Hyman G. Rickover - Awards

Awards

Decorations and Medals

  • Presidential Medal of Freedom (1980)
  • Congressional Gold Medal — 2 awards (1958, 1982)
  • Navy Distinguished Service Medal with two gold stars representing 3 awards (1961, 1964, 1982)
  • Legion of Merit with gold star representing 2 awards (1945, 1952)
  • Navy Commendation Medal (1945)
  • Army Commendation Medal (1946) (Conversion award from Letter of Commendation from the Secretary of the Army)
  • World War I Victory Medal
  • China Service Medal
  • American Defense Service Medal
  • Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal
  • World War II Victory Medal
  • Navy Occupation Service Medal with "ASIA" clasp
  • National Defense Service Medal with bronze star representing 2 awards

Foreign Order

  • Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1946)

Qualification Badge

  • Submarine Qualification Insignia, a.k.a. "Dolphins"

In recognition of his wartime service, he was made Honorary Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1946.

Admiral Rickover was twice awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for exceptional public service; the first in 1958, and the second 25 years later in 1983, becoming one of only three persons to be awarded more than one. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter presented Admiral Rickover with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest non-military honor, for his contributions to world peace.

He also received 61 civilian awards and 15 honorary degrees, including the prestigious Enrico Fermi Award "For engineering and demonstrative leadership in the development of safe and reliable nuclear power and its successful application to our national security and economic needs." In addition to the Enrico Fermi Award, some of the most notable awards include:

  • the Egleston Medal Award of Columbia University Engineering School Alumni Association (1955),
  • the George Westinghouse Gold Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) (1955),
  • the Michael I. Pupin 100th Anniversary Medal (1958),
  • the Golden Omega Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) (1959),
  • the Prometheus Award from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) (1965)
  • the Newcomen Medal (1968)
  • the Washington Award from the Western Society of Engineers (1970)

Some of his Honorary degrees included:

  • Sc.D.: Colby College (1954); Stevens Institute of Technology (1958); Columbia University (1960)

Read more about this topic:  Hyman G. Rickover