Fort Dix 1961 U.S. Army Basic Training Yearbook – Company N, 4th Training Regiment

Front Cover, Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook 1961 Company N, 4th Training Regiment. | GGA Image ID # 16c1a0e130

📖 Review & Summary – Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook 1961, Company N

⭐ Introduction

The 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook documents the experiences of 190 recruits in Company N, 4th Training Regiment, who graduated on 21 July 1961 under the command of 1st Lieutenant Roland Schmucker.

This yearbook sits at a unique point in U.S. Army history: just before America’s full entry into Vietnam, but during the Cold War tensions that followed the Korean War. Soldiers trained in 1961 were part of the Army’s backbone during the Berlin Crisis, early advisory missions in Vietnam, and the general readiness posture of the U.S. military during the Kennedy administration.

🏅 Engaging Content Highlights

Transition to the Vietnam Era

While not yet in the height of Vietnam War deployments, these recruits would form the cadre that the Army later relied upon in Southeast Asia.

Compact but Detailed Leadership Roster

Unlike some earlier yearbooks, Company N’s leadership list is concise but precise: commander, senior NCOs, and platoon sergeants. This brevity makes it an easy reference for genealogists and researchers.

Rich Photographic Documentation

With 12 pages of recruit portraits, the yearbook ensures that nearly every soldier is identified and remembered with both name and face.

Diversity in Names

Surnames like Rodriguez, Gonzalez, Santos, Karoghlanian, Zajac, Wojtkiewicz, Zappulla illustrate the Army’s role as an integrating force for Americans from varied ethnic and immigrant backgrounds.

Explore the 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook for Company N, 4th Training Regiment. Includes rosters, photos, and leadership profiles of 190 recruits graduating during the Cold War and Berlin Crisis era. An essential resource for genealogists, historians, veterans, and military archives.

Company N 1961 Organization and Schedule

• Organization: 4th Training Regiment
• Commenced Training: Not Reported
• Completed Training: 21 July 1961

Company N 1961 Leadership

• Company Commander: 1st Lieutenant Roland Schmucker
• Regimental Commander: Colonel Robert C. Forbes
• First Sergeant: 1/Sgt. Clofford Litts
• Senior Training NCO: M/Sgt Jose Olivares
• Platoon Sergeant: Sgt Alexander Nicolini
• Platoon Sergeant: Sgt Thomas Sablan
• Platoon Sergeant: Sgt Francisco Santos

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 1 (Irving S. Aaron-J. D. Bochicchio, Jr.)

1. Irving S. Aaron
2. John O. Alison
3. Jimmie W. Alley
4. A. F. Altieri, Jr.
5. F. R. Andrejak
6. Peter H. Bach
7. John J. Baier
8. William F. Barber
9. Jerome L. Barletta
10. James A. Bamds
11. Martin R. Beck
12. John W. Benell
13. Peter M. Bennett
14. V. J. Berarducci
15. J. P. Bernier
16. A. L. Bibrault
17. Richard H. Binda
18. Robert J. Blaggie
19. Allan P. Blatt
20. J. D. Bochicchio, Jr.

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 2 (Warren J. Bow-Clyde A. Clark)

1. Warren J. Bow
2. William C. Bowen
3. John M. Brereton
4. Kenneth D. Brill
5. William E. Bunzey
6. Leo C. Bush
7. Joseph F. Campbell
8. William J. Campbell
9. S. V. Cappetta
10. F. G. Carlin
11. R. W. Caroselli, Jr.
12. Thomas R. Carr
13. Thomas M. Casey
14. Kevin E. Cashell
15. David E. Casier
16. Gerald J. Cassidy
17. Albert M. Cecchi
18. S. W. Chapman
19. G. E. Chmielenski
20. Clyde A. Clark

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 3 (Gary L. Clow-Donald V. Durkin)

1. Gary L. Clow
2. John J. Clynick
3. John G. Coleman
4. Richard H. Cook
5. G. W. Corbett
6. Robert A. Corea
7. Vincent J. Corona
8. R. L. Cunningham
9. L. G. Danielson
10. P. T. DeCesare
11. S. A. DeFilippo
12. John E. DelDebbio
13. A. V. DelSasso
14. Gerald J. DePew
15. Peter F. DeVito
16. R. Dieffenbail
17. Leonard Distefano
18. Matthew M. Divjak
19. Gerald R. Duggan
20. Donald V. Durkin

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 4 (Robert J. Eager-Carl E. Gruenberg)

