Navy Boot Camp Bainbridge Yearbook 1951 Company 373 – The Compass
Front Cover, Recruit Yearbook for Company 373, Bainbridge, 1951. | GGA Image ID # 2330019d6b
Quick Facts – Company 373
- Company: 373
- Year: 1951
- Location: U.S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge
- Company Commander: BMGC R. F. Carroll
- Graduates: 61 Recruits
Editorial Note: Company 373’s yearbook pages are roughly alphabetical. Two recruits (Fox and Cincebox), who would normally appear with Becker–Norman on Page 1, were printed on Page 2. GG Archives preserves this layout as originally published.
Table of Contents
Review & Research Summary — “Navy Boot Camp Book 1951: Company 373, The Compass (USNTC Bainbridge)” ⚓️📖
This page is a compact primary source: a front cover, leadership line, full roster, and two recruit photo plates for Company 51-373 from the U.S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Maryland, during the Korean War era. The entry records 61 graduates and names the company commander as R. F. Carroll, BMGC (Boatswain’s Mate G (Shipboard), Chief Petty Officer).
GG Archives
Company 51-373 Organization and Schedule
- Organization: Not Stated
- Commenced Training: ca 1951 (Training Dates Not Stated)
- Completed Training: ca 1951 (Training Dates Not Stated)
Company 51-373 Leadership
- Company Commander: BMGC R. F. Carroll
Company 373 Recruit Roster
Editorial Note: Company 373’s roster was printed in photo order across two plates. While the majority of names appear alphabetically (Becker–Norman on Page 1; O’Connor–Young on Page 2), two recruits (Fox and Cincebox) were printed on Page 2 out of sequence. GG Archives preserves both the original layout and provides an alphabetized roster with page references for researcher convenience.
Company 51-373 Recruits, Page 1 (BMGC R. F. Carroll, Company Commander and Recruits Becker-Norman)
- Richard G. Becker
- George L. Bedard
- Bertrand E. Bilodeau
- Johnny R. Birchfield
- Roger J. Bloss
- Robert C. Bourgeois
- Albert J. Brochu, Jr.
- Leonard A. Brochu
- Neil K. Brown
- William R. Carter
- George M. Check
- Paige T. Cherrix
- Donald E. Copp
- George B. Dempsey
- Clifton W. Dick
- Robert W. Edmiston
- Barry M. Feinberg
- Edward A. Fern
- Norman A. Hatter
- Henry J. Heydt, Jr.
- Joseph A. lannazzo
- Mario J. Izzi
- Stanley Kramer
- Peter A. Mahoney
- James L. Maney
- Donald T. McMillen
- Earl F. McNee
- T. G. Michalopoulos
- Albert C. Morante
- Robert S. Moulton
- Richard L. Norman
Company 51-373 Recruits, Page 2 (O'Connor-Young Plus Fox and Cincebox)
- William N. O'Connor
- Vincent J. Oliveri
- Robert J. O'Neill
- Ramon Ortiz
- Freddy E. Patnaude
- Anthony J. Raco
- Carl J. Rand
- Anthony Riniti
- Arnold B. Rosenthal
- Joseph P. Roses
- George Rushanna
- Joseph S. Saffioti
- Stelios Sakas
- S. Schwartzberg
- David I. Seymour
- Earl M. Shardlow, Jr.
- Robert R. Sharrits
- Richard J. Smith
- David J. Starkie
- Boris Swider
- Jerome J. Torbik
- Americo J. Vieira
- Donald 0. Warrin
- George M. Weisman
- Roy E. Wheeler
- Richard A. White
- Wayne C. Woodward
- David G. Young
- H. Fox
- T. Cincebox
📋 Alphabetized Recruit Roster — Company 373
For researcher convenience, GG Archives provides this alphabetized roster with references to the original photo plates. Two recruits (Fox and Cincebox) were printed on Page 2, though alphabetically they belong on Page 1. GG Archives preserves both the original layout and this alphabetical version.
