Established in 1985, the Rev. William Corby, C.S.C., Award is conferred on an alumnus/alumna (living or deceased) who has distinguished himself or herself in military service. The award is presented in honor of Notre Dame's third president, who was a celebrated Civil War chaplain of the Union army's Irish Brigade.
Past Recipients
The 2009 Rev. William Corby, C.S.C. Award winner is:
Brig. Gen. Michael M. Brogan ’80
With this award, Brig. Gen. Michael M. Brogan ’80 is honored for his distinguished military service. Brogan joined the Marines as a second lieutenant in 1980 after graduating from Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Now a brigadier general, Brogan’s position reflects his impressive achievements during his military career.
Shortly after graduating from Notre Dame, Brogan completed the Assault Amphibian Officer’s Course as an honors graduate and was assigned as an Assault Amphibious Platoon commander at Kaneohe Bay, Hi. While serving in Hawaii, he completed two six-month deployments to the western Pacific.
From 1984 to 1987, Brogan served as a guard platoon commander, operations officer, guard officer, and executive officer at the Marine barracks, Naval Weapons Station, in Yorktown, Va. He moved to Quantico, Va. in 1988, and was an honors graduate of the Advanced Communications Officer Course. In 1989, he assumed command of Company A, 3d, AABn, which was part of Task Force Ripper during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
In 1991, Brogan moved to the Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch in Camp Pendleton, Calif. He remained there until 1994 when he returned to Quantico, Va.
Brogan was a distinguished graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. He spent four years working on the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle program before returning to the 1st Marine Division to command the 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion.
Throughout his career, Brogan also furthered his schooling, graduating with distinction from the master’s degree program in business at Webster University, and attending the Program Management Course at the Defense Systems Management College at Fort Belvoir, Va. In 2002, he graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair with a MS in national resource strategy. In 2004, he became an Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program manager, and in 2006 became the commander of Marine Corps Systems Command.
Brogan has received the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, the Navy Commendation Medal with Gold Star, the Navy Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Past Recipients
2008 — Lt. Gen. Henry A. “Trey” Obering III USAF ’73
2007 — Brig. Gen. Philip Volpe, USA ’77
2006 — Capt. Jack J. Samar Jr., USN (Ret.) ’71
2005 — Dr. John B. "Jack" Matthews, USMC (Ret.) ’63
2004 — Ambassador Francis X. Taylor, USAF (Ret.) ’70, ’74 M.A.
2003 — Maj. Gen. James J. McMonagle ’53 USMC
2002 — Major Peter F. Najera ’87
2001 — Col. Thomas Nelson Moe USAF (Ret.) ’75 M.A.
2000 — John A. Lancaster, USMC ’67, ’74 J.D.
1999 — Mario G. "Motts" Tonelli, USA ’39
1998 — Lt. Col. Karen Daneu, USAF ’77
1997 — Lt. Michael T. McCormick, USN ’68 (awarded posthumously)
1996 — Rev. Joseph O'Donnell, CSC, USN ’55
1995 — Vice Admiral Kent J. Carroll, USN ’46
1994 — Lt. Patrick M. Dixon, USA ’67 (awarded posthumously)
1993 — Lt. George E. Murphy, USA ’43 (awarded posthumously)
1992 — Col. Francis Gabreski, USAF ’78
1991 — Maj. Mark A. Connelly, MD, USA ’78 (awarded posthumously)
1990 — Com. James D. Wetherbee, USN ’74
1989 — Brig. Gen. Patrick H. Brady, USA ’72 M.B.A.
1988 — Brig. Gen. Vincente T. Blaz, USMC ’51
1987 — Lt. James E. Pavlicek, USA ’65 (awarded posthumously)
1986 — Col. Malham M. Wakin, USAF ’52
1985 — Msgr. Francis L. Sampson, USA ’37
