In His Own Words: Robert E. Hanrahan Jr.
My grandfather served in the Navy in World War I, and my father was a Navy veteran of World War II. Dad served on board the battleship New York (BB-34) at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. While I was growing up in Longport, New Jersey, he was active in the local VFW and American Legion chapters. Most of his friends were veterans, as well. Some of my earliest memories are of watching the old television series Victory at Sea with my dad and his friends.
As a lifelong civilian, I appreciate that my affiliation with the Naval Institute allows me to come in contact with both active and retired service members in an atmosphere where we are all free to speak our minds on military issues and world events. I have noticed in recent years that the parochialism in the Navy seems to be decreasing. This has led increasingly to the participation of the other services in discussing what used to be naval matters. Hopefully, this will result in less interservice rivalry and a more efficient and focused military establishment.
My wife, Barbara, and I are very fortunate at this stage of our lives to be able to support causes and organizations in which we believe. When the Naval Institute launched the Signature Club several years ago, offering sponsors the opportunity to add pages to Proceedings, I was the first on board, enabling a larger issue in March 2002. It was an easy decision: more pages meant more voices could be heard. Recently, the Institute enabled me to honor my father by establishing The Robert E. Hanrahan Sr., USN, WWII Military History Study Fund, an unrestricted endowment to support scholarly research.
The Naval Institute has a storied past and a significant role to play in our nation's future strategic thinking. I am proud to say the Hanrahans are on board.
Join the Leaders
It is not too late to become a member of the Naval Institute's Leadership Club 2003. Your tax-deductible gift of $1,000 or more by year's end will distinguish you as a valued supporter in good company:
Fred L. Ames
Frederick L. Ashworth
Benjamin B. Baker
Frank L. Boushee
Robert F. Dunn
Thomas Egan
Wayne R. Fritz
Mark P. Frudden
Kent Halvorsen
J. Ira and Nicki Harris Foundation
Michael A. Rowland
David A. Janes
Gustave N. Johansen
Harry W. Konkel
Lloyd G. LeCain
Paul G. Linaweaver Jr.
Laurance H. Lloyd
Rosa Laird McDonald, CBE
Edward and Joyce Miller
P. X. O'Neill
Ellsworth L. Peterson
Anthony K Plummer Jr.
William R. Porter
James N. Pritzker
The John J. Schiff Family
Robert W. Selle
Willard B. Snyder
Betty Taussig
Stephen and Sandra Waters
Robert P. Weed
James E. Wise
1 anonymous donor
For more information about the Leadership Club, contact executive director Kirk McAlexander at (410) 295-1056 or [email protected].
For your convenience when planning year-end charitable contributions to the Naval Institute, a gift form and postage-paid return envelope are bound into Proceedings this month. Your gift now supports the Naval Institute's many educational initiatives throughout the year.
Our thanks to the Battelle Memorial Institute for its continuing support of innovation and technology articles in Proceedings and to all those who have stepped forward to help the Naval Institute fulfill its mission.