Fort Dix 1971–72 U.S. Army Basic Training Yearbook – Company E, 1st Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade

Front Cover, Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook 1971 Company E, 1st Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade. | GGA Image ID # 231803b490

📖 Review & Summary – Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook 1971, Company E

⭐ Introduction

The 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook documents 196 recruits from Company E, 1st Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade, who began training in December 1971 and graduated on 26 February 1972. Commanded by Captain Michael W. Jacobs, this cycle of recruits trained at a critical juncture in U.S. military history—just as the Vietnam War was beginning to wind down under “Vietnamization” policies, but when the draft still influenced Army enlistments.

This yearbook offers an intimate view of the Army’s training system during the early 1970s: a transitional moment between a draft-based and volunteer Army.

🏅 Engaging Content Highlights

Vietnam War Context

Training spanned the winter of 1971–1972, during one of the last large-scale draft intakes. Many of these recruits likely served in support or advisory capacities in Vietnam before the war’s conclusion in 1975.

Detailed Leadership Representation

The leadership lineup—from COL C.M. Watters (Brigade Commander) down to drill sergeants and guidon bearers—demonstrates the Army’s strong emphasis on layered command and NCO authority.

Diversity in Recruits

The roster includes names such as Jose Bermudez, Carlos Borrero, Jose Cepeda, Felix Nieves, Hector Ortiz, Ramon Pujol, Toomas Rohtla—highlighting Latino, European, and immigrant representation. This reflects the Army’s role as a unifying institution for young men of many backgrounds.

Photographic Richness

The yearbook features nine full pages of recruit portraits, ensuring a nearly complete visual record of the graduating class.

Unique Annotations

This volume includes a note about two unidentified recruits and four not pictured, a rare transparency that acknowledges the inevitable gaps in archival photography.

Explore the 1971–72 Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook for Company E, 1st Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade. Includes rosters, photos, and leadership profiles of 196 recruits graduating in February 1972 during the final years of the Vietnam War draft. An invaluable resource for genealogists, veterans, historians, and military archives.

Company E 1971 Organization and Schedule

• Organization: 1st Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade
• Commenced Training: December 1971
• Completed Training: 26 February 1972

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 1 (James Alcott-Thomas Cleary)

1. James Alcott
2. Frederick Allen
3. James Anderson
4. Merlin Anderson
5. Charles Ash
6. Russell Bagg
7. Stephen Bagley
8. Robert Bazyk
9. Howard Beall
10. Roger Bell
11. Mark Bentz
12. Jose Bermudez
13. Clifford Billings
14. Anthony Boodram
15. Carlos Borrero
16. Thomas Brown
17. Antimo Bruno
18. Lewis Bryant
19. Wayne Burbach
20. Wayne Burnett
21. Bernard Burroughs
22. Stephen Cabral
23. Ronald Campbell
24. Ildage Campbell
25. Jeffrey Canada
26. Patrick Carney
27. Jose Cepeda
28. James Chirumbolo
29. Charles Christopher
30. Thomas Cleary

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 2 (Robert Conley-Robert Gilmet)

1. Robert Conley
2. Donald Conners
3. Samuel Comick
4. James Curry
5. Bradley Cutter
6. Alvin Dares
7. Herbert Davis
8. Paul Davis
9. Ronald Davis
10. Robert Dawkins
11. William Deale
12. Ronald DenBesten
13. Aubrey Diggs
14. Michael Donnelly
15. Timothy Donovan
16. Evan Doster
17. Raymond Dunford
18. Edward Einhorn
19. David Ennis
20. Robert Enos
21. Rocque Ern
22. Eric Fisher
23. John Flanagan
24. Gary Folts
25. Robert Foote
26. Stephen Gabbert
27. George Gattis
28. William Gemmell
29. Olive George
30. Robert Gilmet

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 3 (Eugene Glascoe-Joseph Laundry)

