Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Legion of Merit

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Lieutenant

    Action Date:

    July 1960 – May 1961

    All Hands (October 1961)

    The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Harris E. Steinke, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from July 1960 to May 1961 as Director Submarine Escape and Rescue Department, U.S. Naval Submarine School, New London, Connecticut. During this period, Lieutenant Steinke designed, supervised the manufacture of, and successfully tested a new, safe and effective submarine escape appliance. The device improves the probability of individual escape from submarines by permitting near normal breathing during ascent. Demonstrating the validity of the principle of his device in the training tank at New London, Connecticut, Lieutenant Steinke repeatedly exposed himself to high atmospheric pressures with exceptionally short periods of compression and with attendant dangers of nitrogen narcosis, decompression sickness and air embolism. On 3 March 1961, in waters off Key West, Florida, he courageously proved the usefulness and reliability of his invention by executing an individual ascent from a bottomed submarine at an escape depth of 318 feet – a depth in excess of that for any previously known individual escape.