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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
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NAVY SERVICE
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL (WR) BRONX, NEW YORK
COMPILED BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE , U.S.N.T. S. (WR)
NAVY SERVICE
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL (WR) BRONX, NEW YORK
COMPILED BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE, U.S.N.T.S. (WR)
U.S. NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL (WR)
BRONX , NEW YORK 63, N.Y.
AREAS IN GRAY ARE OUT OF BOUNDS
AVE.
GATE No. 37
GATE No.6
RESERVOIR
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OFFICERS' QUARTERS
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TELEPHONE CENTER
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ARMORY IN BOUNDS ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS
AVENUE
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TELEPHONE CENTER
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GILLET
STUDENT
JEROME AVENUE
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
5
COMMANDING OFFICER'S OFFICE
15
Special Events
18
Public Relations Office
23
Conning Tower
33
Photographic Laboratory
34
Recreation
35
EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S OFFICE .
44
Personnel Office
47
Education Office .
50
Educational Services Office .
52
Provost Marshal's Office
55
Chaplain's Office .
59
Communications Office
64
Mail Specialist School
71
COMMANDANT OF SEAMEN'S OFFICE
72
Scheduling Office
75
Brigade Office
78
Drill Office
100
Training Office
101
Instruction
103
Physical Education Office . 112
Special Devices Office
119
Training Films Office
124
War Orientation
128
PRIMARY SERVICES . 131
Medical Department 131 Selection Department 140 Uniform Department 146
TRANSPORTATION
154
GENERAL SERVICES
156
First Lieutenant's Office
156
Supply Department .
163
Commissary
. 168
Ship's Service
173
OFFICER OF THE DAY .
182
RED CROSS OFFICE .
186
WAR BOND AND INSURANCE OFFICE
188
0
INTRODUCTION
O N 9 January 1943, the Navy Department announced the imminent opening of the United States Naval Training School (WR) on the Hunter College Campus, The Bronx, New York, "where as many as 5,000 enlisted personnel of the Women's Reserve, U. S. Naval Reserve can be trained at one time." The expansion of the Waves, the Navy stated, "was decided upon directly as a result of the highly successful replacement of men by women in the various Naval districts and the bureaus of the Navy Department."
Opening of this school meant the termination of "boot" training at the U. S. Naval Training Schools at Cedar Falls, Iowa; Stillwater, Oklahoma; Madison, Wisconsin and Bloomington, Indiana.
A "noble experiment" was under way. It did not, as yet, have the favorable endorsement of a good many high-ranking Naval officers who could not envision women performing with dispatch, efficiency and endur- ance the shore jobs done by men of the Navy whom these women would replace. Fully aware of the experimental nature of the project, the Navy announced a conservative quota of 11,000 for the first year.
The extent to which that quota has been raised since the establishment of the Women's Reserve of the Navy is, of itself, proof of the successful application of Waves to the war effort.
On 8 February, more than 400 newly enlisted Waves and Spars (Women's Reserve of the Coast Guard Reserve) were officially sworn in at the New York City Hall and then taken to the new training school in the Bronx where they were to receive their basic Navy education. By 19 Febru- ary, this small nucleus of lady sailors was swelled to 2,000, an equal number arriving every two weeks after that until the 6,000 figure was reached.
The "U.S.S. Hunter" was ready to operate. With what soon proved to be a too limited staff, with the need for visual aids - the expansion of class- rooms, the general conversion of college class, administration and cafeteria buildings to meet the requirements of a Naval training school - 2,000 recruits in six weeks had learned the essentials of Naval Organization and Administration, Ships and Aircraft, Naval Personnel and Naval History.
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This first contingent was shipped out in drafts to special training schools and direct assignments.
These 2,000 were perhaps more seriously tested than those who fol- lowed them to Naval training schools, bases, District Headquarters and the Washington Bureaus, for upon the satisfactory performance of their duties largely depended the future of the Women's Reserve and the willing- ness with which ranking Naval officers would see their male personnel replaced by Waves and Spars.
Tremendous enthusiasm for Navy life, the certain prerequisite for success was reported by officers at the "U.S.S. Hunter" after the first week of training. Already the recruits stood 24-hour watches and many a girl who had still to see the sea had acquired a salty - if abridged - vocabulary.
