Manufactured to meet or surpass all Mil-Spec standards and U.S. Navy specifications, our Submarine Warfare tie clasp is made with a gold base for Officers and Chief Petty Officers and a silver base for enlisted personnel (E-1 to E-6). (Neckties were a basic uniform component of the E-1 to E-6 male Winter Blue uniform until 2004, and regulations mandate silver belt buckles and tie clasps for Sailors in those ratings.)
Surmounted on the tie clasp is the Submarine Warfare insignia, originally known just as the Submarine insignia, created to designate those Sailors and enlisted personnel who had passed extensive courses and tests to ensure they are intimately familiar with all aspects of submarine operation and safety. The insignia was originally approved in 1924 when the same basic design as seen today was accepted by Acting Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt. The distinctive imagery of dolphins resting their heads on a submarine’s bow planes led to the insignia’s nicknames of “Dolphins” or “Fish.”
But those wearing the insignia may not necessarily be serving on a submarine. Enlisted Sailors who’ve been disqualified from submarine duty normally have their Submarine Warfare insignia revoked, but those who have been disqualified for physical reasons may continue to wear the insignia. Other special circumstances may also result in disqualified submariners being allowed to continue wearing the pin and, by default, the tie clasp.