Three of them collectively won more than 50 medals and commendations. One became a captain of industry and a philanthropist.
All four are Naval Academy graduates who will be awarded the Distinguished Graduate Award by the college's alumni association. The recipients announced last week are retired Rear Adm. Maurice H. Rindskopf, Class of 1938; retired Adm. Thomas B. Hayward, Class of 1948; Ralph Hooper, Class of 1951; and retired Adm. Leighton W. Smith Jr., Class of 1962.
The award, created in 1999, honors graduates who are "living role models" to the academy's midshipmen, said George P. Watt Jr., president and chief executive officer of the alumni association and academy foundation, which funds the awards ceremony. Recipients must provide a lifetime of service to the armed forces, have made significant contributions to the nation through public service, and support the Navy or Marine Corps and the academy. Previous winners include former President Jimmy Carter, presidential candidate H. Ross Perot and Apollo 13 astronaut James Lovell.
The selection committee is made up of retired admirals and past recipients. That is partly why this year's winners, who will be honored March 30, said this was one of the highest honors they have ever received.
"I was just blown away because I have such great respect for them," said Smith, who at age 67 is the youngest of the four awardees. "I just can't even describe it."
Smith credits Capt. William Bringle for preventing him from flunking out of his freshman year at the academy. Bringle told Smith that it was up to him to turn things around.
The message of personal accountability resonated with Smith, who went on to receive two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 29 air medals flying combat missions in Vietnam. He said his greatest challenge was commanding the 34-nation NATO military in Bosnia as the chief of U.S. Naval Forces in Europe.
"We literally were writing the book every day on peace-enforcement operations," said Smith, who is on the Naval Academy Board of Visitors, the school's civilian oversight panel.
Rindskopf, 89, became a submariner when he graduated because he heard he could rise quickly through the ranks. He got his wish. During World War II, he served in the Pacific on the USS Drum, eventually becoming its commander at the age of 26. The submarine sank 15 enemy ships and damaged 11 others.
"All the sudden, you realize you're the leader," Rindskopf said. "You're the one they're looking up to."
