in World War II (1942–45) [i][254] William "Bull" Halsey Jr. 1904 Fleet Admiral; commander of the United States Third Fleet during part of the Pacific War against Japan [255][256] Chester W. Nimitz 1905 Fleet Admiral; held the dual command of Commander-in-chief, United States Pacific Fleet ("CinCPac" pronounced "sink-pack"), for U.S. naval forces and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CinCPOA), for U.S. and Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II; Chief of Naval Operations (1945–47) [i][210][211] Harold Medberry Bemis 1906 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Frank Jack Fletcher 1906 Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for saving hundreds of refugees during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; operational commander at the pivotal Battles of Coral Sea and of Midway; nephew of Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher [f][257] Henry Kent Hewitt 1906 Admiral; recipient of the Navy Cross commanding USS Cummings during World War I; commander of the United States Eighth Fleet through the amphibious invasions of Casablanca, Gela, Salerno, and Southern France [258] John S. McCain Sr. 1906 Vice Admiral, posthumously promoted to Admiral; pioneer of aircraft carrier operations; commanded Fast Carrier Task Force in World War II. He and his son John S. McCain Jr. are the first father-son four-star Admirals in US Navy history; grandfather of John S. McCain III, also an Academy graduate, and 1908 Republican Presidential Candidate. [259] Raymond A. Spruance 1906 Admiral; destroyer and battleship commander; Commander of the United States Fifth Fleet; Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet recipient of the Navy Cross and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal; U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines; USS Spruance (DDG-111), USS Spruance (DD-963), and Spruance-class destroyer series of ships were named for him [133] Jonas H. Ingram 1907 Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for courage and leadership in handling an artillery and machine gun battalion during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; Navy Cross recipient for actions during World War I; commander, United States Atlantic Fleet during World War II; football player and head football coach at the Academy [f][260][261] Thomas C. Kinkaid 1908 Admiral; commander U.S. 7th Fleet; commander Eastern Sea Frontier and the Atlantic Reserve Fleet [262] Hugh J. Knerr 1908 Major general; observation squadron commander; Commander of the Air Technical Service Command; recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star Medal [263] Robert Grimes Coman 1909 Commodore; destroyer; collier; and battleship commander Theodore S. Wilkinson 1909 Vice-Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for courage and leadership during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; veteran of World War I and World War II; director of Office of Naval Intelligence when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941 [f][260][264] Marc Mitscher 1910 Admiral; recipient of three Navy Crosses; commander of the Fast Carrier Task Force in World War II; Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet [265] George McMillin 1911 Rear admiral; 38th and final Naval Governor of Guam (1940–41); Surrendered to the Empire of Japan during the First Battle of Guam [183] Charles A. Lockwood 1912 Vice Admiral; gunboat, destroyer, and submarine commander; recipient of three Navy Distinguished Service Medals; USS Lockwood was named for him [266] Pedro del Valle 1915 First Hispanic Marine Corps officer to reach the rank of lieutenant general; served in World War I, Haiti, and Nicaragua during the so-called Banana Wars of the 1920s, the seizure of Guadalcanal, and later as Commanding General of the U.S. 1st Marine Division during World War II [267][268] Frank Edmund Beatty Jr. 1916 Vice Admiral; destroyer and light cruiser commander; recipient of the Navy Cross; son of Rear Admiral Frank E. Beatty Charles L. Carpenter 1926 Rear Admiral; Attack transport commander; recipient of the Navy Cross [269] Ralph A. Ofstie 1919 Vice Admiral; aircraft carrier commander; Deputy Chief of Naval Operations; was married to Captain Joy Bright Hancock [270] John W. Roper 1918 Vice Admiral; battleship commander; recipient of the Legion of Merit [i][271] Earl E. Stone 1918 Rear Admiral; battleship commander; Chief of Naval Communications; Commandant of the Naval Postgraduate School; recipient of two Legions of