The Vallejo Kid Who Commanded Submarines: Rear Admiral Butch Dollaga Comes Home
Hogan Class of '86. U.S. Naval Academy '90. Two-star admiral. Thirty-four years in the silent service. And on Veterans Day, he came back to the city that made him — two houses from where the PinoyBuilt editor grew up.
[INSERT HERO IMAGE: RADM Dollaga at Vallejo Veterans Day ceremony · 1200×675 · compressed]
A Homecoming in the Truest Sense
On Veterans Day in Vallejo, Rear Admiral Leonard C. "Butch" Dollaga stepped to the podium in the city that made him. He grew up on Sunrise Parkway in Summit subdivision — two houses from where I grew up on Toni Court. His older sister Lorina was Hogan Class of '85 with me. Butch was Class of '86 with my sister Joy. The Dollagas and the Perseverandas were part of the same fabric — Filipino Navy families in a neighborhood full of them, all connected to Mare Island.
He was the kid who got bullied. The kid who wasn't sure he'd make it. And he looked across the Mare Island strait at the submarines docked at the shipyard — and somehow saw his future.
He chose the Navy because it would pay for college. He thought he'd do five years. Thirty-four years later, he retired as a two-star admiral — one of the highest-ranking Filipino Americans in U.S. Navy history.
From Sunrise Parkway to Submarine Group 7
Native of Vallejo, California. Hogan High School Class of 1986. B.S. Mechanical Engineering, U.S. Naval Academy (1990). M.S. Engineering Management, George Washington University. Commanded USS Charlotte (SSN 766), Submarine Development Squadron 12, and Submarine Group 7 / Task Force 54 / Task Force 74 in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. Chief of Legislative Affairs for the Department of the Navy (2022–2024), advising the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations. Played a key role in securing Congressional support for the AUKUS security partnership. Retired October 2024 after 34 years. Now a Managing Director at AE Industrial Partners focused on national security.
His sea career took him through the nuclear submarine fleet — from division officer on USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) to engineer officer on USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740) to executive officer on USS Cheyenne (SSN 773). He completed three overseas deployments in the Indo-Pacific and five strategic deterrent patrols in the Atlantic. The units he served with collectively earned four unit awards, five Battle "E"s, and the U.S. Pacific Fleet's Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy.
From 1993 to 1995, while a lieutenant aboard USS Los Angeles during an overhaul, he was stationed at Mare Island — returning to the very shipyard he had watched as a kid from across the water.
Veterans Day Speech — Vallejo, California
Video: Happy Veterans Day with Rear Admiral Leonard C. "Butch" Dollaga — Vallejo, California. Filmed by J.F.R. Perseveranda / PinoyBuilt. No tripod — I found out that morning via a Mel Orpilla comment that our old neighbor was in town as the featured speaker.
Highlights from the Speech
Hometown Roots. Dollaga shares that he was born and raised in Vallejo and attended public schools in the city. As a child, he would look across to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard and see submarines — though he never imagined he would join the silent service.
Overcoming Challenges. He credits his family, teachers, and mentors for his success — and the friends who had his back when he was bullied in school. PinoyBuilt's editor was one of them. Summit subdivision kids looked out for each other.
Mare Island Full Circle. From 1993 to 1995, he served as a lieutenant aboard USS Los Angeles while it was being overhauled at Mare Island — returning to the shipyard he grew up watching from across the strait.
Career Commands. Over his career, he commanded USS Charlotte, led Submarine Development Squadron 12, and commanded Submarine Group 7 in Japan. At the time of the speech, he served as the Chief of Legislative Affairs for the Secretary of the Navy.
Telesforo Trinidad. Dollaga highlights the story of Fireman Second Class Telesforo Trinidad — the only Filipino in U.S. Navy history to receive the Medal of Honor, for his bravery during a boiler explosion aboard USS San Diego in 1915. A future Arleigh Burke-class destroyer will be named in Trinidad's honor.
Community Gratitude. He calls on the audience to seek out and listen to the stories of veterans, and expresses deep gratitude to the City of Vallejo for its long-standing support of the military.
The only Filipino in U.S. Navy history to receive the Medal of Honor. Awarded for extraordinary heroism during a boiler explosion aboard USS San Diego (ACR-6) on January 21, 1915, while the ship was at anchor in Mazatlán, Mexico. Trinidad entered a fire room filled with steam and scalding water to rescue injured shipmates. A future Arleigh Burke-class destroyer (DDG 143) will be named USS Telesforo Trinidad in his honor.
[INSERT PHOTO: RADM Dollaga with Joy Perseveranda and J.F.R. Perseveranda at Vallejo Veterans Day]
[INSERT PHOTO: RADM Dollaga at podium, Vallejo Veterans Day ceremony]
From Summit subdivision to Submarine Group 7.
From the Mare Island waterfront to the halls of Congress.
Hogan Spartan. Vallejo kid. Filipino American admiral.
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