The addition on 3 March of 50 newly commissioned Wave officers from the Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School (WR), Northampton, Massa- chusetts, brought the complement of the "boot" school up to full strength for the first time. Many of the officers went on duty as Officers of the Day in the "barracks" - apartment buildings near the Hunter College Campus which were taken over by the Navy to house the trainees. Others went into Regimental jobs and some swelled the Physical Education and Instruction staffs.
When enlisted women in the Marine Reserve began training for their work of releasing "leathernecks" for overseas duty, they were admitted to the "U.S.S. Hunter" 26 March in the third draft of "boots." Seven hundred and forty-eight recruits comprised the first class which was lowered to 525 in subsequent bi-monthly drafts. The lady Marines were to be given the same basic instruction as Waves and Spars, except in drilling which was conducted by a Marine staff of 12 officers and 50 enlisted men, replaceable by Women Reserves when these had been trained for the work.
Like Waves and Spars, the Marines were sent from "boot" training to special training schools in all parts of the country, but certain qualified enlisted women were sent either to the Marine Quartermaster's School of Administration or the Motor Transport School, both at Camp Le Jeune, New River, North Carolina. During their basic training period the Marines, like the Waves and Spars, formed a separate military organization at the "U.S.S. Hunter," and lived in apartments set aside for Marines only. Special instruction in Marine Corps history and regulations and a certain amount of instruction in the knowledge of firearms distinguished their classes from those of Waves and Spars.
As the training school went into full swing, it was apparent to Captain William F. Amsden, Commanding Officer, that the project was not only
6
successful in its beginning, but that its value would increase in proportion to the growing variety of jobs to which new quotas of Women Reserves were admitted. With complete faith in the women being trained at his com- mand, he instituted a program of expansion which included classrooms, Ship's Service, Commissary, administration and barracks. With equal con- fidence in those officers selected to head the various departments and offices, he gave encouragement to and kept minutely abreast of all plans for pro- gressive reorganization which became desirable as the training school grew in personnel and mportance.
Reports coming back to him from activities in which enlisted Women Reserves were participating ended on the same note - "Send us more!" The doubters were capitulating.
On 31 March, THIRD Naval District Headquarters announced, "Be- cause of the increased demand by the Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps for women reserves to replace men in shore duty, the training period at the new Naval Training School, Women's Reserve, on the site of Hunter Col- lege, The Bronx, has been cut from six to four weeks."
Simultaneously, new advanced training schools were opened to recruits after basic instruction at "U.S.S. Hunter." Where previously, assignments of enlisted women were made only in radio, storekeeper and yeomen ratings, they were now available in the various aviation ground trade schools, syn- thetic gunnery instruction and aviation control tower operator's school.
This had considerable effect upon the program for visual aids and training devices which has, since its completion, been commended by Lieutenant Commander F. W. Noel, Officer-in-Charge of the Utilization and Evaluation Section, Training, Bureau of Personnel, Washington, D. C., in a memorandum to the Director of Training Activity as follows:
"The Officer-in-Charge of the Utilization and Evaluation Section ob- serves that the organization and use of training aids at subject school constitutes the best situation which he has seen in the Navy to date. The officers responsible for this program are to be commended for their outstanding use of tra ning aids."
Adding a new touch to the Waves' enlisted program, on 25 June, the "U.S.S. Hunter" sent out its first draft of recruits, rated as Specialists (R). During the following 12-month period Specialists (U) (later discontinued), (T), (S), (C), (M), (P) and Cooks and Bakers were rated at the training school in the Bronx, and as a consequence more and more men were released for sea duty. In fact by 7 July 1944, the number of male personnel at the "U.S.S. Hunter" had been reduced from 270 male personnel on board at the peak to 196, a total replacement of 74 men.
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The "U.S.S. Hunter" became an all-Waves "boot" school when the Spars left for their new training school at Palm Beach, Florida on 12 June and the Marines left for their completed school at New River, North Carolina on 16 July 1943.
Since that time there have been many changes in organization, addi- tions to training material and increases in the numbers of enlisted personnel in supervisory and teaching capacities. In the pages that follow, these changes will be set down by departments and offices
The story of the U. S. Naval Training School (WR), The Bronx, like that of other Naval training schools, like that of Waves on the job, is a success story. It is a story of serious endeavor, of full realization of the purpose of the Women's Reserve - not alone the release of men for sea duty, but the determination to serve well and faithfully in any capacity; to do, if possible, a better job than that done by the men previously on the job because that is what Navy men want if they are to hand over their jobs with confidence.