Merit [271] Jerauld Wright 1918 Admiral; destroyer and cruiser commander; commander of the United States Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean; commander of the United States Atlantic Command; recipient of two Navy Distinguished Service Medals and the Silver Star; U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of China; son of Army Lieutenant General William M. Wright Winfield S. Cunningham 1919 Rear Admiral; Officer in Charge of U.S. forces during the Battle of Wake Island; seaplane tender commander; recipient of the Navy Cross [272] Charles B. McVay III 1920 Rear Admiral; captain of USS Indianapolis, which was sunk by a Japanese submarine in World War II and lost most of its crew to shark attacks after delivering nuclear bomb parts to Tinian [273] Walter Schindler 1921 Vice Admiral; recipient of the Navy Cross and the Silver Star [274] Rodger W. Simpson 1921 Rear Admiral; recipient of two Navy Crosses; destroyer commander [275] Irving Wiltsie 1921 Captain; seaplane tender and escort carrier commander; recipient of the Navy Cross and the Silver Star; USS Wiltsie was named for him [276] John Higgins 1922 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Navy Cross, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, and two Legions of Merit [277] Merrill B. Twining 1923 General; Chief of Staff of the United States Marine Corps Forces Pacific; nephew of Rear Admiral Nathan C. Twining and brother of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Nathan Farragut Twining [278] Clarence Ekstrom 1924 Vice Admiral; recipient of the Navy Cross; escort carrier commander [279] Henry C. Bruton 1926 Rear Admiral; submarine and battleship commander; Director of Naval Communications; recipient of the three Navy Crosses and two Legions of Merit [i][271] Elmer Salzman 1926 Major general; recipient of the Navy Cross [280] James H. Flatley 1929 Vice Admiral; aviator; recipient of the Navy Cross, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and the Silver Star; USS Flatley was named for him [281] Warner S. Rodimon 1929 Captain, Rear Admiral; recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, Captain; USS Hopewell during retaking of Corregidor [282] William T. Nelson 1930 Rear Admiral; submarine commander [283] Marvin John Jensen 1931 Rear Admiral; submarine commander; recipient of the Silver Star [284] John O. Miner 1931 Rear Admiral; destroyer and battleship commander; U.S. Naval Attaché in Rome, Italy; recipient of the Silver Star and Legion of Merit [i][271] Louis Joseph Kirn 1932 Rear Admiral; aviator; recipient of the Navy Cross, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and the Distinguished Flying Cross [285] Edmond Konrad 1932 Rear Admiral; recipient of two Navy Crosses and the Silver Star [286] Waldemar F.A. Wendt 1933 Admiral; destroyer commander; Commander-in-Chief of the United States Naval Forces Europe; recipient of three Distinguished Service Medals [287] Bernard A. Clarey 1934 Admiral; submarine commander; commander of the United States Second Fleet; recipient of three Navy Crosses, five Distinguished Service Medals, and the Silver Star [288] Eli Thomas Reich 1935 Vice Admiral; as a Lieutenant Commander and commanding officer of USS Sealion, sank the Japanese battleship Kongō, the only Japanese battleship sunk by a submarine during World War II Louis Robertshaw 1936 Lieutenant general, Marine Corps; Marine aviator; recipient of three Distinguished Flying Crosses; World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War [289] William F. Bringle 1937 Admiral; aircraft carrier and supercarrier commander; commander of the United States Seventh Fleet; recipient of the Navy Cross [290] Harry Brinkley Bass 1938 Lieutenant Commander; Naval aviator; recipient of two Navy Crosses; USS Brinkley Bass named in his honor [291] Charles Francis McGivern 1938 Captain; submarine commander; recipient of two silver stars and the Legion of Merit [292] Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer 1939 Captain; destroyer commander; aide to Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower; recipient of the Silver Star and Legion of Merit Wilfred Holmes 1922 Captain; submarine commander; in May 1942 devised the ruse that revealed that "AF" was Midway Island, which led to the Japanese defeat at the Battle of Midway. [293] Carl Henry Jones 1914 Admiral; battleship commander; commanded the USS Maryland as commodore throughout 1943 and was named sub-area commander of the South Pacific after participating in the Battle of Tarawa. [294]