- Becker, Richard G. (Page 1)
- Bedard, George L. (Page 1)
- Bilodeau, Bertrand E. (Page 1)
- Birchfield, Johnny R. (Page 1)
- Bloss, Roger J. (Page 1)
- Bourgeois, Robert C. (Page 1)
- Brochu, Albert J., Jr. (Page 1)
- Brochu, Leonard A. (Page 1)
- Brown, Neil K. (Page 1)
- Carter, William R. (Page 1)
- Check, George M. (Page 1)
- Cherrix, Paige T. (Page 1)
- Cincebox, T. (Page 2, misfiled)
- Copp, Donald E. (Page 1)
- Dempsey, George B. (Page 1)
- Dick, Clifton W. (Page 1)
- Edmiston, Robert W. (Page 1)
- Feinberg, Barry M. (Page 1)
- Fern, Edward A. (Page 1)
- Fox, H. (Page 2, misfiled)
- Hatter, Norman A. (Page 1)
- Heydt, Henry J., Jr. (Page 1)
- Iannazzo, Joseph A. (Page 1)
- Izzi, Mario J. (Page 1)
- Kramer, Stanley (Page 1)
- Mahoney, Peter A. (Page 1)
- Maney, James L. (Page 1)
- McMillen, Donald T. (Page 1)
- McNee, Earl F. (Page 1)
- Michalopoulos, T. G. (Page 1)
- Morante, Albert C. (Page 1)
- Moulton, Robert S. (Page 1)
- Norman, Richard L. (Page 1)
- O’Connor, William N. (Page 2)
- Oliveri, Vincent J. (Page 2)
- O’Neill, Robert J. (Page 2)
- Ortiz, Ramon (Page 2)
- Patnaude, Freddy E. (Page 2)
- Raco, Anthony J. (Page 2)
- Rand, Carl J. (Page 2)
- Riniti, Anthony (Page 2)
- Rosenthal, Arnold B. (Page 2)
- Roses, Joseph P. (Page 2)
- Rushanna, George (Page 2)
- Saffioti, Joseph S. (Page 2)
- Sakas, Stelios (Page 2)
- Schwartzberg, S. (Page 2)
- Seymour, David I. (Page 2)
- Shardlow, Earl M., Jr. (Page 2)
- Sharrits, Robert R. (Page 2)
- Smith, Richard J. (Page 2)
- Starkie, David J. (Page 2)
- Swider, Boris (Page 2)
- Torbik, Jerome J. (Page 2)
- Vieira, Americo J. (Page 2)
- Warrin, Donald O. (Page 2)
- Weisman, George M. (Page 2)
- Wheeler, Roy E. (Page 2)
- White, Richard A. (Page 2)
- Woodward, Wayne C. (Page 2)
- Young, David G. (Page 2)
Navy Boot Camp Recruit Photos – Company 373
Company 51-373 Bainbridge NTC Recruits, Page 1 (BMGC R. F. Carroll, Company Commander and Recruits Becker-Norman). | GGA Image ID # 233006ba8a. Click to View a Larger Image.
Company 51-373 Bainbridge NTC Recruits, Page 2 (O'Connor-Young Plus Fox and Cincebox). | GGA Image ID # 233019d5c5. Click to View a Larger Image.
Why this matters (for teachers, students, genealogists, historians) 🎯
Teachers & Students: Use the roster and photos to humanize the Korean War/Navy boot-camp pipeline; the book shows how recruits were organized by “company” and trained at Bainbridge—one of the Navy’s key recruit depots from 1942–1976. Pair the images with a short explainer on how Bainbridge fit into Navy training and post-WWII mobilization.
Genealogists: The exact spellings and middle initials unlock obituary and veterans-index matches. The yearbook provides a time-and-place anchor (USNTC Bainbridge; 1951) that lets you triangulate later life via obituaries, national cemetery records, and veterans lists.
- GG Archives
Naval historians: The leadership line (“BMGC”) is a clue to mid-century rating nomenclature and deck divisions, and the photos capture uniform details and recruit-company layout typical of Bainbridge in the early 1950s.
VA
- Naval History and Heritage Command
Most engaging elements 🔎✨
Named Roster with Photos: Two plates identify every recruit (Becker→Norman; O’Connor→Young, plus Fox & Cincebox). This level of face-to-name pairing is gold for classroom narratives and family research.
- GG Archives
Leadership Line: Seeing a Chief Petty Officer in charge (BMGC) invites a mini-lesson on rating vs. rank and on Boatswain’s Mates’ roles aboard ship and at training commands.
Contextual Fit: Bainbridge’s status as a massive recruit hub during/after WWII and through the Korean War helps students place Company 373 in the broader force-generation story.
Noteworthy images (from the page) 🖼️
Front Cover — The Compass, 1951, Cos. 373/374 (GGA Image ID #2330019d6b). Great as a unit opener—design, title, and year instantly set context.
Recruit Plates (2 pages) — “Becker–Norman” and “O’Connor–Young (+ Fox & Cincebox)” (GGA Image IDs #233006ba8a and #233019d5c5). These are the key face-matching images for identification work.
- GG Archives
“Who were they?” — Preliminary profiles of selected Company 51-373 sailors 👥🧭
Below are evidence-based matches from public obituaries/veterans indexes. Because many names are common, I’ve prioritized distinctive combinations and sources that mention Navy service or otherwise fit the 1951 Bainbridge context. (Treat these as starting points and save the source links.)
Peter A. Mahoney (RI) — Served as a Quartermaster Signalman in the U.S. Navy; later settled in Warwick, RI; his son became CDR, USN (Ret.). Died 2019.
Mario J. Izzi (CT, 1930–2023) — Obituary notes U.S. Navy 1951–1955, consistent with this company’s timeline; later an active community member in Branford, CT.
Paige T. Cherrix (VA/DE, 1931–2003) — Korean War Navy veteran; later an engaged church/community member in Wilmington, DE.
George M. Check (NY/FL, 1932–2023) — Navy veteran (Korean War); later active in American Legion Post #527 in Hamburg, NY.
