Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr., Commandant, US Coast Guard Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr., will be honored with the NMHS Bravo Zulu Award, named for the traditional naval signal for "well done." Admiral Papp is the 24th Commandant and the 13th Gold Ancient Mariner of rhe Coast Guard. Prior to his promotion to Commandant, he was Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area (LANTAREA), and Commander, Defense Force East, where he was operational commander for all US Coast Guard missions within the eastern half of the world and provided support to the Department of Defense. Previous appointments include: the Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard and Commanding Officer of CG Headquarters; Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District, with responsibilities for Coast Guard missions on the Grear Lakes and Northern Border; and Director of Reserve and Training, where he was responsible for managing and supporting 13,000 Coast Guard Ready Reservists and all USCG Training Centers. Admiral Papp has been an enthusiastic vocal advocate of the value of reaching Coast Guard history and has pledged his support for a Coast Guard museum in New London, Connecticut, home of the Coast Guard Academy. In 1998, he received the NMHS Distinguished Service Award for training young Americans in the challenging discipline of the sea experience as Commanding Officer of the US Coast Guard Barque Eagle. Renowned shipping executive Clay Maitland will present the award.
Honorable John F. Lehman The Honorable John. F. Lehman will be presented with the NMHS Distinguished Service Award, recognizing his contributions to the cause of maritime history. As secretary of the navy under President Ronald Reagan, Dr. Lehman worked to increase the strength of the US Navy. During his six-year tenure as secretary, he succeeded in lowering purchase costs to the Navy for ships and airplanes, and he strove to make the naval bureaucracy more efficient. Subsequent to his cabinet role, Dr. Lehman has played an influential role in shaping policy, including sitting on the delegation to the Force Reductions Negotiations in Vienna and two years as Depury Director of the US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, serving on the distinguished 9/11 Commission, and current membership on the National Defense Commission. Dr. Lehman has long been an advocate of naval history; he initiated the creation of the historic model museum at the US Naval Academy and worked with the Pepys Library in Cambridge to find Samuel Pepys's long-hidden collection of builders' models for display in the museum, and he helped to save and repatriate the last Landing Craft, Support (LCS) "mighry midget." He has also been a longtime supporter of the Bonhomme Richard project to locate and research John Paul Jones's flagship and has served for many years as an NMHS overseer. Dr. Lehman is the author of On Seas of Glory: Heroic Men, Great Ships, and Epic Battles of the American Navy, and the memoir Command of the Seas. NMHS dinner chairman Daniel Whalen will present the award.
You are cordially invited to the NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 Reservations are $400 per person; $7,000 sponsors a table for ten, plus a feature ad page in the dinner journal. Call 800-221-6647, ext 0 to make your reservation. Black tie optional. Visit www.seahistory.org for more information.
The gala event takes place at the historic New York Yacht Club in Manhattan. Richard du Moulin, an award winning yachtsman and leader of the shipping industry, will again serve as our Master of Ceremonies. The US Coast Guard Academy Cadet Chorale, directed by Dr. Robert Newton, Director of Cader Vocal Music at the USCG Academy, will provide the evening's entertainment. This affair is traditionally sold-our and seating is limited, so early responses are recommended. For information about sponsorship opportunities or to order tickets for the Annual Awards Dinner, please contact the Sociery's headquarters at: Ph. 914 737-7878 ext. O; or email nmhs@ seahistory.org. Be sure to visit our website, www.seahistory.org, for more information. SEA HISTORY 136, AUTUMN 2011
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