Naval Reserve Center Fargo has been housed in three different facilities since established in 1947.

Some Naval Reservists drilled in all three centers.

NDSU Campus NRC Fargo 1947-1983
Soon after World War II Congress realized the need to maintain a strong reserve force in the event our country needed to once again go to war. They decided each state should have at least one reserve center to train and mobilize the sailors from that area if needed. LCDR Thomas Crary was assigned the task of selecting a location and building a Naval Reserve Center in North Dakota. His recommendation was Fargo, on property owned by North Dakota State University, the state's Land Grant University. Many reserve centers built in that era were quonset huts which were fairly quick and inexpensive to construct. NRC Fargo consisted of three parallel quonset huts joined by a wooden structure at one end.
LCDR Crary flew the SBD 5-A Dive Bomber in the Central Pacific during World War II. In April 1941 Crary's land-based squadron was given the job of keeping the pacific sea lanes to Austrailia open. The plane LCDR Crary flew in World War II is in the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.

Hector Airport NRC Fargo 1983-1994
NRC Fargo relocated to the Armed Forces Reserve Center on 23rd Avenue North in Fargo in January, 1983. The site was home to the Army Reserve since May, 1964 then known as the Fargo Memorial U.S. Army Reserve Center. A new wing on the North side was added to house the Naval Reserve. The center was rededicated the "David F. Johnson Armed Forces Reserve Center" in August, 1985. Sergeaent David Johnson, a North Dakota native and 1969 graduate of West Fargo High School, died May 17, 1970, of wounds received while participating in the invasion of Cambodia. During his short tour in Vietnam, Sgt. Johnson was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters, and the Combat Infantry Man's Badge.
Nearly 400 Naval Reservists and about 370 Army Reservists shared this facility in the late 1980's. Both the Navy and Army dirlled on two weekends due to the crowded conditions, thus utilizing the facility 48 of 52 weekends per year.

Cass County 20 NRC Fargo 1994-Present
In June of 1988, the North Dakota Joint Facilities Board discussed the possibility of a new National Guard Armory in Fargo. At the same time, the Naval Reserve and the Army Reserve were both programmed for additions to the building they shared in Fargo. Additionally, the ND Air National Guard needed a new supply building for it's base. The board discussed the possibility of one of the units, Army Reserve or Naval Reserve, moving into the new armory with the National Guard. This would alleviate the need for both units to add on to their current building. The construction of one new building would fulfill the needs of four separate services in the Fargo area. The building was completed in December of 1993. The center jointly houses members of the North Dakota Army National Guard and the United States Naval Reserve. The 117,271 square foot building features traditional classrooms, an indoor shooting range, medical clinic, fitness center, 270 seat auditorium, four stall maintenance bay, band rehearsal areas, practice rooms, and a recording studio.

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