The Naval Historical Center with the support of the Naval Historical Foundation is adding a 20,000 square foot addition to its National Museum of the U.S. Navy in Washington DC to tell the story of Navy's role in our victory in the Cold War and to honor Navy Sailors who served between 1946-1989. In addition, they are embarking to publish a series of 14 monographs on the Navy's role in the Vietnam War. A similar recently published series on the Korean War included a monograph by Bernard C. Nalty titled "Long Passage to Korea: Black Sailors and the Integration of the U.S. Navy."

For the future Cold War Gallery and Vietnam monograph series, the Navy's historians want to feature more than Soviet sonar buoys and Sidewinder missiles. They would like to incorporate the stories of a cross-section of Americans who served in the Navy during this period. With regards to African-Americans, individuals such as Vice Admiral Samuel Gravely, Ensign Jesse Brown, and Master Diver Carl Brashear are obvious candidates to be profiled. However, there are other individuals who served with distinction in the Cold War and during Vietnam who should be considered for inclusion.

Historian Dr. Regina Akers would welcome suggestions from the membership of the NNOA. Please contact her at Regina.Akers@navy.mil. Any detailed information that you can provide about a candidate would be helpful. At a minimum we seek the individual's name, background, rate/rank, years of service, combat experience (Korea/Vietnam), duty stations, unique contributions, recognition(Awards) and a write up about the individual.

If the individual is still alive, we would appreciate contact information if available or contact information for next of kin if the member is deceased.

Also you may contact Dr. Akers if you would like to obtain a copy of "Long Passage to Korea."