John Dungan, Jr. Award and History
By AGCS Enrique Acosta Gonzalez, USN RET
After two years of research, I finally have the proof we need to make the necessary corrections to both our AG History and the Annual Oceanographer of the Navy Award. Attached are documents that validate what I had believed, That John R. Dungan was the wrong name and that he was not a Chief Quartermaster when he became our first Chief Aerographer.
The mistake in the name is understandable. He went by JR and so our historian had believed it was his first and middle initial and not literally Junior. The Quartermaster rating had gone through considerable changes between 1920-1924 and being that they were an umbrella to many ratings (Pigeons mate, Aerographers, Signalman) it also is understandable that QM would have been accepted as Dungan's source rating.
In June 1921, Signalman became their own rating out of the QM umbrella.
Long story short, His name is John Dungan Jr. and he was a Chief Signalman when he became our first Chief. He was also an enlisted pilot and the first CWO selected in September 1942. The brother was a superstar. He served 40 years from Seaman to Lieutenant Commander.
Award and History Article