Admiral Ernest J. King, Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations made this clear in his report on the progress and expansion of the Navy since the beginning of the war. He said of the Waves:
"It is a pleasure to report that in addition to their excellent reputation as a part of the Navy, they have become an inspiration to all hands in Naval uniform."
Shortly after release of this statement, the Navy Department an- nounced that the actual proportion of women among the total Naval personnel in the Department on 31 March 1944, was 48.5 per cent. Since this date the graduation from basic training of some 6,700 Wave recruits and the assignment to billets of those completing advanced training have undoubtedly increased the percentage in Washington.
To emphasize further the evaluation of Waves by the men whom they have replaced, Edward R. Murrow reported from London on Sunday, 11 June, over the Columbia Broadcasting System:
"American women are in this war of liberation, too. The escort ships that protect our great convoys are manned, many of them, by officers and men of the United States Navy who were relieved for sea duty by America's Waves. Our invasion fleet is strengthened by thousands of seamen whose desk, shop or air base tasks back home are being ably performed by Waves. I've talked with a good many Navy men over here, and with some Navy pilots, too. Every one of them is proud of the women in the Navy. Each salutes the Wave who replaced him at home, and the more than 70,000 Waves of the U. S. Naval Reserve.
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These men tell me that now that the great push is on, the Navy could use - that the Navy must have - thousands more Waves. Coming from these sea-bitten Navy men, I can think of no finer tribute to the women in Navy blue."
Rear Admiral W. B. Young, Chief of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts spoke of his impressions, after a tour of coastal activities where Waves were on duty, in words that express the spirit that has grown up with the Women's Reserve:
"In hundreds of Naval activities ashore Waves have released men to fight. Enemy ships have been sunk because some of the crew aboard our vessels had been released for sea duty by members of the Women's Reserve who are doing their part in the war as eagerly as our fighting men. With unswerving patriotism Waves have accepted exacting duties and heavy responsibilities, realizing that the rich heritage this genera- tion owes in great part to the courage and sacrifices of American pioneer women can be preserved only by the same virtues and resolute charac- ter. Our Waves reflect the highest quality of American womanhood. They have met the test of these times. They continue to serve effec- tively."
Aware of this heritage, "U.S.S. Hunter" endeavors to make clear to the trainees that the Naval service is a service, not a career, and that, above all, it is a service the Waves are privileged to render.
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Captain (then Lieutenant Commander) Mildred H. McAfee Speaks to First Group of Wave Recruits.
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4 FARK RON
Telegraph Thia RCF
Nunn-Bush MEN'S SHOES
A . MMMUNICATION' IK
DRO
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First "U.S.S. Hunter" Officers Arrive.
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First New York Enlistees Sworn in Publicly.
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They Take Their Oath.
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CAMEL
TUET JE SODA CANDY LOWNS
First Group Marches up to the School.
12
Red Cross Serves First Meal to Officers.
Admiral Jacobs, Captain Amsden, Mayor LaGuardia.
Mayor LaGuardia, Captain McAfee, Admiral Jacobs.
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Making First Colors at U. S. Naval Training School (WR).
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Student Hall Scene of Commis- sioning Exercises.
14
COMMANDING OFFICER'S OFFICE
O N 27 December 1942, Captain William F. Amsden, USN, came from convoy duty in the Pacific to Hunter College in the Bronx, New York, on roving orders, to familiarize himself with the buildings of the college and the campus where some 5,000 young women a month were soon to take basic Naval training as Waves under his command.
Captain Amsden occupied, with a yeoman whom he borrowed from THIRD Naval District Headquarters, the small office now occupied by the Education Officer. From here he began to plan the readjustments necessary to convert the college into a military establishment. He and Lieutenant Elizabeth Reynard had selected Hunter College as the site of the new training school, and when their choice was confirmed by Vice-Admiral (then Rear-Admiral) Randall Jacobs, USN, Chief of the Bureau of Naval Per- sonnel, and approved by the Navy Department, approximately 4,000 students were still attending classes.
As Captain Amsden says, every time he wanted to make a tour of the college to look at the various rooms he was obliged to take one of the college staff with him as a guide to avoid walking into embarrassing situations such as might be presented in the gym locker rooms!
It was not until January that the first four Women's Reserve officers, among them his present Aide, Lieutenant (jg) Frances McLeod, arrived and not until February that the first Executive Officer, Commander Herschel Smith, USN, reported for duty. In the meantime, Captain Amsden borrowed a Supply Officer from the District and began the immediate task of assem- bling beds, bunks, desks, linen, trucks - all the supplies necessary for housing and training approximately 5,000 recruits a month.
There was not much time in which to accomplish this. Captain Amsden's orders were written to assume command in February, and the school was scheduled to be commissioned on the 8th of that month. Until the commissioning, there had been assigned to his command no office heads to assist him in formulating the training program. The problems facing him were, therefore, even more prodigious than after the arrival of his staff officers.
Captain Amsden, himself, says that the establishment of the training school was "not so difficult," but one only has to know the work that was done in a month - the changes in construction of class and administration rooms and in the cafeteria; the organization of the Dispensary, Sick Bay and the Daisy Chain (for the medical examination of incoming recruits); the setting up of the Regimental organization; in addition to the infinite smaller but tedious problems - to appreciate the magnitude of his task.
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The first male officer to report for duty was the First Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander Bert C. McCulloch, whom Captain Amsden him- self persuaded to come back from civilian life into the Navy to which he had previously given many years of service. Together they continued to tackle the problems arising hourly.
Because it was almost impossible to anticipate the rapidity with which the training school grew from the time it was commissioned, there were not sufficient barracks (apartment houses near the campus taken over by the Navy) to house the recruits as originally planned. In time, more buildings were acquired, among them one to be converted into Officers' Quarters.
Illness forced Captain Amsden to leave the school from the middle of February, until April During his absence, the "U.S.S. Hunter" continued on its "shakedown cruise," acquiring in March 50 newly commissioned officers from the Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School, Northampton, Massachusetts, the first substantial addition to the original group aboard at the opening of the Station.
It was a happy day for "all hands" when Captain Amsden was piped aboard to resume command of the training school.
The growth of the Waves "boot" school is a story of hard work, long hours, trial and error, and reorganization, but above all, of Captain Amsden's inspiring interest and pride in his command.
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Captain William F. Amsden, USN -- Commanding Officer.
Officer Handing in Orders in Commanding Officer's Office.
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SPECIAL EVENTS
O NE of the chief morale-building functions of the training program at the "U.S.S. Hunter" is the entertainment of the recruits. At this activity, it falls to two offices to maintain the high standards of the program. The Recreation Office is one, the Special Events Office under the supervision of the Assistant to the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant L. A. Mindling, USNR, is the second. Actually, the Special Events Office grew out of the activities of Lieutenant Mindling, who reported for duty at the U. S. Naval Training School (WR) May 10, 1943. Since then, he has been responsible for bringing to the station such well known stage, radio and movie stars as Frank Sinatra, Jack Haley, Eddie Cantor, Ray Milland and Hildegarde.
Under the supervision of the Special Events Officer, various Wave coast-to-coast network broadcasts originate from the Little Theater in Student Hall. The first of these broadcasts was "Full Speed Ahead" over the WOR-Mutual network which started 8 July 1943 and ran for 57 weeks. "Women in Blue" - another coast-to-coast program - over the WJZ-Blue network, ran from 13 May to 9 September 1944. At present, "Waves on Parade" is heard over the WABC-CBS network every Monday, 1600 to 1630. Quite frequently the WOR-Mutual broadcast, "Navy Bulletin Board" originates from this activity. These broadcasts feature the station dance orchestra, Wave Singing Platoon and Wave vocalists, Specialists (S) 2c Rosemary Schlack and Dona Mason, and Yeoman 3c Elizabeth Wright as narrator in addition to top ranking admirals and news commentators as guests. The Wave Singing Platoon also has its own broadcast every Sunday afternoon preceding the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra over the WABC-CBS network from 1455 to 1500.
Both programs, with their music, narration and vocal numbers, have been eminently successful and have made a considerable contribution to recruiting.
