Awards and Recognition

This award is named in honor of one of the founders of the Association and former director of the cruiser USS Olympia, Casper J. “Cappy” Knight. It is the highest award the Association can bestow. It is given to individuals or organizations who have contributed in a major way, usually over a considerable length of time, to the preservation and exhibition of historic naval ships, and to the goals and work of the Association.

Recipients:

1998 - Timothy C. Rizzuto, USS KIDD and USS SLATER

2015 - Ed Zajkowski, USS SLATER

This award, for outstanding achievement for a period of about one year, was re-named in 1997 in honor of the late Russ Booth, ship manager of USS Pampanito.

Recipients:

2023 - Shanna Schuster, USS SLATER

This award is named in honor of the late Henry Vadnais, former Head of the Curator Branch at the Naval Historical Center, and long-time supporter of HNSA. It is awarded to a staff person at a Fleet Member organization for particularly outstanding service rendered to his or her organization. Preference shall be given to persons working in the areas of curatorship, collections management, exhibits or registration.

Recipients:

2005 - Patricia Perrella, USS SLATER

This award recognizes a Fleet Member staff member who has performed at a superior level in furthering the education program of the organization.

Recipients:

2000 - Colonel Michael J. Stenzel, USS SLATER
2022 - Shanna Schuster, USS SLATER

This award is named in honor of Chief Marvin Curry who managed the maintenance and preservation of the ships at Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park for many years. It is awarded to a staff person of a Fleet Member organization for exceptional service for at least a five-year period in the areas of interpretation, maintenance, preservation and restoration. Preference shall be given too a non-salaried employee or volunteer. The recipient should have consistently demonstrated competency in his or her field, a commitment to excellence and a strong love for the Fleet Member’s ship(s). One award will be made annually. A master plaque listing annual recipients will be on display at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park who sponsors this award. Further, in the event there are multiple nominees, the final decision as to who will be the recipient is made by the Executive Director of the Buffalo & Erie Naval & Military Park.

Recipients:

2004 - Richard H. Smith, USS SLATER

This award is for a Fleet Member staff or volunteer person who has provided exemplary work on a daily or part time toward the long term maintenance and preservation of a historic naval vessel and/or toward the proper exhibition of that vessel to the general public. Each nomination must be submitted by or endorsed by the manager or director of said vessel.

2010 - William Douglas Tanner, USS SLATER
2022 - Gary Sheedy, USS SLATER

This award is given for demonstrated knowledge of the Historic Naval Ship Fleet. It is competed for each year by delegates at the annual Historic Naval Ships Association conference.

2022 - Timothy C. Rizzuto, USS SLATER