The Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement is awarded each year by the Navy League of the United States. The award is named for an American naval historian and theorist, Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, United States Navy who, through his writing, provided stimulus and guidance to those who share in the defense of the nation. Presented since 1957, "this award for literary achievement is awarded to a U.S. Navy officer, U.S. Marine Corps officer, enlisted service member, or civilian who has made a notable literary contribution that has advanced the knowledge of the importance of sea power in the United States."[1]
The following is a complete list of award winners.
| Year | Recipient | |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Commander Malcolm W. Cagle, USN | |
| 1958 | Commander Frank A. Manson, USN | |
| 1959 | Hanson W. Baldwin | |
| 1960 | Brigadier General James D. Hittle, USMC | |
| 1961 | Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison, USNR | |
| 1962 | Captain Carl H. Amme, Jr., USN | |
| 1963 | No Award | |
| 1964 | George Fielding Eliot | |
| 1965 | Rear Admiral George H. Miller, USN | |
| 1966 | Rear Admiral James F. Calvert, USN | |
| 1967 | Rear Admiral Ernest M. Eller, USN (ret.) | |
| 1968 | Colonel Robert Debs Heinl, USMC | |
| 1969 | Commander John Joseph O'Connor, CHC, USN | |
| 1970 | Frank Uhlig, Jr. | |
| 1971 | Commander James A. Barber, USN | |
| 1972 | Lieutenant Colonel Donald K. Cliff, USMC | |
| 1973 | John G. Morris | |
| 1974 | Captain Sayer A. Swarztrauber, USN | |
| 1975 | Commander Thomas B. Buell, USN | |
| 1976 | Norman Polmar | |
| 1977 | Professor E. B. Potter, U.S. Naval Academy | |
| 1978 | Dr. Robert Seager II | |
| 1979 | Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. McFarlane, USMC | |
| 1980 | Captain Edward L. Beach, Jr., USN | |
| 1981 | Commander Thomas B. Buell, USN (Ret.) | |
| 1982 | Vice Admiral William P. Mack, USN | |
| 1983 | Rear Admiral Max K. Morris, USN (Ret.) | |
| 1984 | No Award | |
| 1985 | Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak, USMC (Ret.) | |
| 1986 | Commander James John Tritten, USN | |
| 1987 | L. Edgar Prina | |
| 1988 | Dr. Jack Sweetman | |
| 1989 | Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, USN | |
| 1990 | Tom Clancy | |
| 1991 | Dr. John T. Mason, Jr. | |
| 1992 | Lieutenant Commander Terry C. Pierce, USN | |
| 1993 | Captain George Victor Galdorisi, USN, and Mr. Alec Lorimore | |
| 1994 | Paul Stillwell | |
| 1995 | Lieutenant Colonel Henry Thomas Hayden, USMC | |
| 1996 | Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC (Ret.) | |
| 1997 | Mr. James W. Crawley | |
| 1998 | Captain Richard C. Knott, USN (Ret.) | |
| 1999 | Captain Eugene T. Gomulka, USN, and Mr. Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. | |
| 2000 | Captain Edward L. Beach, Jr., USN (ret.) | |
| 2001 | Brigadier General Edwin H. Simmons, USMC (Ret.) | |
| 2002 | Colonel John Grider Miller, USMC (ret.) | |
| 2003 | Lieutenant Commander David A. Adams, USN | |
| 2004 | Captain Sam J. Tangredi, USN | |
| 2005 | Commander John J. Klein, USN | |
| 2006 | Intelligence Specialist First Class Thomas J. Miller, USN | |
| 2007 | Commander Henry J. Hendrix, USN | |
| 2008 | Admiral James L. Holloway III, USN (Ret.) | |
| 2009 | Professor John Hattendorf, U.S. Naval War College | |
| 2010 | Commander James Kraska, JAGC, USN, U.S. Naval War College | |
| 2011 | Admiral James Stavridis, USN | |
| 2012 | Sergeant John Jakeb Hawley, USMC | |
| 2013 | Lieutenant Commander Benjamin "BJ" Armstrong, USN | |
| 2014 | Lieutenant Joseph M. Hatfield, USN | |
| 2015 | Major Edward H. Carpenter, USMC | |
| 2016 | Captain Christopher H. Sharman, USN | |
| 2018 | Lieutenant Commander Claude G. Berube, USNR, PhD | |
| 2020 | None | |
| 2021 | Captain Christopher H. Sharman, USN |