Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
Unit Service Year awarded Campaign or battle Notes
USS Parche ( SSN-683 ) U.S. Navy 1979 , 1980 , 1981 , 1982 , 1986 , 1993 , 1994 , 1998 , 2004 Official operations are still classified The most decorated unit in U.S. Navy history , with a total of nine PUCs awarded during its 30 years of service . Parche ' s special modifications and extensive research and development duties allowed her to be the premier spy submarine in the US fleet . This earned her the many PUCs , but prevents the release of many of the details involved . [ 4 ]
USS Richard B. Russell ( SSN-687 ) U.S. Navy 1987 Operation Manta/Acetone Submarine communications cable wiretapping operations while USS Parche underwent hull overhaul
USS Halibut ( SSGN-587 ) U.S. Navy 1972 Operation Ivy Bells Navy Citation . [ 5 ] [ 6 ] Submarine communications cable wiretapping operations
USS Flasher ( SSN-613 ) U.S. Navy 1970 Awarded PUC for having tailed on a Soviet Navy Hotel II ballistic missile submarine undetected for more than twenty days - first long tailing in the Pacific
USS Lapon ( SSN-661 ) U.S. Navy 1969 Awarded PUC for having tailed on a Soviet Navy Yankee class ballistic missile submarine undetected for a period of forty-seven days
USS Halibut ( SSGN-587 ) U.S. Navy 1968 Operation Sand Dollar Navy Citation for search mission to locate the sunken Soviet ballistic missile submarine K-129 ( Project Azorian ) . [ 7 ]
USS Triton ( SSRN-586 ) U.S. Navy 1960 Operation Sandblast Navy Citation for the first submerged circumnavigation made during its shakedown cruise , for 16 February 1960 to 10 May 1960 ; second peacetime PUC awarded to a unit of the U.S. Navy . [ 8 ]
USS Nautilus ( SSN-571 ) U.S. Navy 1958 Operation Sunshine Navy Citation for the first submerged voyage under the North Pole , for 22 July 1958 to 5 August 1958 ; first peacetime PUC awarded to a unit of the U.S. Navy . [ 9 ]
6555th ATW U.S. Air Force 1966 NASA Gemini and USAF Minuteman Programs AF Citation for support all AF and NASA launches from the Cape . Significant work included the Gemini Launch Program and development of the USAF Minuteman ICBM . [ 10 ]
Recipients -- Cold War
The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941 (the date of the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of American involvement in World War II). The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions so as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign. Since its inception by Executive Order on 26 February 1942, retroactive to 7 December 1941, to 2008, the Presidential Unit Citation has been awarded in conflicts such as World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan. The collective degree of valor (combat heroism) against an armed enemy by the unit nominated for the PUC is the same as that which would warrant award of the individual award of the Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Cross or Navy Cross. In some cases, one or more individuals within the unit may have also been awarded individual awards for their contribution to the actions for which their entire unit was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The unit with the most Presidential Unit Citations is the submarine USS Parche (SSN-683) with 9 citations.