Korean War combatants

Name Class year Notability References Field Harris 1917 Lieutenant general, USMC; commanded the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing during the Korean War. [295] William Frederick Harris 1939 Lieutenant Colonel, USMC; the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines is presumed to have been killed in action on December 7, 1950, during the breakout in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. The son of Field Harris was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. [296]

Vietnam War combatants

Name Class year Notability References Spence M. Armstrong 1956 Lieutenant general; F-105 pilot; Vice commander of Air Force Systems Command and Military Airlift Command; senior advisor to the NASA administrator [297][298] John S. McCain Jr. 1931 Admiral; submarine commander during World War II; Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Command (1968–1972) during the Vietnam War while his son John S. McCain III was being held in North Vietnam as a prisoner of war; both of them are academy graduates, as well as John S. McCain Sr. and John S. McCain IV [99][299] Frederick H. Michaelis 1940 Admiral; Naval aviator; fleet oiler and aircraft carrier commander; recipient of the Navy Cross [300] Don Whitmire 1946 Rear Admiral; troopship and submarine commander Jeremiah Denton 1947 Rear Admiral; Naval aviator and Navy Cross recipient who spent almost eight years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam; United States Senator from Alabama (1981–1987) [101][102] Wendell B. Rivers 1948 Captain; Naval aviator and Silver Star recipient who spent seven and a half years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam [301] Stanley Thomas Counts 1949 Rear Admiral; Commanding officer of USS Towers and USS Chicago in the Gulf of Tonkin; recipient of three Legions of Merit [302] Robert B. Fuller 1951 Rear Admiral; Naval aviator and Navy Cross recipient who spent almost six years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam [303] Charles R. Gillespie 1951 Captain; Naval aviator and Silver Star recipient who spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam [304] Allen C. Brady 1951 Captain; Naval aviator and Silver Star recipient who spent over six years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam [305] William P. Lawrence 1951 Vice Admiral; Naval aviator who was a prisoner of war for six years; father of Wendy B. Lawrence, 1981 Academy graduate and Navy astronaut; Superintendent of the Academy (1978–81) [306] Peter V. Schoeffel 1954 Captain; Naval aviator who spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam [307] John Heaphy Fellowes 1956 Captain; A-6 Intruder pilot; prisoner of war for 6.5 years; Silver Star recipient [308] Robert H. Shumaker 1956 Rear Admiral; Naval Aviator; prisoner of war for 8 years; Distinguished Service Medal recipient; initiated use of the tap code, a common system of communication with POWs and coining the term "Hanoi Hilton” for the notorious Hỏa Lò Prison. [309] John McCain 1958 Captain; Vietnam-era Naval Aviator and POW; U.S. Senator from Arizona (1987-2018); Republican Presidential Nominee 2008 [m][99][104][105] John Ripley 1962 Colonel, Marine Corps; recipient of the Navy Cross for stopping a column of tanks and 20,000 enemy troops at the Dong Ha Bridge, Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam [310][311] David S. Bill III 1966 Rear Admiral; destroyer, cruiser and battleship commander; recipient of two Legions of Merit; grandson of U.S. Representative Winder R. Harris [i][271]

John McCain Jr. Jeremiah Denton

Lebanon combatants

Name Class year Notability References Vincent L. Smith 1976 Captain United States Marine Corps; killed in action when the Marine compound in Beirut was bombed. [312] Michael J. Ohler 1977 Captain United States Marine Corps; killed in action by gunfire and grenade attacks on the U.S. peacekeeping forces at Beirut airport Sunday, October 16, 1983, one week before the Marine compound in Beirut was bombed. [313]

