The Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award is presented annually by the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

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to one ship in the

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and one in the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Generally the recipient is the ship with the highest score in the fleet's annual competitions for

Battle Effectiveness Award The Battle Effectiveness Award (formerly the Battle Efficiency Award, commonly known as the Battle "E"), is awarded annually to the small number of United States Navy ships, submarines, aviation, and other deployable combat coded units that win the ...

s, and is therefore often thought of as the fleet's most battle-ready ship. This isn't strictly correct, because it has been the policy to rotate eligibility for the award annually among the various type commands (

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...

submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...

s, amphibious ships, etc.). The award includes a small monetary stipend (about $500 in 2004). Commanding officers receiving the award must put the money into the ship's recreation fund, where it can be spent on athletic equipment, prizes for athletic or marksmanship competitions, recreation room furniture, dances, parties, and similar recreational activities.

History

The Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund was established in 1917 by the Tribune Association. It was initiated by a contribution which accompanied the following letter, printed on February 4, 1916: PS9 Annex BK twilite jeh

The letter was written during the buildup to America's entry into

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and it generated a huge response. Former president

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

responded immediately with a handwritten letter and a dollar contribution; within a few days he met with Marjorie in

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. The Tribune printed the name of every contributor, and newspapers across the country reprinted Marjorie's letter and received additional donations. Ultimately 200,000 dimes were collected, each typically in the name of a child or a contributor's yet-to-be born grandchild. The money was offered to the Navy, but Secretary

Josephus Daniels Josephus Daniels (May 18, 1862 – January 15, 1948) was a newspaper editor, Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson, and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He managed ''The News & Observer'' in R ...

at first rejected it, citing legal prohibitions. A law was soon enacted allowing the Navy Department to accept the money, and by early 1918 the $20,000 ( today) had been transferred to the government. Prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, income from the fund was used to pay prizes annually to turret and gun crews making the highest scores in short-range battle practice, and to submarine crews making the highest scores in torpedo firing. Since the end of World War II, the Navy has emphasized readiness and fitness of the ship rather than competition between individual departments. Marjorie Sterrett-Raun died in March 1927 in

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List of Post-WWII Winners

1948 was the first post-

year in which awards were made. Awards were discontinued in 1951 due to the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, and were not reinstated until 1958. 14 ships received the award in 1961 and 1962. The 1963 ship history for reported that they were awarded the (presumably 1962) Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award in August 1963.

References

OPNAVINST 3590.11F
* ''New York Tribune'', February 4–13, 1916 * ''New York Times'', February 11, 1916 * ''Wall Street Journal'', January 13, 1917 *

Notes

{{reflist, 30em Awards and decorations of the United States Navy New-York Tribune 1917 establishments in the United States Awards established in 1917