44 Recipients of the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal

Distinguished Service Medal (United States Coast Guard)

The Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal (CGDSM) is a personal decoration of the United States Coast Guard that was established 4 August 1949. Prior to this date, members of the Coast Guard were eligible to receive the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. The medal is presented for, "Exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility."

John C. Acton is a retired United States Coast Guard rear admiral who served as the Director of Operations Coordination for DHS. Acton formerly served as Director of the DHS Presidential Transition Team.

Thad William Allen is a former United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard. Allen is best known for his widely praised performance directing the federal response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast region from September 2005 to January 2006, and for his role as National Incident Commander of the Unified Command for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Robert J. Papp, Jr. succeeded him as Commandant on 25 May 2010, in a change of command ceremony.

Chester R. Bender served as the fourteenth Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1970 to 1974. He also served as Superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy from 1965 to 1967.

Gary T. Blore is a retired Rear Admiral of the United States Coast Guard. He retired as the Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District in 2011. As of February 2017, he was serving as Director of Operations, Readiness and Exercises for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Charles "Skip" W. Bowen was the tenth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG). He assumed the position from MCPOCG Frank A. Welch on June 14, 2006, and was relieved on May 21, 2010 by Michael P. Leavitt. Bowen was previously assigned as the Officer-in-Charge of Coast Guard Station Marathon.

Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O'Hara was the 27th Vice-Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

James Edward "Hoss" Cartwright is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who last served as the eighth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from August 31, 2007, to August 3, 2011. He previously served as the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, from September 1, 2004, to August 10, 2007, and as Acting Commander, U.S. Strategic Command from July 9, 2004, to September 1, 2004. He retired from the Marine Corps on August 3, 2011, after nearly 40 years of service.

Thomas Hansen Collins is a former United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 22nd Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard from May 2002 to May 2006.

Vivien S. Crea was the 25th Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard under Admiral Thad W. Allen. Crea held the second highest position in the Coast Guard, and she is the first woman to do so. She is the former Commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area, and was confirmed by the Senate to her historic post in June 2006. Crea retired on August 7, 2009, and was replaced by VADM David Pekoske.

Terry M. Cross is a retired United States Coast Guard Vice Admiral who served as Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from July 2004 until June 2006. He served as the Coast Guard's second in command and was the Agency Acquisition Executive.

Vice Admiral John P. Currier was the 28th Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. He assumed the position from Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O'Hara on May 18, 2012 and was relieved on May 20, 2014 by Vice Admiral Peter Neffenger. Previously, VADM Currier commanded Coast Guard District 13. He was relieved as district commander by Rear Admiral Gary Blore on July 14, 2009. Admiral Currier was selected for promotion to vice admiral and subsequently served as Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard.

Martin Edward Dempsey, sometimes known as Marty Dempsey, is a retired United States Army general who served as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2011 until September 25, 2015. He previously served as the 37th Chief of Staff of the Army from April 11, 2011, to September 7, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, from December 8, 2008, to April 11, 2011, as Acting Commander, U.S. Central Command, from March 24, 2008, to October 30, 2008, as Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command, from August 2007 to March 23, 2008, and as Commanding General, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq (MNSTC-I), from August 2005 to August 2007. Dempsey assumed his assignment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on October 1, 2011 and stepped down from the Chairmanship on September 25, 2015. He now serves as a professor at Duke University and as a chairman of USA Basketball.

Alfred M. Gray Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1 July 1987 until his retirement on 30 June 1991 after 41 years of service.

Jonathan William Greenert is a former United States Navy admiral who served as the 30th Chief of Naval Operations from September 23, 2011, to September 18, 2015. He previously served as the 36th Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 13, 2009, to August 22, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command from September 29, 2007, to July 29, 2009, deputy chief of Naval Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources from September 2006 to September 2007, and commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet from August 2004 to September 2006. He retired from the navy after over 40 years of service. In March 2016, the National Bureau of Asian Research announced that Greenert would become the third holder of the John M. Shalikashvili Chair in National Security Studies at NBR. In April 2016, Greenert was appointed to the board of directors for BAE Systems for a three-year term.

John Briggs Hayes was a United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 16th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard from 1978 to 1982.

David Elmer Jeremiah was a United States Navy admiral who served as Vice Chairman and also acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After his retirement from the Navy in February 1994, he worked in the field of investment banking. He served as partner and President, CEO and later Chairman of Technology Strategies & Alliances Corporation, a strategic advisory and investment banking firm engaged primarily in the aerospace, defense, telecommunications, and electronics industries. During his military career Jeremiah earned a reputation as an authority on strategic planning, financial management and the policy implications of advanced technology.

Harvey E. Johnson Jr., retired Vice Admiral, United States Coast Guard, is the President of Humanitarian Services for the American Red Cross. Previously, Johnson was the former Vice President for National Preparedness and Response Solutions at BAE Systems and Deputy Administrator and Chief Operating Officer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

John P. Jumper is a retired United States Air Force general, who served as 17th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from September 6, 2001 to September 2, 2005. He retired from the Air Force on November 1, 2005. Jumper was succeeded as Chief of Staff by General T. Michael Moseley.

Frank Benton Kelso II was an admiral of the United States Navy, who served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1990 to 1994.

John William Kime was a United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 19th Commandant of the Coast Guard from 31 May 1990 to 1 June 1994.