1. Robert J. Eager
2. Gordon Eastburn
3. F. E. Everson, Jr.
4. T. A. Fantacone, Jr.
5. E. E. Farnsworth
6. William J. Fekert
7. Dalton E. Flatt
8. C. D. Fleischman
9. Francis S. Flynn
10. D. K. Freelove
11. John J. Gabor
12. R. A. Gagliano
13. M. A. Galasso
14. W. A. Giamarino
15. G. M. Goldman
16. John A. Gonzalez
17. LeGrand W. Gould
18. Raymond E. Gratton
19. Robert J. Gregory
20. Carl E. Gruenberg

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 5 (John W. Hahn-R. E. Karoghlanian)

1. John W. Hahn
2. Robert E. Hamei
3. John T. Hanlon
4. R. T. Hannigan
5. C. V. Harbeck
6. Edward M. Hamois
7. David J. Harris
8. E. J. Hendrickson
9. Richard M. Henry
10. Paul B. Higgins
11. George H. Hillman
12. LeRoy Hogate, Jr.
13. Richard F. Howard
14. Alan L. Hubbell
15. Harold Janvrin, Jr.
16. Russell A. Janvrin
17. Ronald E. Johnson
18. W. M. Jordan, Jr.
19. Steven H. Karney
20. R. E. Karoghlanian

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 6 (Richard K. Kaufman-Gerardo A. Mazzenga)

1. Richard K. Kaufman
2. Robert H. Kaufman
3. Brian S. Keegan
4. Edward F. Kieman
5. Rudolph S. Kimball
6. William F. King
7. Peter Krzywicki, Jr.
8. Lawrence E. Kurlansky
9. Edgar L. Land, Jr.
10. J. J. Lanzo, Jr.
11. George T. Law
12. Gerard A. Lemoyne
13. Laurence Levine
14. Joseph J. Lieb
15. Paul M. Lombardi
16. David E. Love
17. Robert F. Macey
18. A. G. Markevicz
19. Wayne Marshall
20. Gerardo A. Mazzenga

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 7 (Hugh McCabe-David J. Pessano)

1. Hugh McCabe
2. John T. McCann
3. David W. McCarty
4. William McDonald
5. A. B. Metz, Jr.
6. Kenneth A. Miller
7. Richard Miller
8. David S. Mitchell
9. Robert M. Moore
10. Thomas R. Morse
11. R. J. Mickerson
12. K. T. Niedt, Jr.
13. Edgar W. Nordberg
14. Ardie G. Orake
15. Andrew W. O’Shea
16. Robert J. Ouellette
17. C. I. Palmeter, Jr.
18. Joseph C. Pastore
19. W. J. Perry, Jr.
20. David J. Pessano

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 8 (Richard Pine-Robert R. Sharon)

1. Richard Pine
2. Allan L. Pollock
3. Joseph B. Popeck
4. Gerald T. Potter
5. P. J. Raiola
6. R. G. Remillaro
7. D. W. Reynolds
8. C. A. Roberts, Jr.
9. Jose A. Rodriguez
10. John S. Rogers
11. P. J. Santacruce
12. Ronald R. Santos
13. Paul J. Samo
14. E. W. Sasso, Jr.
15. Edward F. Schiller
16. E. J. Schmitt, Jr.
17. F. F. Schneider
18. David C. Seaman
19. Andrew J. Sedor
20. Robert R. Sharon

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 9 (Thomas W. Short-Armand E. West)

1. Thomas W. Short
2. Patrick J. Shugroe
3. T. M. Siedlarz, Jr.
4. Walter W. Simpson
5. John W. Snyder
6. Robert J. Sweeney
7. Jon J. Sylvester
8. Donald E. Taylor
9. Allan G. Thibault
10. James W. Thompson
11. R. P. Thompson
12. George B. Thurston
13. F. C. Trump
14. Larry A. Trynor
15. V. P. Ubertini
16. J. W. Van Blarcom
17. K. J. Van Nest
18. William C. Walsh
19. Thomas A. Weed
20. Armand E. West

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 10 (L. T. West, III-M. M. Zipperman)

1. L. T. West, III
2. Joseph D. Wetzel
3. R. M. Wheeler
4. Preston H. Whiting
5. L. B. Wojtkiewicz
6. Henry A. Zajac
7. A. J. Zappulla, Jr.
8. Raymond C. Zdilla
9. M. M. Zipperman

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Title Page, Page 1. Portrait of COL Robert C. Forbes with Badge of the 4th Training Regiment - Nonpareils - Second to None, and a View of Fort Dix. | GGA Image ID # 16c1b14c48

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Leadership, Page 2. Company Officers and Cadre Portrait Photos Included: 1LT Roland Schmucker, 1/SGT Clofford Litts, M/SGT Jose Olivares, SGT Alexander Nicolini, SGT Thomas Sablan, and SGT Francisco Santos. | GGA Image ID # 16c1d3500b

🎖️ Noteworthy Leaders

COL Robert C. Forbes (Regimental Commander) – Senior leader overseeing the 4th Training Regiment; later served in Army Europe during the Cold War.

