RTC Great Lakes

Forty-three years ago today I got on a bus at Chicago's O'Hare airport and soon found myself cast adrift with a few score others in a transient barracks at the Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Waukegan Illinois. The reason we were cast adrift was because we arrived on Good Friday. We were assigned a bunk and issued linen; someone pointed out the chow hall and the Navy Exchange; we were warned that smoking was allowed only in the lounge area, and that lights would be turned off at 10 PM. They told us the schedule for Easter church services was posted on the bulletin board next to the Plan of the Day and that we were to read the Plan of the Day every day. Then, we were told to behave ourselves and more or less abandoned till 0600 the following Monday.

It was an interesting weekend to say the least. Our company was composed of a cross-section of young men chillingly similar to the various movie stereotypes of Full Metal Jacket or one of those submarine flicks with John Garfield and William Bendix. We were all completely out of our element so, consequently, most of us were also on our best behavior. We spent the weekend making friends and telling each other where we were from and what it was like at home. By Sunday evening we were ready for Monday morning so we could get started. After all, the Navy was not just a Job, it was an Adventure.

Any guesses what this is? It's a view from Google Earth, looking west from Lake Michigan at the Recruit Training Command - or whatever they call it now - Great Lakes. I recognize only a few barracks buildings (off to the right) and the headquarters building of what used to be the Ninth Naval District (on the left facing the large drill field). I guess boot camp has changed since the late 60s. The large paved areas (grinders) where we spent our days marching and drilling and exercising have since been built on. The huge wooden drill halls, where we marched during inclement weather and worked off punishments, have been razed and replaced by new, nondescript buildings used for God knows what. It makes me wonder if they even do close order drill anymore.

So, back to Monday. We were roused at 0600, dressed and headed for the chow hall, then quickly through supply where we were issued sea bags and uniforms. Back to the barracks where we donned uniforms for the first time, then immediately off to the barbershop. The effect of the uniforms and haircuts was remarkable. Most of us had arrived with hair suitable for the time (1960s) if not the place. All those new friendships we started over the weekend - kaput. We couldn't recognize anyone! Even looking in the mirror didn't help much. We almost couldn't recognize ourselves.

This is a picture of Company 161, taken at Great Lakes in late March 1967. When I came across this picture several years ago in a dresser drawer the first question that occurred to me was, how many of these guys could I identify? I went through, row by row, and was able to identify 18 of the 75 people in the photo. A couple of weeks ago I tried it again, this time using the thin "cruise book" they presented us at the end of boot camp, which was comprised mainly of generic photos of young men in new uniforms with their heads shaved in various phases of training. The helpful part was that it also included small portraits of each of us taken shortly after that first haircut. Using that as a "gouge" I was able to identify 60 of the 75 recruits - and even with the portraits it was hard.

Sometime in 1999 I had the TV on PBS when an advertisement came on for an upcoming retrospective on the Vietnam war. I looked up from what I was doing to see the ad and they were showing various pieces of memorabilia as a voiceover described the show. Right when I looked up, they showed a picture of a company of Navy recruits. The first thing I noticed was the sign on the wall - "Hey, that's Great Lakes!" Then I looked at the front row and noticed the Company Commander's assistant (adjutant?) - the little kewpie doll fellow with the blue aiguillette - "Hey, that's McLeod!" Then I looked and saw Sanderson and the 161 company flag - "Hey, that's my Company!" And not a soul around to share it with. . .

See if you can find me. I'll give you a hint: I was much thinner then, and had a lot less hair.

It seemed like it took forever but we all got through boot camp and most of us probably had an interesting four years or so before returning to civilian life (I had just less than 10). Anyway, I got an e-mail a few weeks ago from a guy I had served with on the Roosevelt and he told me that they were having the 2010 FDR reunion at Great Lakes this year, in case I was interested. I thought about it briefly but decided the Great Lakes was the one duty station I had that I had absolutely no wish to revisit. Perhaps another year, a little closer to home.