Distinguished Graduates
The League recognizes as Distinguished Graduates those who have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor or Navy or Marine Corp Cross for Valor or have been recognized by unanimous consent of the Alumni League Board of Directors for exceptional acts of heroism, valor, and/or distinguished service to the United States of America. We honor them here.
Warren M. Christopher, 1945
- Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1981
- USA Secretary of State, 1993-1997
- USA Deputy Secretary of State, 1977-1981
- USA Deputy Attorney General, 1967-1969
- Surface line officer Pacific Theater, WWII: USS Tomahawk (AO-88), USS Fayette (APA-43). In Tokyo Bay for Japanese surrender signing on 2 SEP 1945.
- Graduated magna cum laude from USC in Feb. 1945. Commissioned ENS, USNR
CAPT William McGonagle, USN, 1947
Congressional Medal of Honor
CO, USS Liberty (ACTR 5) in 1967 when repeatedly attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats. Severely wounded during the first air attack, CAPT (then CDR) McGonagle remained at his battle station on the badly damaged bridge and, with full knowledge of the seriousness of his wounds, subordinated his own welfare to the safety and survival of his command.
- CO, USS Kilauea (AE-26)
RADM David Cooney, USN, 1951
- Chief of Naval Information, CHINFO
- CEO of Goodwill Industries post retirement
- Captain of USC National Debate Team
RADM Paul Gibbons, Jr., USN, 1952
- Deputy CINC U.S. Naval Forces Europe
- Commander, Delta Naval Forces (VNM)
- CO, USS Providence (CLG-6)
- CO, USS Preble (DDG-46), embarked HSS-7 det. pilot awarded Medal of Honor for SAR mission into North Vietnam June 1968 launched from PREBLE.
- President, Kappa Sigma fraternity at USC
ADM Steven White, USN, 1952
- Only 4-star flag officer from USC NROTC
- Chief of NAVMAT
- COMSUBLANT
- CO USS Pargo (SSN-650)
Col Jerry Carr, USMC, 1954
- NASA Astronaut
- Commander of Skylab 4, the third and final crewed visit to the Skylab Orbital Workshop, from November 16, 1973, to February 8, 1974.
- Inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1997
RADM Michael McDevitt, USN, 1963
- Commandant, National War College
- Author: China as a Twenty-First Century Naval Power
RADM Donald Bullard, USN, 1973
- Commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
- COMCARGRU 6 / COMJFKBATGRU
- CO, USS Constellation (CV-64)
- CO, USS New Orleans (LPH-11)
- CO, VA-97 "Warhawks"
- USC NROTC Battalion Commander, 1972-73
RADM Ron MacLaren, SC, USN, 1979
- Director, Joint Reserve Force, (JRF) Defense Logistics Agency
CAPT Maureen Ferren, USN, 1980
- CO, USS Mount Vernon (LSD-39)
- First female officer to command a Navy combatant ship
- OIC, SES-200
RADM Mike Tillotson, USN, 1980
- EOD Officer
- Commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
LtCol Carlos Noriega, USMC, 1981
- NASA astronaut
- Mission Specialist aboard space shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour
Capt Marina Hierl, USMC, 2015
- First female Marine Corps officer to complete the Infantry Officers Course.
- First female Marine Corps officer to lead a Combat Platoon (with Second Battalion, 4th Marines).
- Currently attending Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Expects to graduate with MD in 2026.