1. Eugene Glascoe
2. Gene Goodspeed
3. Richard Greene
4. Terry Groom
5. Thomas Gue
6. Jeffrey Gulick
7. Rex Hansen
8. Harold Hargrove
9. Barnett Harper
10. Wesley Hayes
11. Donald Himsel
12. John Hofmann
13. James Horan
14. Lester Horvath
15. Telfair Houston
16. Franklin Howe
17. Thomas Hunt
18. A. Hutchinson
19. Joseph Jankunis
20. Elroy Johnson
21. Howard Johnson
22. Walter Kaminski
23. David Kemp
24. Donnie King
25. Paul Kirk
26. Alfred Labuz
27. R. Landskroener
28. Michael Langley
29. Gilles Laroche
30. Joseph Laundry

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 4 (William Lebron-Dale Nichols)

1. William Lebron
2. Randall Lebsock
3. Michael Lewis
4. Gary Lipinski
5. T. J. Lustenberger
6. Bernard Lyons
7. Robert McBride
8. John McGowan
9. John McMahon
10. L. H. MacDonald
11. William Madore
12. Gaetano Magarelli
13. Charles Mainon
14. C. Maistros
15. Joseph Malinowski
16. Frederick Malizia
17. James Marsden
18. Richard Marston
19. Joseph Martin
20. James Marvin
21. Andrew Menniti
22. Jay Meyer
23. Melvin Miller
24. James Minty
25. Dennis Mold
26. A. Morangelli
27. William Muller
28. Howard Myers
29. Sewdial Narain
30. Dale Nichols

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 5 (Edward Nicholson-Alan Roth)

1. Edward Nicholson
2. Winston Nicholson
3. Felix Nieves
4. Michael O'Connor
5. John Orr
6. Hector Ortiz
7. Richard Pahucki
8. Robert Parker
9. Jeffrey Pawlak
10. Daniel Peek
11. Ronald Pennie
12. Russell Pflieger
13. Samuel Piazza
14. Marco Poletto
15. Peter Polmonari
16. Joseph Pontifice
17. Gregory Price
18. William Price
19. Ramon Pujol
20. Spencer Purdum
21. Joseph Puzo
22. Robert Qualley
23. Herman Quay
24. Michael Quigley
25. Randy Radford
26. William Reese
27. David Repici
28. Ronald Rivas
29. Toomas Rohtla
30. Alan Roth

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 6 (Lawe Rudelich-Paul Wagner)

1. Lawe Rudelich
2. Narine Sahadeo
3. Gerald Schick
4. Gerald Schmitz
5. Stanley Schmitz
6. Thomas Schofield
7. S. L. Schrecengost
8. Malcolm Schroen
9. David Selby
10. Sheldon Shearer
11. Neal Shulman
12. Jonathan Singleton
13. John Smallwood
14. Kenneth Smith
15. Roy Souza
16. Robert Spicer
17. August Spinner
18. Ralph Stewart
19. W. Supernault
20. Richard Sweeney
21. Jules Tartar
22. John Terhune
23. Henry Thoma
24. Anthony Thomas
25. Rodney Toliver
26. John Toomey
27. Thomas Torrillo
28. Robert Triller
29. Anthony Vittorio
30. Paul Wagner

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 7 (Robert Warnick-Eric Young)

1. Robert Warnick
2. John Watson
3. Bruce Wawro
4. Everett White
5. James White
6. Robert Wierzalis
7. Richard Williamee
8. Jay Wilson
9. D. Wolsteipholm
10. Eric Young

NO IDENTIFICATION

1. Unidentified Recruit
2. Unidentified Recruit

NOT PICTURED

1. John Craig
2. Christopher Lee
3. Kim Lehman
4. Michael Madigan

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Leadership, Page 1. Portrait Photo of COL C. M. Watters. Includes Badge "Proud Rifles 2d Brigade," and View of Fort Dix. | GGA Image ID # 16f6a6c7dc

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Leadership, Page 2. Company Officers and Cadre Portrait Photos Included: 2LT Lloyd B. Conley, 1SG Wilfred S Beckles, PSG Walter E. Steward, PSG James J. Hippy, PSG Kenneth W. Copeland, SSG Roy E. Lorrow, SGT Ronald A. Connors, and SGT Ralph R. Williams. | GGA Image ID # 16f6c67631

🎖️ Noteworthy Leaders

COL C.M. Watters (Brigade Commander) – Directed the training brigade during a pivotal era when the Army was adjusting to political and cultural changes linked to the Vietnam War.

