US Naval Training Center - Compass Yearbook (Bainbridge, MD)

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A mill, NES X COMMANDER GEORGE P. SOTOSI U. S. NAVY Executive Officer Recruit Training Command Comwmuosn ozone: P. soros, u.s.N., became the Executive Olticer of the Recruit Training Com- mand in March 1951. Previously, he had been Military Training Officer of the Recruit Training Command at the U.S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. While a student at the University of Chicago In 1940, he entered the naval servlce through the V-7 Midshipmen program, and received his first commlsslon In early 1941. Subsequently, he served afloat In the USS NITRO, USS PC-476, USS PC-451, USS WILLIS, USS THOMAS J. GARY and USS COLONIAL, In various capacltles ranging 1 4 NM! ff l p . ,.,. from Head of Department to Command responsi- bilities: and ashore under Instruction at several U.S. Naval Schools and training establishments. During World War II, Commander Sotos was the Gunnery Officer and, later, the Executive Officer of the destroyer escort USS WILLIS which operated as a unlt of an antl-submarine Killer Group in the Atlantlc Ocean area. The Task Unlt to which the USS WILLIS was attached was awarded the Presldentlal Unlt Cltatlon for outstanding often. sive operations against the enemy In which a total of elght enemy submarines, Including a Jap. anese cargo submarine, were sunk. X M E I .W .H

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nlf R W, CAPTAIN FREDERICK WOLSIEFFER, U. S. NAVY Commanding Officer Recrult Training Command CAPTAIN FREDERICK WOLSIEFFER, U.S.N., assumed the dutles of Commanding Officer, Recruit Train- lng Command on 6 Aprll 1951. Prlor to reporting to the Tralnlng Center, he served as Executive Officer of the cruiser USS WORCESTER which par- tlclpated ln the support of the Unlted Nations ground forces. on the East Coast of Korea by blockade and bombardment of key enemy ports and posltlons. Slnce graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy l-If 1932, he has served afloat In varlous blllets ln battleshlps, crulsers and destroyers: and ashore as an Instructor of Mldshlpmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, andres Asslstantblrector of Tralnlng ' .'n- lv , 'ff 1 - NF KF ww' gr., Q in: ,,, - 7 'f 'fz w gfzwe w mg, , Wm ' syn! 1 W E . 7 at .fi 147' w, In the THIRD Naval District with administrative duties in connection with the College, Reserve and Fleet Training Programs. During World War ll, he served successively as the Commanding Officer of the destroyer USS WILKES in the North Atlantic, African and Euro- pean campaigns: and as the Commanding Officer of the radar picket destroyer USS CHEVALIER In the Aslatlc-Paclflc theater of combat operations. In addition to the many sorvlce and campaign medals awarded him, Captaln WoIsieffer's deco- ratlons include the Bronze Star Medal wlth Com- bat V Cltatlon, and the Commendation Ribbon and Metal Pendant wlth Combat V Cltatlon and Bronze Star In lleu of a second award. - see., 'I . ' 1

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,,,,, , , .. way. O O O History ofthe The U. S. Naval Training Cenler, Bainbridge, Maryland, 'firsl came info being when fhe Presidenl of l'he Uniled Slales, Franklin Delano Roosevell, approved lhe sile and 'rhe purchase of 'rhe land and buildings from lhe Jacob Tome lnslilule in early I942. This properly, consisfing of aboul 330 acres wilh buildings of lhe Tome School for boys localed lhereon, was enlarged by lhe purchase of adiacenl parcels of land, and lhe conslruclion of over 500 addilional buildings, which broughl lhe 'lolal area of Bainbridge lo I,I32 acres. Bainbridge is localed on high rolling land begin- The beginning of our Navy life uuul Training ning al lhe 'lop of an escarpmenl' overlooking 'lhe small river I'own of Porl Deposi'I', Maryland, on 'Ihe norfheasl' bank of lhe Susquehanna River. The res- ervalion is 35 miles norlheasl' of Ballimore, be- lween U. S. Roules I and 40, and approximalely 75 miles from Washinglon and Philadelphia. The acl'iviI'y, being localed near lhe cenler of lhe Al'- Ianlic Seaboard, is under 'I'he mililary command and coordinalion conlrol of l'he Commandanl, FIFTH Naval Dislricl, whose headquarlers are in Norfolk, Virginia. Presidenl Roosevell named 'I'he Training Cenler Bainbridge for Commodore William Bainbridge, commander of lhe famous frigale CONSTITU- TlON which was immorlalized in fhe poem Old lronsides . In naming lhe Cenler for Commodore Bainbridge lhe Presidenl, il' is underslood, crediled him as a founder of lhe firsl Naval Training School, and expressed 'rhe wish l'ha'r lhe slandards firsl' eslablished by lhe Commodore would be carried on by lhe acfivily bearing his name. There is no queslion +ha+ Bainbridge has more lhan lived up lo Presidenr RooseveI+'s wish. The Bainbridge Training Cen'I'er was firsl ac'l'i- valed on Oclober I, I942, and len days laler was in operafion lraining lhe newly arrived recruils. A+