Navy submarine thought to be behind sinking of Iranian frigate receives commendation

A Navy attack submarine reported to have sunk an Iranian frigate earlier this year recently received a prestigious recognition of meritorious service.

The crew of USS Charlotte was presented with the Navy Unit Commendation for exceptional operational service, acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said in a post to his official X page Monday.

“America’s enduring undersea advantage rests on sailors like these,” Cao said.

The Navy Unit Commendation can be given in recognition of outstanding heroism in action against the enemy or extremely meritorious service not involving combat but in support of military operations, according to the Navy.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao speaks to the crew of Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte in this photo posted to X on July 20, 2026. Though the Pentagon has not publicly identified the U.S. submarine that sank an Iranian warship in international waters near Sri Lanka in early March, a CBS News report citing unidentified U.S. officials said it was Charlotte. (X/Secretary of the Navy)

Units receiving the commendation must have performed service comparable to that meriting awarding of a Silver Star Medal or a Legion of Merit to an individual.

Normal performance of duty under the ordinary hazards of war, participation in extended periods of duty or in many combat missions do not in themselves justify the award, according to Naval History and Heritage Command.

In early March, a U.S. submarine struck and sank the Iranian warship Dena in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka using a single Mark 48 torpedo. It was the first time an American submarine had used a torpedo against an enemy since World War II, officials said at the time.

The Pentagon did not identify the submarine involved, but CBS News reported March 5 that it was Charlotte, citing several unidentified U.S. officials. The submarine shot two torpedoes, one of which struck the ship, according to the CBS News report.

The Sri Lankan navy said it had recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 people from the sunken ship.

The frigate was among more than 20 Iranian navy vessels, including Tehran’s most operational submarine, wiped out by American forces just days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February.

As of April 6, U.S. forces had destroyed or damaged more than 155 Iranian vessels, according to U.S. Central Command.

Homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, Charlotte currently is participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific military exercise in Hawaii.