Question about the Navy Presidential Unit Citation

[WW2UsCollector]

I'm currently researching a Naval Officer who was a submarine comander during WW2. He served aboard the USS Silversides on her 7th War Patrol. During this War Patrol, the USS Silversides was awarded the presidential unit citation. Since he was present during the action would he be authroized to wear the presidential unit citation with star for the rest of his career? Or was it only when he was atatched to the Silversides. On the Navy website it says, "When a unit has received the Presidential Unit Citation all personnel of the cited unit who were actually present and participated in the action, or one of the actions if more than one is mentioned, upon which the citation is based, shall wear the ribbon with star permanently." I've always assumed that you'd only wear the PUC if you were attached to the unit, and a star on the ribbon for each subsequent award of the PUC. Then I thought once you leave the unit you were no longer authorized to wear the PUC.

[Bruce Linz]

In all three Naval services if you are assigned to a unit or ship and that unit or ship receives a unit citation you would be entitled to wear it forever.   Service members who the the unit or ship after the eligibility period would not be entitled to wear the unit award.  There are very few exceptions, one being the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments and the French Fourragère from WWI.