Commodore Dudley W. Knox Naval History Lifetime Achievement Award

The Commodore Dudley W. Knox Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual for a lifetime body of work in the field of U.S. naval history. The award is named for Commodore Dudley Wright Knox (21 June 1877 – 11 June 1960). A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval War College, Knox had a distinguished career as a naval officer with service in the Spanish American War, Boxer Rebellion, Great White Fleet, and World War I. But it was his abilities as a historian, librarian, and archivist that earned him respect and admiration amongst his peers and later generations. Learn more about the Knox Award or submit a nomination.

STEM Teacher Fellowships

Starting in the summer of 2011, the Naval Historical Foundation began offering competitive STEM Teacher Fellowships to educators from across the country. Please visit our STEM Teacher Fellowships page to learn more.

Captain Kenneth Coskey National History Day Prize

At the annual National History Day festivities that occur every June at the University of Maryland, special prizes are awarded to high school and middle school history projects that best capture an appreciation for naval history. Two such prizes are awarded, one each in the Junior and Senior Divisions, for $1000 each. Judging is conducted by the organizers of National History Day. In 2015, with the NHD theme being “Leadership and Legacy in History”, and in honor of the 2015 visit to the U.S. of the replica French Navy frigate L’Hermione, projects dealing with Lafayette will be given special consideration for these naval history prizes. L’Hermione carried Lafayette to the U.S. in 1780 with the pledge from the French government of troops, naval support and funding, which was crucial to victory in the American Revolutionary War. The prize is named for the late Captain Ken Coskey, a Vietnam War combat aviator and Prisoner of War, and former Executive Director of the Naval Historical Foundation.

YEAR STUDENT(s) CITY/STATE NAME OF PAPER/PROJECT
1999 Michelle Ow Pensacola, FL Forging  a New Era Through Ironclad Technology
2000 Thomas Thompson Prince Frederick, MD Five Minutes at Midway: Turning Point of the Turning Point
2001 Andrew Morrison, Rebecca Stover, Ivan Borissow Owings, MD CDR Wesley A Brown
2002 Andy Pope, Zack Piper Pensacola, FL Port Chicago Mutiny
2002 Katie Pauley, Amy Paul Des Moines, IA RADM Grace Hopper
2003 Steven Pelcovits Providence, RI Military Ships and Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities of Blacks in the Civil War Navy
2004 Sarah Miles Cheraw, SC Grace Hopper: Exploration of Women’s Careers in the Navy, Encounters With Technology and Exchange of Knowledge in the 20th Century
2005 Brynne Piotrowski Pensacola, FL Anticipated Arrival: Communications Intelligence in the Battle of Midway
2006 Justin Schoonmaker Longdale, OK Midway: America’s Stand against Japanese Expansion
2007 Chris Carpenter, John Bergquist, Ridley Heyrend, Matt Miller Salt Lake City, UT The Attack and Capture of U-505: A Treasure Submerged in Code
2008 Adam Sherman Scottsdale, AZ Prelude to Pearl Harbor: The Panay Conflict and President Roosevelt’s Compromise
2009 Karissa Kleinschmidt, Katelynn Scallan, Jesse Adcock Cantonment, FL Grace Murray Hopper: America’s Amazing Grace
2010 Sarah Sadlier Tacoma, WA The Marine Chronometer: An Innovative Solution to the Longitude Problem
2011 Lawrence Alcairo, Marten Lai Guam Guam Military Buildup
2012 Mia Keyser, Challis Debenham, Hallie Whitmore Anchorage, AK The Trials of Truth: The Amistad Revolution
2013 Maria Sutton Wilmington, DE The Sinking of the USS Maine: A Turning Point in American Foreign Policy
2014 Jethro Abayo, Logan Gilbert (Junior Division) Vancouver, WA Vietnam Prisoners of War: Taking Responsibility When Deprived of All Rights
2014 Katharine Journaey, Mark Cochran, Hannah McDonnell, Colby Gould and Emily Pierce (Senior Division) Exeter, NH The Golden 13: Civil Responsibility Before Self
2015 Shaeffer Quinn, Nick Moon, Andrew Bow, Olivia Lennon, and Riley Sproowl (Junior Division) Boerne, TX “James and Sybil Stockdale: A Heroic Duo”
2015 Mickey Sloat (Senior Division) Davenport, IA “Leadership in the Cyber Sea: The Legacy of ADM Grace Hopper”
2016 Cassi Taylor(Junior Division) Mobile, AL “Exploring the CSS Alabama: Encounters of the Confederate Raider and the Fiery Exchange with the Kearsarge“
2016 Allie Tubbs (Senior Division) Johnston, IA “Grace Hopper Dared to Explore Computer Coding, Encounter the Glass Ceiling, and Exchange Intellectual Concepts”
2018 Andrew Karafa (Junior Division)  Ada, MI “Temporary Truces: How America’s Handling of the Barbary Bullies Molded the US Navy”
2018  Caroline Maxon (Senior Division) Henderson, NC  “The Quasi War: The Undeclared Conflict”


Captain Edward L. Beach, Jr. Naval History Award

This prize is given to the U.S. Naval Academy midshipman who has demonstrated exceptional naval history scholarship during an academic year. Judging is conducted by Naval Academy history department faculty. Beginning in 2003, the Prize was named for recently deceased World War II submariner, noted author and long-time Naval Historical Foundation Board member Captain Edward L. Beach, Jr.