Panama combatants

Name Class year Notability References Thomas W. Casey 1987 Awarded Navy Cross for heroism in action while serving as platoon commander, GOLF Platoon, SEAL Team FOUR at Paitilla Airfield, Panama from 19 to 21 December 1989 during Operation Just Cause. [314]

Combatants of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Name Class year Notability References John R. Allen 1976 Commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) from July 2011 – March 2013. [315] Dirk J. Debbink 1977 Vice Admiral; Chief of Navy Reserve; recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit [316] Kevin M. Quinn 1977 Rear Admiral; destroyer commander; Task Force 73/Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific; commander of Carrier Strike Group Three; Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic; recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit [317] Frank Craig Pandolfe 1980 Rear Admiral; destroyer commander [318] Andrew L. Lewis 1985 Vice Admiral; Naval Aviator, Commander United States Second Fleet, Carrier Strike Group 12, the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Carrier Air Wing Three, Strike Fighter Squadron 106, Strike Fighter Squadron 15, and USS Theodore Roosevelt [319] Timothy Szymanski 1985 Deputy Commanding General Sustainment to Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan/NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan [320] Kenneth A. Niederberger 1990 Captain in the United States Navy SEALs; deployed multiple times to combat zones during Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Awards include Silver Star, Five Bronze Star Medals (three with Combat V distinguishing device) and numerous other medals and campaign ribbons. [321] Erik S. Kristensen 1995 Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy SEALs; killed in action trying to rescue fellow SEALs in Operation Red Wings during the war in Afghanistan [322] Douglas A. Zembiec 1995 Major, Marine Corps; serving his fourth tour in Iraq when he was killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom; known as the "Lion of Fallujah" for actions during the First Battle of Fallujah [323]

Douglas Zembiec

Scientists

Name Class year Notability References Albert Abraham Michelson 1873 Physicist who received the 1907 Nobel Prize in Physics, the first American to receive the Nobel Prize in sciences; noted for his work on the measurement of the speed of light, especially for the Michelson–Morley experiment [d][324] Frank Julian Sprague 1878 Sprague has often been called the inventor of public transportation. In addition to his developments in electric traction, Sprague made enormous contributions in the areas of control and safety, without which mass transit would not be possible. [325] John Bernadou 1880 Chemist who invented the nitrocellulose propellent used by the United States Army and Navy through both world wars, receiving a patent for it in 1897 [326] Oliver Shallenberger 1881 Electrical engineer who invented the induction meter for measuring alternating current, receiving a patent for it in 1888 [327] Alfred Wilkinson Johnson 1899 Vice Admiral; as Commander, Atlantic Squadron, winter 1938–39, collaborated with the Naval Research Laboratory in conducting the first comprehensive radar experiments at sea, resulting in development of radar for fire-control systems Richard E. Byrd 1912 Rear Admiral; Arctic and Antarctic explorer; Medal of Honor recipient for aerial and Arctic explorations; assistant to Officer In Charge, Navy Recruiting Bureau [e][328][329] Hyman G. Rickover 1922 Submariner and Engineering Duty Officer; "Father of the nuclear navy" as Director of the Naval Reactors Branch in the Bureau of Ships (1949–1982); 64 years of active service [330] Joseph Weber 1940 Physicist; a developer of the maser, laser, and a pioneer of gravitational wave detection; the Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation was named in his honor; his first Gravitational Radiation Antenna was displayed at the Smithsonian Institution [331] William Wohlsen Behrens Jr. 1944 Vice Admiral; oceanographer of the Navy who helped establish the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Don Walsh 1954 Oceanographer, explorer and marine policy specialist; made a record-breaking descent into the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the world's oceans, in 1960 along with Jacques Piccard aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste [332] Alan Hale 1980 Astronomer and discoverer of Comet Hale–Bopp in 1995 [333]