The Band Office, under the supervision of the Special Events Officer, fulfills many duties both military and entertaining. It supplies the Dance Orchestra, led by Musician 1c George Kaitz and the Military Band under the direction of Musician 1c Stanley Karlan. On Monday nights, the Dance Orchestra, vocalists and the Singing Platoon, directed by Specialist (S) 2c Jeanne Monroe, entertain the recruits at their Happy Hour with "pop" tunes, vocals and novelty routines. Every Wednesday, with a program sim- ilar to the Monday night Happy Hour, the Dance Orchestra entertains the patients at St. Albans Naval Hospital, Halloran General Hospital, Brooklyn Naval Hospital, or Veterans' Hospital.
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A colorful part of every Regimental Review is the Military Band and the Wave Drum and Bugle Corps which was formed in mid-December, 1943. Additional duty for the Military Band is playing "morning colors" daily at 0800, unless the weather is exceptionally inclement, at which time a bugler is detailed to the duty. The band also plays daily noonday concerts outside Student Hall, weather permitting.
Music for the Outgoing Unit dances every other Friday night is pro- vided by the station Dance Orchestra. Other bookings for the orchestra - participation in War Bond drives Red Cross drives and at functions requested by the Commandant of the THIRD Naval District - are made through the Special Events Office. Also included among the duties of this office is the procurement of special guests and broadcasts to originate from the "U.S.S. Hunter." Quite frequently, Ship's Company talent or Wave recruits, the Wave Singing Platoon or Wave Drum and Bugle Corps with the station Military Band are booked through the Special Events Office to appear on outside radio broadcasts or to make public appearances at rallies, recruiting drives and parades.
First formed by the Recreation Office with Regiment 13 in August, 1943, the Wave Singing Platoon, since 3 July 1944, under the supervision of the Special Events Officer, has become a traditional feature at the "U.S.S. Hunter." Singing at the Metropolitan Opera House on 1 January 1944, before the performance of "La Traviata" was the most exciting of a number of appearances for the eighty recruits chosen from every Regiment to make up the Singing Platoon. Conducted by Leopold Stokowski on one occasion at the station, singing with the Philharmonic Society of New York at the Society's Young People's Concert, and at rallies, War Bond and off- station programs the Singing Platoon has so distinguished itself that it is impossible to fulfill all requests for its appearance.
Under Lieutenant Mindling's supervision, War Bond programs held in the Amphitheater and open to civilians in the Bronx surpassed the most optimistic hopes for their success. The first Bond Show, "Waves In Train- ing," held on 23 September 1943, produced $6,500,000 in Bond sales, and the Special Fifth War Loan Drive Variety Show on 30 June 1943, produced $8,403,200 - $2,000,000 over the set quota.
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Singing Platoon Marching.
Singing Platoon Sings to Sell War Bonds to Civilians.
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Band and Songsters.
Drum and Bugle Corps.
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Hildegarde.
Gary Cooper.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE
T HE primary functions of a Public Relations Office, afloat or ashore, are: cooperation with the press, radio and photographic agencies engaged in disseminating public information in order to provide security of information, quick release of information and photographs and the develop- ment and publication of constructive facts and feature material relative to the Naval service, its material and its personnel.
To this end, Navy Public Relations at THIRD Naval District Head- quarters, 90 Church Street, during the formative months of the U. S. Naval Training School (WR), Bronx, established its liaison between the Waves "boot" school and the press of the United States by sending Lieutenant Commander (then Lieutenant) Sterling Noel, USNR, to cover the news of its opening, its "shakedown" and the beginning of its development into a Naval training school of considerable size and importance. At 90 Church Street, Lieutenant Commander (then Lieutenant) E. P. Doyle, USNR, carried the ball from Lieutenant Noel to the press.
Much of the favorable publicity attending the "U.S.S. Hunter" in those early days was owing to the sure news sense and experienced judgment of these two Naval officers. After Lieutenant Commander Noel's detach- ment from THIRD Naval District Headquarters, it fell to Lieutenant Commander Doyle to steer the "U.S.S. Hunter's" Wave Public Relations Officer through a good many hazardous channels, none of which was more challenging than the knowledge that the Navy way was an unfamiliar, responsible and sometimes devious way to women wearing its "blues" for the first time.
Naturally, the early days of the Waves training school were the hardest. In cooperation with Lieutenant Commander Noel, Lieutenant (junior grade) (then Ensign) Helen Knox, also the station's Legal Officer, was obliged to deal with the many and sundry individuals, whether members of the press or of commercial enterprises, who saw in the school all the possibilities which women, for the first time in the military service of their country, promised to the feature writer, the sensation-seeker, the sob-sister.
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