YEAR NAME RESEARCH PAPER/PROJECT
2001 Midshipman First Class and Brigade Commander Andrew T. Roy “Sailors as Diplomats: The United States Navy in Bahrain, 1971-1977.”
2002 Midshipman First Class Von Patrick H. Fernandes Thesis: “Why Do Men Fight? Choosing to Serve in the Continental Navy.”
2003 Midshipman First Class Matthew R. Bishop Studies in naval history
2004 Midshipman First Class James S. Van Nest Studies in naval history
2005 Midshipman First Class Seth K. Powell “Train for the Known, Educate for the Unknown: The Navy’s Struggle for Clarity with Graduate Education in the Humanities.”
2006 Midshipman First Class David Faherty Studies on the origins of the Chinese submarine force
2007 Midshipman First Class Vanessa Solem Studies on Kamikazes
2008
2009 Midshipman First Class Joel L. Hamner Scholarship at the Naval Academy
2010 Midshipman First Class Matthew W. Hettiger Scholarship at the Naval Academy
2011 Midshipman First Class Clarence F. “Skip” Lambert Scholarship at the Naval Academy
2012 Midshipman First Class Zachary D. Schwartz Scholarship at the Naval Academy
2013 Midshipman First Class Daniel Ziminski Insurgency during the time of the Roman Empire, and the culture of the Greek martial society
2014 Midshipman First Class Matthew C. Huffman The Effect of Aviation on 20th Century Hemispheric Defense: Defending the Panama Canal
2015 Midshipman First Class Philip Youngberg and Midshipman First Class Dana Petersen The Battle off Samar: The 70th Reunion of Taffy 3 Survivors
2016 Midshipman First Class Luke S. Voss  Scholarship at the Naval Academy
2017 Midshipman First Class Patrick M. Leech War Without Fire: Henry V’s Treatment of Civilians in his French Campaigns, 1415-1421
2018 Midshipman First Class Ryan Menke Force in the Far East: Royal Navy Gunboat Operations on the China Station, 1860-1870


Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn NROTC Prizes

The Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn Prizes recognize and reward midshipmen who show future promise as naval officers and encourage all midshipmen to value their history and heritage as part of their ethos. The prizes are named for Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn, USN, who retired in 2012 following fourteen years of service as President of the NHF. With former duties that included the Chief of Naval Reserve and the DCNO for Naval Aviation, VADM Dunn has a reputation in the Navy’s intellectual community as a thoughtful writer in publications such as the Naval Institute Proceedings. He currently is a Ramsey Fellow with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Read more about the Dunn Prizes here.

YEAR NAME RESEARCH PAPER/PROJECT
2014 Midshipman Jasper Burns
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Boston University		 “The Merits of Corbettian Doctrine Pre-WWI.”
2014 Midshipman Diana Vought
Regional Winner
University of Idaho		 “U.S. Navy’s Implementation of Corbett’s Values.”
2014 Midshipman Brad Bosserman
Regional Winner
Texas A&M University		 “The American Empire Propagation.”
2014 Midshipman Grant Knott
Regional Winner
University of Minnesota		 “The Naval Origins and Role of Strategic Deterrence: A Core U.S. Navy Mission.”
2015 Midshipman Michael Odell
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
University of Idaho		 “U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Joint Operations in Vietnam.”
2015 Midshipman Connor V. Schueler
Regional Winner
Iowa State University		 “The Development of the United States Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Function, 1900-1939.”
2015 Midshipman Joshua Schwark
Regional Winner
University of Rochester		 “Navy Special Warfare: The Evolution of Navy Special Force to Fit Changing Global Needs.”
2015 Midshipman Morgan Quinley
Regional Winner
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University		 “The Fighting Force of Women in the U.S. Navy.”
2015 Midshipman Simone Savoie
Regional Winner
Tulane University		 “The Roosevelt Corollary: Imperialistic Defense of the United States.”
2015 Midshipman Matthew Decker
Regional Winner
Carnegie Mellon University		 “Afghanistan Today Versus 1990: A Stronger Government with Potential to Last.”