Robert Edward Kramek was a United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 20th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1994 to 1998. During his tenure as Commandant, he successfully led the service through difficult budget battles each year and directed the "streamlining" plan that was mandated by the National Performance Review and "Mandate for Change."

James Milton Loy is a retired United States Coast Guard admiral who served as Acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security in 2005 and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) from December 4, 2003, to March 1, 2005. Prior to his appointment as the DHS Deputy Secretary, he served as the second administrator of the Transportation Security Administration from 2002 to 2003, and before that as the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard from 1998 to 2002.

Charles David Michel is a former United States Coast Guard Admiral who last served as the 30th Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. He is the first Vice Commandant to hold the rank of Admiral while in office. Originally a Vice Admiral when he assumed office on August 6, 2015, Michel was promoted to Admiral on May 24, 2016 when the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 elevated the statutory rank for the position to admiral. Michel is also the first career judge advocate in any of the Armed Forces to achieve four-star rank. Michel retired from the Coast Guard on May 24, 2018 after over 33 years of service.

Thomas Hinman Moorer was an admiral and naval aviator in the United States Navy who served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1967 to 1970, and as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1970 to 1974.

Carl Epting Mundy Jr. was a United States Marine Corps general who served as the 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from July 1, 1991 until his retirement on June 30, 1995, after 42 years of service.

Peter V. Neffenger was the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration from July 2015 until his statutorily required resignation on January 20, 2017 upon Donald Trump becoming President. Previously to leading TSA, Neffenger was a Vice Admiral in the United States Coast Guard, serving as Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard since May 20, 2014. He previously had served as Deputy Commandant for Operations, Deputy National Incident Commander for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Director of Coast Guard Strategic Management and Doctrine, Commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District, Commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles – Long Beach, Captain of the Port and Federal Maritime Security Coordinator, Budget Officer of the Coast Guard, and Coast Guard Liaison Officer to the Territory of American Samoa. On April 28, 2015, he was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.

Peter Pace is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pace was the first Marine officer appointed as chairman, and the first Marine officer to be appointed to three different four-star assignments; the others as the 6th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2001, to August 12, 2005, and as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Southern Command from September 8, 2000, to September 30, 2001. Appointed chairman by President George W. Bush, Pace succeeded U.S. Air Force General Richard Myers on September 30, 2005.

Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr. is a retired United States Coast Guard admiral and served as the 24th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. He led the largest component of the United States Department of Homeland Security, with 42,000 active duty, 8,200 Reserve, 8,000 civilian, and 31,000 Auxiliary personnel.

Vincent W. Patton III is a retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in the United States.

David Peter Pekoske is an American government official and retired U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral who currently serves as the seventh Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. He also served as acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from April to November 2019. He concluded his 33 years of active military service in 2010 as the 26th Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard.

Ellis L. Perry was a vice admiral and Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.

Vice Admiral David Brian Peterman retired in July 2008. Prior to retiring he was Commander, Atlantic Area / Commander, Defense Force East. He assumed command of United States Coast Guard Atlantic Area on May 9, 2006 and was the operational commander for all Coast Guard activities in an area of responsibility east of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico, across the Atlantic Ocean to the Persian Gulf and throughout the Caribbean Sea. Over 33,000 military and civilian personnel, and 30,000 auxiliarists were under his leadership. He served concurrently as Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Defense Force East. With this change of command, Peterman relieved Vice Admiral Vivien S. Crea.

Charles W. Ray is a United States Coast Guard admiral who serves as the Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard starting May 24, 2018. He previously served as the Coast Guard's Deputy Commandant for Operations.

Alfred Carroll Richmond was a United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 11th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1954 to 1962, the second longest tenure of any U.S. Coast Guard Commandant following Russell R. Waesche who served from 1936 to 1946.

Michael E. Ryan is a retired United States Air Force general and was the 16th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from October 1997 to September 2001. He served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipage of 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he and the other service chiefs functioned as military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and the President.

Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. was a United States Army general. While serving as the commander of United States Central Command, he led all coalition forces in the Gulf War.

Eric Ken Shinseki is a retired United States Army general who served as the seventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2009–2014). His final United States Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Army (1999–2003). Shinseki is a veteran of two tours of combat in the Vietnam War, in which he was awarded three Bronze Star Medals for valor and two Purple Hearts. He was the first Asian-American four-star general, and the first Asian-American Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Alan M. Steinman is an American physician, retired U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps rear admiral, former Chief Medical Officer of the United States Coast Guard, expert in sea survival, hypothermia and drowning, and an advocate for the open service of LGBT people in the US military.

Patrick M. Stillman is a retired Rear Admiral of the United States Coast Guard.

Master Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Eric Anthony "Rick" Trent served as the seventh Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard from July 1, 1994, to May 31, 1998.

Paul Edwin Trimble was a Vice Admiral in the United States Coast Guard who served as the 10th Vice Commandant from 1966 to 1970. He was born in Agenda, Kansas and was raised in Milaca, Minnesota.

Carl Edward Vuono is a retired United States Army general who served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1987 to 1991.

Paul Frederick Zukunft is a retired United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 25th Commandant of the Coast Guard. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Commandant, with the rank of Admiral, in May 2014 and relieved Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr. as Commandant on 30 May 2014. Prior to his selection as Commandant, he served as Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area. In this position, Zukunft was the operational commander for all U.S. Coast Guard missions within the half of the world that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the East Coast of Africa. He concurrently served as Commander, Defense Force West and provided U.S. Coast Guard mission support to the U.S. Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders.