Lt. Philip D. Mayer was selected as a winner of the 2019 CNO Naval History Essay Contest in the category of Rising Historian for his essay "Incubate Innovation: The Development of Naval Aviation in the Interwar Period". Lt. Philip D. Mayer was selected as a winner of the 2019 CNO Naval History Essay Contest in the category of Rising Historian for his essay "Incubate Innovation: The Development of Naval Aviation in the Interwar Period".

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson presented awards to the winners at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy on the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC on July 17. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson presented awards to the winners at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy on the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC on July 17. Mayer is Mayer is currently serving as a first-tour judge advocate at Region Legal Service Office Southeast.  He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Peace, War, and Defense. 

In 2017, he earned his Juris Doctor at the University of North Carolina School of Law. While attending law school, Mayer served as an editor on the North Carolina Law Review.  Richardson gave the keynote remarks and made a point to give special thanks to the sponsors and the entire team who worked to make the history essay contest a success. “I am honored to be here tonight,” said Richardson. “I do feel a keen sense of ownership of this and being here is very meaningful to me. You have only gotten the tip of the iceberg hearing the quick summaries of these essays tonight. I encourage you all to go out read them all. They are chock full of lessons from history for us today and they are very relevant lessons.” First announced in 2017, the goal of the essay contest is to inspire insight and dialogue from across the widest spectrum of academic, operational, military, and civilian personnel to further our understanding of how lessons from history inform our way ahead. Richardson gave the keynote remarks and made a point to give special thanks to the sponsors and the entire team who worked to make the history essay contest a success. “I am honored to be here tonight,” said Richardson. “I do feel a keen sense of ownership of this and being here is very meaningful to me. You have only gotten the tip of the iceberg hearing the quick summaries of these essays tonight. I encourage you all to go out read them all. They are chock full of lessons from history for us today and they are very relevant lessons.” First announced in 2017, the goal of the essay contest is to inspire insight and dialogue from across the widest spectrum of academic, operational, military, and civilian personnel to further our understanding of how lessons from history inform our way ahead.

Over the past three years, more than 600 entrants answered the challenge of researching the sea services’ rich history, submitting essays on naval historical topics that relay lessons learned from history that can be applied in support of establishing and maintaining maritime superiority in today’s environment. The winners received cash prizes, plaques, pens and copper from USS Constitution. The first-place winners from both categories will have their essays published in Naval History Magazine and all winners will be published on  Over the past three years, more than 600 entrants answered the challenge of researching the sea services’ rich history, submitting essays on naval historical topics that relay lessons learned from history that can be applied in support of establishing and maintaining maritime superiority in today’s environment. The winners received cash prizes, plaques, pens and copper from USS Constitution. The first-place winners from both categories will have their essays published in Naval History Magazine and all winners will be published on Naval History and Heritage Command's website. website.