Association of the United States Navy - Early History

Between World War I and World War II, the Naval Reserve Officers Association (NROA) successfully fought for a strong Reserve Force to augment the Regular Navy. At the end of World War II, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal sponsored the Reserve Officers of the Naval Service (RONS), which was made up of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserve officers. In 1946, RONS combined with the Naval Reserve Officers Association to form RONS-NROA.

In 1948, RONS-NROA merged into the older all-services Reserve Officers Association (ROA), in keeping with the spirit of unification of the Armed Forces. However, it became apparent that an organization was needed that would speak solely for the Navy, the Naval Reserve, and Naval Reserve officers. In 1954 with encouragement and support from many senior regular Navy officers, forty-three Naval Reserve officers founded the Naval Reserve Association. The subsequent dynamic growth of the NRA indicates that an exceptionally large number of Naval Reserve officers endorse and support the views of its Founders. Further evidence of this endorsements a membership renewal rate of more than 85 percent. The Naval Reserve Association was incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1954 as a veterans organization.

AUSN is a product of the past several years, as the Naval Reserve became more fully integrated in the fleet (and the USN moved into a part-time, full-time force). The continuing need for a larger support and lobby group for the entire US Navy became even more apparent. AUSN includes officers, enlisted personnel, and Navy Department civilians in its membership. While the USN has never advocated any lobby group, the Department has yet to refuse a single warship, submarine, aircraft, or dollar added by the US Congress at the urging of either NRA or AUSN.

Founders

CAPT Paul J. Abbott*	LT Curtis Junker
RADM Leonard S. Bailey*	CDR Herbert F. Kemp*
CAPT John P. Bracken	CDR A. Fred Kempe*
LT John A. Bradner*	CAPT J. Robert Liles*
RADM Robert G. Burke*	CDR Hamilton Lokey*
CDR Donald M. Burnett	CDR Thomas A. Mass, Jr.
CDR Clayton Lee Burwell*	LCDR James L. Mclntire*
LCDR Edward L. Cairns	LCDR Russell B. Miller*
CAPT William J. Coakley*	CAPT George R. Moorman*
CDR James K. Collins	LCDR Bryan W. Moss
CDR Ross H. Currier*	CDR Harry G. Nase*
CAPT Bernard P. Day*	CDR Frank G. Pohanka, Jr.*
CAPT Henry G. Doyle, Jr.*	LCDR Antonia J.G. Robinson*
CAPT Jesse Draper*	CDR Stephen A. Shry*
CDR Raymond E. Edson*	LT J. Paul Sidebotham*
CWO Sidney Fields*	CAPT Howard B. Stevens*
RADM Alvan Fisher*	CDR Charles L. Stone*
CAPT Thomas N. Fortson	CAPT Albert W. Tiedemann
CDR Charles J. Gilchrest	CAPT Blaney C. Turner*
CDR Hazel M. Grainger	CDR William J. Waylett, Sr.*
CAPT Merrill M. Hammond*	CDR J. Mack Young*
CDR Thornwell Jacobs, Jr.*

* indicates deceased