The U.S. TENTH Fleet emblem features the Navy’s colors of Blue and Gold – a Gold border representing integrity and valor, with the Blue field representing the seas that are our domain. The owl, a predator, has long been associated with the Greek goddess Athena and symbolizes wisdom.
During World War II, VC-9 aircraft operating from USS BOGUE (CVE-9), were credited with the first U-boat kill associated with TENTH Fleet operations. In 1953, VC-9 adopted an owl for their squadron emblem. The owl ties today’s TENTH Fleet to the operational legacy of the original TENTH Fleet and the hunter-killer groups fighting The Battle of the Atlantic. Poised for attack, the owl grasps a gold trident, a naval symbol of authority, power, and maritime domination. The owl is superimposed on a white number ten, for the Fleet number, but also the two digits that comprise binary code and the foundation of cyber operations. The white globe outline in the background of the logo represents the worldwide span of cyberspace. The lines, in addition to representing longitude and latitude, represent the series of networks that connect the globe. The lightning bolt is a historical link to the former Naval Security Group and also represents some of the ratings that comprise TENTH Fleet today.