1LT Roland Schmucker (Company Commander) – A junior officer tasked with preparing nearly 200 men for the demands of Army service.

1SG Clifford Litts (First Sergeant) – The top enlisted leader, maintaining order and discipline within the company.

MSgt Jose Olivares (Senior Training NCO) – A career NCO responsible for guiding drill and instruction, remembered as the backbone of Army training.

Platoon Sergeants Alexander Nicolini, Thomas Sablan, Francisco Santos – Representing the front-line trainers, these sergeants were directly responsible for small-group instruction and discipline.

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 1 (Irving S. Aaron-J. D. Bochicchio, Jr.). | GGA Image ID # 16c1ebc770

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 2 (Warren J. Bow-Clyde A. Clark). | GGA Image ID # 16c2389cfb

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 3 (Gary L. Clow-Donald V. Durkin). | GGA Image ID # 16c2955c2d

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 4 (Robert J. Eager-Carl E. Gruenberg). | GGA Image ID # 16c297fae5

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 5 (John W. Hahn-R. E. Karoghlanian). | GGA Image ID # 16c29ffa53

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 6 (Richard K. Kaufman-Gerardo A. Mazzenga). | GGA Image ID # 16c35e036f

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 7 (Hugh McCabe-David J. Pessano). | GGA Image ID # 16c35e8bb3

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 8 (Richard Pine-Robert R. Sharon). | GGA Image ID # 16c3d018c3

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 9 (Thomas W. Short-Armand E. West). | GGA Image ID # 16c3f2dd5a

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 10 (L. T. West, III-M. M. Zipperman). Includes Two Photos of Army Drill. | GGA Image ID # 16c4084bf8

🌟 Notable Soldiers & Connections

No singularly famous recruits are readily identifiable in this class. However, the timing (1961) makes it historically important:

Many of these men were likely deployed during the early Vietnam advisory years (1961–1964).

The presence of ethnic surnames such as Sablan (Chamorro origin, possibly from Guam), Rodriguez and Santos (Puerto Rican or Latino heritage), and Karoghlanian (Armenian) reflects the Army’s growing diversity.

Soldiers graduating in this year would have been part of the Berlin Crisis mobilization (1961), where Army units were rushed to reinforce Europe after the construction of the Berlin Wall.

Company N 1961 Fort Dix Basic Training Back Cover, Page 13. | GGA Image ID # 16c4a4015c

🖼️ Noteworthy Images

Front Cover (1961 Yearbook) – Stylized design showing the Fort Dix identity tied to the 4th Training Regiment.

Title & Leadership Pages (1–2) – Portraits of commanders and NCOs anchoring the company’s organizational strength.

Recruit Photo Pages (3–12) – Comprehensive photographic record of every graduate, preserving names and faces for history.

Back Cover (Page 13) – A formal conclusion to the yearbook, symbolizing closure of the training cycle.

🎓 Relevance for Key Audiences

Teachers & Students – Provides context for the Cold War, Berlin Crisis, and pre-Vietnam Army.

Genealogists – Identifies 190 recruits with names and photos, filling gaps where official service records may be restricted.

Historians & Military Archives – A primary-source document capturing training structures, leadership, and class composition.

Veterans & Families – Preserves the memory of Fort Dix as one of the most important U.S. Army training hubs of the mid-20th century.

📘 Key to Officer, NCO, and Enlisted Ranks

• COL – Colonel (O-6)
• 1LT – First Lieutenant (O-2)
• 1SG – First Sergeant (E-8)
• MSgt – Master Sergeant (E-8)
• SGT – Sergeant (E-5)

📖 Dictionary of Military Terms & Abbreviations

Training Regiment – Unit responsible for training multiple companies of recruits.

Company Commander – Officer in charge of a company (approx. 150–200 soldiers).

First Sergeant – Senior enlisted soldier of the company; maintains standards and discipline.

Platoon Sergeant – NCO in charge of a platoon (approx. 30–40 soldiers).

Recruit Roster – The official list of all graduating trainees.

🎯 Final Thoughts

The 1961 Fort Dix Yearbook, Company N is a Cold War treasure. With 190 recruits, it represents the soldiers who stood ready during the Berlin Crisis and the early stages of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Its photographs, rosters, and leadership records ensure that this class of soldiers is remembered as part of America’s Army history.

📘 For genealogists, historians, teachers, and veterans, this yearbook serves as both a family keepsake and a bridge between the Korean War generation and the Vietnam era.