CPT Michael W. Jacobs (Company Commander) – Responsible for the daily discipline, training, and welfare of nearly 200 recruits.

1SG Wilfred S. Beckles (First Sergeant) – A key enlisted leader, ensuring standards and cohesion within the company.

2LT Lloyd B. Conley (Training Officer) – Junior officer responsible for training oversight, drills, and classroom instruction.

PSGs Walter E. Steward, James J. Shippy, Kenneth W. Copeland – Platoon Sergeants who directly shaped the recruit experience.

SGT Ralph R. Williams (Guidon Bearer) – A symbolic and practical leadership position, carrying the company flag during ceremonies.

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 1 (James Alcott-Thomas Cleary). | GGA Image ID # 16f6db0c5c

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 2 (Robert Conley-Robert Gilmet). | GGA Image ID # 16f6e00f75

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 3 (Eugene Glascoe-Joseph Laundry). | GGA Image ID # 16f76ab7f0

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 4 (William Lebron-Dale Nichols). | GGA Image ID # 16f771ef14

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 5 (Edward Nicholson-Alan Roth). | GGA Image ID # 16f7c61ae4

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 6 (Lawe Rudelich-Paul Wagner). | GGA Image ID # 16f7f19a54

Company E 1971 Fort Dix Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 7 (Robert Warnick-Eric Young). Six Photos from M-16 Rifle Class Included. | GGA Image ID # 16f822ff3b

🌟 Notable Soldiers & Connections

While no nationally famous individuals are readily identifiable, the timing of graduation (February 1972) makes this group notable. Many of these soldiers entered service just as U.S. ground combat operations were declining but still participated in the final years of the Vietnam War.

The presence of recruits with surnames like Nieves, Ortiz, Pujol, Sahadeo, Narain, Narine, Rohtla highlights ethnic diversity and the Army’s role as a bridge for immigrant and minority communities.

A few surnames (Kaminski, Malinowski, Lipinski, Horvath, Rohtla) reflect Eastern European heritage, with some likely being second-generation Americans during the Cold War.

🖼️ Noteworthy Images

Front Cover (1971 Yearbook) – Featuring the Fort Dix emblem and Company E designation.

Leadership Pages (1–2) – Portraits of company and brigade leaders, drill sergeants, and platoon sergeants.

Recruit Portrait Pages (3–9) – Extensive photographs of the graduating soldiers, preserving their names and faces.

🎓 Relevance for Key Audiences

Teachers & Students – Provides a primary source for studying Vietnam-era Army culture and the draft system in its final years.

Genealogists – Documents 196 recruits by name and photo, making it a vital reference for family military history.

Historians & Military Archives – Preserves insights into the Army’s transitional moment from a draft-based to volunteer force.

Veterans & Families – Acts as a time capsule, reconnecting individuals with their training period and comrades.

📘 Key to Officer, NCO, and Enlisted Ranks

• COL – Colonel (O-6)
• CPT – Captain (O-3)
• 2LT – Second Lieutenant (O-1)
• 1SG – First Sergeant (E-8)
• PSG – Platoon Sergeant (E-7/E-6 depending on assignment)
• SSG – Staff Sergeant (E-6)
• SGT – Sergeant (E-5)

📖 Dictionary of Military Terms & Abbreviations

Guidon – A small flag representing the company, carried during drills and ceremonies.

Platoon Sergeant (PSG) – Senior NCO in charge of a platoon (30–40 recruits).

First Sergeant (1SG) – The company’s senior enlisted leader, responsible for administration, training, and discipline.

Training Brigade – The higher-level organization overseeing multiple battalions and companies at Fort Dix.

🎯 Final Thoughts

The 1971–72 Fort Dix Yearbook, Company E captures a generation of soldiers caught between the draft and volunteer eras. With 196 names and portraits, it is both a genealogical treasure and a historical record of the Army during the twilight of the Vietnam War.

📘 For educators, researchers, veterans, and families, it serves as a touchstone of military history, ensuring these soldiers’ service is remembered.