Navy Chief Joseph Hawthorne Named USO Sailor of the Year

Chief Petty Officer Joseph Hawthorne, a Seabee diver stationed at Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, has been recognized as the USO Sailor of the Year for 2026. The honor follows Hawthorne’s leadership as the lead diver during a high-risk recovery operation in Lithuania.

The recognition stems from a mission conducted in March 2025, after four soldiers from the Third Infantry Division’s First Armored Brigade Combat Team died when their armored vehicle sank in a swamp during training exercises in Lithuania.

The Lithuania Recovery Operation

At the time of the incident, Hawthorne was forward deployed to Spain. According to reporting from WLOX, Hawthorne and his team received notification of the incident approximately five days after the vehicle sank in the bog. The team departed for Lithuania within 12 hours of the call.

Upon arriving on a Saturday, the team began diving operations that same evening. Hawthorne and his team successfully recovered all four fallen soldiers within 48 hours of their arrival on the ground.

The recovery effort took place in a hazardous environment that Hawthorne described as a bog consisting of a few feet of soil, dirt, and grass over water and swamp. Once the site was excavated, the area became the size of a small pond.

Operational Hazards and Training

During several days of nonstop operations, Hawthorne operated in toxic and hazardous conditions. The mission involved zero-visibility waters and constant risks of equipment failure, environmental poisoning, and entrapment.

To complete the recovery, Hawthorne voluntarily and repeatedly entered the life-threatening environment, tunneling through mud that threatened to trap him.

Hawthorne attributed his ability to handle these conditions to his prior training with the Navy Dive and Salvage Unit in Panama City Beach, Florida, where he had practiced diving in murky waters. He stated that the Lithuania operation was the first time that specific training was tested in the field.

Most meaningful mission in my life

Chief Petty Officer Joseph Hawthorne

The USO’s selection of Hawthorne as Sailor of the Year highlights the technical skill and bravery required for the recovery of the four service members in Eastern Europe.