Donald T. McMillen (OH, 1931–2002) — Navy veteran (Korean War); post-service career included leadership in Carpenters’ Local 200 and at the Ohio Office of Collective Bargaining.
Joseph S. Saffioti (NY, 1927–1970) — Veterans index shows entered U.S. Navy 15 Oct 1951; released 8 Jun 1955; estate records confirm 1970 death.
Jerome J. Torbik (NJ, 1933–2007) — Longtime New Jersey resident; obituary memorializes his life; (company timing aligns with Navy service age cohort).
Americo J. Vieira (MA, 1929–2017) — Veteran buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery; obituary directs to funeral home memorial. (Branch not specified in obituary; listed here as a veteran match.)
Wayne C. Woodward (PA, 1930–2018) — Later authored Congress: The Chester County Line; recognized on the House floor (2016), illustrating a post-service civic/history contribution.
Arnold B. Rosenthal (MA, d. 2021) — Obituary states four-year Navy veteran (Korean War); name and initial match the roster. (Common surname—treat as a strong lead.)
⚠️ Attribution note: Some names (e.g., Ramon Ortiz, Richard J. Smith) are too common for a confident match without added data (hometown, birthdate). When in doubt, corroborate with census/city directories, VA BIRLS, or grave records before declaring a positive ID.
Quick research playbook for this page 🧰
Start with the yearbook page (names + faces).
- GG Archives
Search “[Full Name]” + Navy + obituary; confirm by age (b. ~1929–1934 fits 1951 recruit) and any Korean War/Bainbridge mentions.
Use veterans indices (Calverton/Massachusetts National Cemeteries; VA BIRLS), local papers, and Legacy.com to complete life arcs. Examples above show the process.
For Bainbridge context and to explain the training environment to readers, include a sentence on the base’s role.
Teacher-ready prompts & activities 🍎📝
Close-read the roster: Have students pick one name and build a mini-biography using obituaries and veterans records (see examples above). 🔍
Rating vs. rank mini-lesson: Use BMGC and QM to explain jobs vs. paygrades, then map to a modern Navy org chart. ⚓️
Bainbridge & the Korean War: 5-minute backgrounder on why the Navy expanded recruit training in 1950–53. 🌏
- Wikipedia
Preservation tip for families & researchers 🧷📎
Clip the photo plates and annotate with full names and sources you discover (obits, cemetery entries). For tougher IDs (e.g., common surnames), add hometown queries and year-of-birth filters. The examples above (Mahoney, Izzi, Saffioti, etc.) show how one or two extra details unlock a match.
Sources used here (selected) 🔗
Original yearbook page & images (GG Archives) — roster, captions, and image IDs.
- GG Archives
Bainbridge context — USNTC Bainbridge overview.
Rating/abbrev references — VA/NCA abbreviations list; Naval History & Heritage Command abbreviations; ratings overview.
- Obituaries/veterans indexes — Peter A. Mahoney; Mario J. Izzi; Paige T. Cherrix; George M. Check; Donald T. McMillen; Joseph S. Saffioti; Jerome J. Torbik; Americo J. Vieira; Wayne C. Woodward (Congressional recognition); Arnold B. Rosenthal.
Final Thoughts ⚓
The 1951 Company 373 edition of “The Compass” is far more than a yearbook—it is a military time capsule. It preserves the identity of 61 young men at the moment they began their Navy careers, many of whom would serve during one of the most volatile eras of the Cold War. For genealogists, it provides faces and names; for historians, it represents postwar military culture; and for families, it offers a lasting tribute to service and sacrifice.
💙 This book matters because it bridges personal memory with national history.
Cite This Page
Chicago Style
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. "Navy Boot Camp Bainbridge Yearbook 1951 Company 373 – The Compass." GG Archives. Last modified September 2025. https://www.ggarchives.com/MIL/USN/NTC/Bainbridge/51-373.html
APA Style
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. (CurrentYear, CurrentMonth). Navy Boot Camp Bainbridge Yearbook 1951 Company 373 – The Compass. GG Archives. https://www.ggarchives.com/MIL/USN/NTC/Bainbridge/51-373.html
MLA Style
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. "Navy Boot Camp Bainbridge Yearbook 1951 Company 373 – The Compass." GG Archives, September 2025, https://www.ggarchives.com/MIL/USN/NTC/Bainbridge/51-373.html
Student Citation (Simplified)
GG Archives. *Navy Boot Camp Bainbridge Yearbook 51 Company 373 – The Compass*. https://www.ggarchives.com/MIL/USN/NTC/Bainbridge/51-373.html
Repository Information
The Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives (GG Archives) is cataloged with the Library of Congress under MARC Org Code: WiMfGGA and ISIL: US-wimfgga.
Current location:
N91W16562 Pershing Ave, #1
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051-2170, USA
Note: Historic addresses listed in earlier MARC records include Marietta, GA and Woodstock, GA. These appear in authority files but are no longer active.
