• The United States Navy Recruit Training Center, Great Lakes Illinois •
•The United States Navy's Recruit Training Command is located at the Naval Training Center Great Lakes Illinois just north of Chicago.
•Shortly after the Spanish-American War the Navy decided that since many of their best Sailors came from the American Midwest “Naval Training Station Great Lakes” should be located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. The 172-acre site opened its gates on July 1, 1911 and the first recruit arrived two days later.
•Ensuing Navy requirements established Recruit Training Centers in San Diego, California (1923-1997) and Orlando, Florida (1968-1994) but in 1993 the Base Realignment and Closure Committee (BRAC) directed that Orlando and San Diego be closed.
•Since the closures, Great Lakes has been the only enlisted basic training location responsible for conducting the initial orientation and indoctrination of incoming recruits. Running at approximately eight weeks long, everybody who enlists in the U.S. Navy begins their enlistments at this command. Upon successful completion of basic training, qualifying sailors are sent to various apprenticeship, or "A schools", located across the United States for training in their occupational speciality, or ratings. Those who have not yet received a specific rating enter the fleet with a general designation of airman, fireman, or seaman. In 1997 the Navy began a $770 million modernization of the Recruit Training Center that was completed in July 2010.
•My Base Guide History of Great Lakes
Download large version of this page.
Download large version of this page.
Download large version of this page.
Download large version of this page.
Apparently the Navy photographers new our schedule - about once a week they showed up for some "Kodak Moments" as we progressed through our training and the seasons. The following uncaptioned pages depict Company 510 as:
•We had our TB Tine Tests read by Medical
•We stood around the barracks
•We attended knot tying and 'powered talkie' class
•We performed our Service Week - mostly working in the galley
•We stood in the phone line to call home or our bookies
•We stood in fromation outside the barracks
•We marched to class or elsewhere
•We GRADUATED from RECRUIT TRAINING at GREAT LAKES
A larger version of all the pages is available with the Download Link below each photo. I scanned them at 600 pixels per inch and did not retouch them so a good photo editing program might improve their quality.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
Download large version of this photo.
|