Joseph Weber W. W. Behrens Jr. Walsh (rear) on board the Trieste

Television figures

Name Class year Notability References Ellis M. Zacharias 1912 Narrator of the NBC Cold War docudrama Behind Closed Doors (1958–59) Oliver North 1968 Vietnam veteran; White House aide; author; host of Fox News' War Stories with Oliver North; and a radio host [99] Montel Williams 1980 Actor and host of The Montel Williams Show [334][335][336]

Notable fictional alumni

Name Class year Notability References Steve McGarrett Probably 1941 or 1942 Hawaii state officer played by Jack Lord in the original version of the TV series Hawaii Five-O; he had a Naval Academy diploma prominently displayed on the wall of his office in the series. [337] Thomas Magnum 1967 or 1968, depending on the episode Private investigator Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV played by Tom Selleck in the TV series Magnum P.I.; played quarterback on the Naval Academy football team and served as a SEAL in Vietnam. [338] Jack Ryan Probably 1972 CIA analyst and former Marine officer John Patrick "Jack" Ryan Sr. played by Alec Baldwin in the film version of The Hunt for Red October. (in the Tom Clancy novels, he was a Boston College NROTC graduate). In Patriot Games he is a history professor at the Naval Academy. [339] A. J. Chegwidden Probably 1966 or 1967 Rear Admiral Upper Half Albert Jethro 'A.J.' Chegwidden JAGC, USN (Retired), former Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Navy, as played by John M. Jackson in the TV series JAG. He started his Navy career as a SEAL in Vietnam, switched to surface warfare and rose to command an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, then switched to the JAG Corps after attending law school in the 1980s. Raymond Reddington Probably 1984 Reformed criminal Raymond "Red" Reddington, as played by James Spader, works with the FBI on the TV series The Blacklist. He graduated first in his class from the Naval Academy and worked in counterintelligence. He then became a criminal, eventually reaching number 4 on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Peter Ulysses "Sturgis" Turner Presumably 1985 Commander and Judge Advocate in the U.S. Navy, as played by Scott Lawrence in the TV series JAG. He was classmates with Harmon Rabb. Harmon Rabb 1985 Captain and Judge Advocate in the U.S. Navy, as played by David James Elliott in the TV series JAG. Former F-14 Tomcat pilot. He was classmates with Sturgis Turner at Annapolis. Steve McGarrett 1997 or 1998 Hawaii state police officer played by Alex O'Loughlin in the 2010 revival of the TV series Hawaii Five-0; he is constantly identified as LCDR McGarrett, his rank in the Naval Reserves. He graduated first in his class from the Naval Academy, first in BUD/S class 203, and served as for six years as a SEAL prior to transferring to Naval Intelligence. Jake Huard 2008 Midshipman Fourth Class Jake Huard is portrayed by James Franco in the 2006 film Annapolis. This film, made without the support of the U.S. Navy, focuses on Brigade Boxing and a budding romance between Plebe Huard and Second Class Midshipman Ali, played by Jordana Brewster. While the film ends at the conclusion of Huard's Plebe year, it is strongly implied that he graduates. [340]

Faculty

These faculty are not graduates, consequently their class year is listed as "NA" for 'not applicable' and they are listed alphabetically by last name.

Name Class year Notability References Matthew Fontaine Maury NA Pathfinder of the Seas joined the United States Navy as a midshipman aboard the frigate Brandywine in 1825; became the US Naval Observatory's first superintendent in 1844, and later joined the Confederate States Navy where he was instrumental in the development of naval mines and submarines; several ships have been named in his honor [341] James H. Ward NA When the new Naval School opened at Annapolis on October 10, 1845, Lt. Ward was a member of the faculty—one of the first line officers to pass along the benefits of his own experience to young midshipmen; USS Ward and Ward Hall were named for him [342] Glenn Warner NA As head coach (Glenn Warner) of the Academy's men's soccer team between 1942 and 1975, he led the team to a national title, in 1964.

James H. Ward

See also

• Shipmate (magazine)
• Hispanics in the United States Naval Academy
• USNA Out