Hispanic and Latino Admirals in the United States Navy can trace their tradition of naval military service to the Latino sailors, who have served in the Navy in every war and conflict since the American Revolution. Prior to the Civil War, the highest rank reached by a Latino-American in the Navy was commodore. Such was the case of Commodore Uriah Phillips Levy (1792–1862), a Sephardic Jew of Latin American descent and great grandson of Dr. Samuel Nunez, who served in the War of 1812. During the American Civil War, the government of the United States recognized that the rapid expanding Navy was in need of admirals therefore, Congress proceeded to authorize the appointment of nine officers the rank of rear admiral. On July 16, 1862, Flag Officer David Glasgow Farragut became the first Hispanic-American to be appointed to the rank of rear admiral. Two years later (1864), Farragut became a vice admiral, and in 1866 the Navy's first full admiral. During World War I, Robert Lopez, the first Hispanic graduate of the United States Naval Academy, served with the rank of commodore in command of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, and during World War II five Hispanics served with the ranks of rear admiral or above in either the European or Pacific Theater's of the war. As of April 2007, twenty-two Hispanic-Americans have reached the rank of admiral, and of this number thirteen were graduates of the USNA.
Hispanics in the United States Naval Academy account for the largest minority group in the institution. According to the Academy, the Class of 2009 includes 271 (22.2%) minority midshipmen. Out of these 271 midshipmen, 115 are of Hispanic heritage. In 2004, of the total of 736 female midshipmen, 74 (10%) of them were of Hispanic descent.
Raymond Charles Smith Jr. is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who commanded the Naval Special Warfare Command from 1992 to 1996.
Brian Bentley Brown is a retired United States Navy vice admiral and navigator who last served as commander of the U.S. Naval Information Forces from June 2018 to May 2021. Brian became the second naval officer to assume the NAVIFOR office since it was established. In 1990, he served as a surface warfare officer and was subsequently transferred to the navy's operational arm oceanography command. He was also appointed as the chief of the Navy Space Cadre. As a navigator and administrator, he served aboard aircraft carriers, including USS La Salle and USS Theodore Roosevelt.
William Rhode Merz is an American flag officer, former deputy chief of naval operations for warfare systems and vice admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander of Seventh Fleet from September 12, 2019 to July 8, 2021. Merz's aboard assignments include USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), "Submarine Group Seven" and Task Force 74. As a flag officer, he was assigned to commands at naval mine destroyer ships and anti-submarine warfare command. Later, he was appointed to Task Force 77 stationed at San Diego and TF-54 in Bahrain.
Gregory Clark Huffman is a United States Navy rear admiral who serves as commander of Carrier Strike Group 12 since June 17, 2021. Prior to that, he served as director of operations and plans of the Operations, Plans and Strategy Directorate (N3), with command tours including the USS John C. Stennis and USS Green Bay. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1989. Huffman became a rear admiral with Senate confirmation in 2019.
William Declan Byrne Jr. is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who last served as director of warfare development (N72) in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He previously served as the vice director of the Joint Staff. Byrne also served as the 85th Commandant of Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy from May 2013 to June 2015.
Walter Jackson Davis Jr. is a retired vice admiral in the United States Navy who served as Director of Space and Electronic Warfare in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). From 28 February 1996 until his retirement on 1 January 1997, he was U.S. naval aviation's Gray Eagle. Davis was the second African American to become the most senior naval aviator on active duty.
Jon Anthony Hill is a United States Navy Vice Admiral who serves as the Director of the Missile Defense Agency. Previously, he was the Deputy Director of the same agency. His first Flag Officer assignment was as U.S. Navy Program Executive Officer for Integrated Warfare Systems where he was accountable for surface ship sensors, command and control, and weapons. He has served in multiple combat system and shipbuilding program offices, Naval Surface Warfare Centers, along with tours with the U.S. Army, Joint Staff and the SECNAV Staff. He qualified in Surface Warfare as an ensign aboard USS RICHARD E. BYRD (DDG-23). Born and raised at Fort Bliss, Texas, Hill received a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from St. Mary's University and later earned an M.S. degree in applied physics and ordnance engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Jeffrey Todd Jablon is a United States Navy rear admiral and submarine warfare officer serving as Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet since April 29, 2021. He previously served as director of military personnel plans and policy of the United States Navy.
Michael William Studeman is a United States Navy rear admiral who most recently served as the Director of Intelligence of the United States Indo-Pacific Command from July 3, 2019 to July 2022. Previously, he was the Director of Intelligence of the United States Southern Command.
Daniel William Dwyer is a United States Navy vice admiral who serves as the commander of United States Second Fleet and Joint Force Command Norfolk since August 20, 2021. He most recently served as director of plans and policy of the United States Cyber Command from July 11, 2020 to August 2021. Previously, he was the Vice Commander of the Naval Air Systems Command from August 2015 to August 2016. Born and raised in Alameda, California, Dwyer graduated from the California Maritime Academy with a B.S. degree in marine transportation in 1988. He later earned an M.S. degree in computer information science from the University of Phoenix and an M.A. degree in foreign affairs and strategic studies from the Naval War College.
Bruce Lindsley Gillingham is a United States Navy rear admiral and orthopedic surgeon who serves as the 39th surgeon general of the United States Navy. As surgeon general, Gillingham is dual-hatted as the 43rd chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and is responsible to the United States Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and director of the Defense Health Agency for all health and medical matters pertaining to the Navy and Marine Corps. He assumed his present assignment on November 1, 2019.
Peter Gerard Vasely is a United States Navy rear admiral who serves as deputy director for future joint force development of the Joint Staff since June 3, 2022. He served as a special assistant to the Director of the Navy Staff from November 4, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Before that, he served as the Commander of Special Operations Joint Task Force–Afghanistan and NATO Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan from May 17, 2021 to August 31, 2021. Vasely is a Navy SEAL officer and former member of SEAL Team ONE and Development Group. Previously, he served as the Director of Operations of the Defense Intelligence Agency from November 2019 to 2021.
Joseph Douglas Noble Jr. is a United States Navy rear admiral who has served as the Director of Logistics Operations of the Defense Logistics Agency and Commander of Joint Regional Combat Support since May 19, 2021. Previously, he served as the Commander of the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support.
Frank Mitchell Bradley is a United States Navy rear admiral who most recently served as the Commander of Special Operations Command Central from July 20, 2020 to July 1, 2022. Previously, he served as the Assistant Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command from 2018 to 2020.
Michael Edward Boyle is a United States Navy vice admiral who serves as commander of the United States Third Fleet since June 16, 2022. He most recently served as the Director of Maritime Operations of the United States Pacific Fleet from June 2020 to June 2022, and previously commanded Carrier Strike Group 12 from June 2019 to May 2020.
Benjamin Franklin Montoya was a United States Navy rear admiral. He served as commanding officer of Naval Facilities Engineering Command from 1987 to 1989. Montoya was the first Hispanic chief of naval civil engineers.
