Bainbridge History - Bainbridge Museum

HISTORY
OF BAINBRIDGE
The U. S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Md., currently
the East Coast's only Naval Training Center, was established in
early October, 1942, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved
purchase of land and buildings from the Jacob Tome Institute for
a permanent Naval installation. Named for Commodore William
Bainbridge, commander of the famous frigate "Constitution,"
which was immortalized in the poem "Old Ironsides," Bainbridge
is under the military command and coordination control of the
Commandant, Fifth Naval District, whose headquarters are in
Norfolk. Virginia.
Activated on October 1, 1942, the Center trained a total of
244,484 recruits by the time V-J Day came in 1945. Also, the
Service School Command had trained and graduated 24,484 men
in technical ratings. On June 30, 1947 Bainbridge was deactivated
as a Training Center, even though the Naval Preparatory School
continued to operate until it was transferred to Newport, R. I., in
October, 1949. Bainbridge then became a "ghost town" staffed only
with a small administrative and security detail to protect buildings
from fire and the ravages of weather.
The Korean Crisis saw the Center reactivated in February
1951, when Captain Robert H. Smith, USN, took command of the
Center, in a brief ceremony. By April 5, 1951, after a great deal
of rehabilitation work had been accomplished, the first recruits
reported "on board" for training. To date, 400,000 recruits and
students have been trained.
"
Now, under the command of Captain William A. CockeII, USN,
Bainbridge consists of four component activities, each under a
commanding officer. They include the Administrative Command,
the Recruit Training Command, the Service School Command, and
the U. S. Naval Hospital.
The Administrative Command serves as the staff of the Center
Commander in his direction and administration of the other subordinate commands, and performs for him all the administrative,
operational and logistic functions not specifically assigned to other
commands.
Largest of the Component commands is the Recruit Training
Command, which is responsible for the administration of the
Recruit Basic Training Program. The function of the Recruit
Training Command is to guide the recruit in the transition from
civilian to military life, and to fit him for naval service.
The Service School Command trains recruits and fleet personnel in the technical knowledge of ratings required by the operating
forces, and prepares personnel for more advanced education and
training in such special fields as gunnery, fire control, radio and
other technical subjects. A component activity is the U. S. Naval
Preparatory School, which prepares enlisted men from all of the
Armed Forces for entrance exams to the U. S. Naval Academy at
Annapolis.
The U. S. Naval Hospital provides medical and surgical facilities for the proper care of Center personnel and their dependents.
Operating in conjunction with the Hospital is the Hospital Corps
School, which gives technical knowledge and training necessary to
develop young men and women into Hospital Corpsmen for duty
with Fleet and shore-based units.
FACTS
AND
FIGUR'ES ABOUT
BAINBRIDGE
Bainbridge is a 1,132 acre naval installation located on the
Susquehanna River, thirty-five miles northeast of Baltimore, Md.,
midway between Washington, D. C., and Philadelphia, Pa. Over
500 buildings comprise the Center. In addition to the recruit
training facilities, there are nine service schools, plus the Naval
Academy Preparatory School, the Hospital Corps School, and a
Dental Technician School at Bainbridge. This is also the only
enlisted WAVE training center in the nation. Facilities include
one of the largest outdoor swimming pools on the East coast, and
an amphitheatre which seats up to 10,000 people. The Center is
the sixth largest community in Maryland. During the past year
over 250,000 visitors have entered the main gate.