CWOA’s 40th Birthday

In January 1969, the Association celebrated 40 years of service to the Coast Guard warrant officer corps.

Reflecting on the organization’s origins, then-President John A. Keller acknowledged that “some of our early history has been lost through the demise of our early members.” Many of the pioneers who helped establish and shape the Association were no longer living.
Among those who had passed were the first president, Chief Pay Clerk Raymond N. Gillis, and the first president following the move to Washington, D.C., Pay Clerk Carlin L. Brinkley, who served from 1930 to 1933 and was installed at the D.C. YMCA on October 3, 1930.
In four decades, the Association had grown to 15 District Clubs and more than 2,500 members. Its reach and influence had expanded alongside the evolution of the Coast Guard itself.
When the Coast Guard relocated to the newly constructed Department of Transportation building—known as the Nassif Building—the Association also moved its headquarters. On October 25, 1969, it established new offices at L’Enfant Plaza, symbolizing both institutional growth and continued proximity to national leadership.
The 40th anniversary marked not only a celebration of longevity, but a recognition of the enduring role the Association played in representing, strengthening, and advocating for the Coast Guard warrant officer corps.