Many people are interested in the
history and development of Navy traditions. One Navy
tradition involves the wearing of Dolphins by qualified
submariners. "Earning Dolphins" is a significant event
in a Navy submariner's career-one of those special high
points that instill tremendous personal pride and a
sense of accomplishment.
Dolphins are earned through a
process of "Qualifying." Individuals must learn
the location of equipment, operation of systems,
damage control procedures and have a general
knowledge of operational characteristics of their
boat. Dolphin wearers qualify initially on one
boat and must re-qualify on boats to which they
are subsequently assigned.
Once Dolphins have been earned,
they are awarded by the Commanding Officer in a
special ceremony.
The origin of the U.S. Navy's
Submarine Service Insignia dates back to 1923. On
13 June of that year, Captain Ernest J. King, USN
later to become Fleet Admiral and Chief of Naval
Operations during World War II, and at that time
Commander Submarine Division Three, suggested to
the Secretary of the Navy, via the old Bureau of
Navigation, that a distinguishing device for
qualified submariners be
adopted.
A Philadelphia firm, which had
done work for the Navy previously, was approached
with the request that it undertake the design of
a suitable badge. Two designs were submitted by
the firm and these were combined into a single
design. It was the design in use today. A bow
view of a submarine, proceeding on the surface,
with bow planes rigged for diving, flanked by
Dolphins in horizontal positions with their heads
resting on the upper edge of the bow
planes.
The Officer's Insignia was and is
a gold plated metal pin, worn centered above the
left breast pocket and above the ribbons or
medals. Enlisted men wore the insignia,
embroidered in silk, in white on blue for blue
clothing, and in blue on white for white
clothing. This was sewn on the outside of the
right sleeve, midway between the wrist and elbow.
The device was two and three-quarters inches
long. In mid-1947 the embroidered device shifted
from the sleeve of the enlisted men's jumper to
above the left breast pocket. Subsequently,
silver metal Dolphins were approved for enlisted
men.
In more recent time, Dolphins for
specialist officers in the submarine force have
been developed. These include the Engineering
Duty Officer Dolphins, Medical Officer Dolphins,
and Supply Corps Dolphins. Regardless of the
color of the pin or the insignia at the center,
Dolphins are worn with pride by members of the
Submarine Force.
