Fort Knox 1977 Basic Training Yearbook — Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Training Brigade

Front Cover, Fort Knox Basic Training Yearbook 1977 Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Training Brigade. | GGA Image ID # 16c7a2fadb

🪖 Fort Knox Basic Training Yearbook – Company D (2nd Battalion, 1st Training Brigade) – 1977

📖 Overview

This yearbook documents the journey of 155 recruits who completed basic and armor training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, graduating on 16 September 1977. Led by Captain Barry Shelton Sprouse, Company D reflected the evolving mission of Fort Knox as the Army’s center for Basic Reconnaissance Training and Basic Armor Training, directly tied to Cold War strategy in Europe.

🏛 Organization & Training Schedule

• Unit: 2nd Battalion, 1st Training Brigade
• Commenced: 20 June 1977
• Completed: 16 September 1977
• Special Focus: Basic Reconnaissance & Armor — emphasizing tank warfare, reconnaissance, and mechanized tactics.

🌍 Historical Context

By 1977, the U.S. Army was adapting to:

The end of the draft (1973) and the shift to an all-volunteer force, changing the composition of recruits.

Renewed emphasis on Cold War mechanized readiness, particularly for NATO defense in Europe.

The legacy of Vietnam shaping training methods, but with a decisive pivot toward armor and reconnaissance at Fort Knox.

Roster, portraits, and leadership for Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Training Brigade—155 recruits graduating 16 Sep 1977 under CPT Barry Shelton Sprouse. A resource for veterans, families, and researchers.

Company D 1977 Organization and Schedule

• Organization: 2nd Battalion, 1st Training Brigade
  First Training Brigade - Basic Reconnaissance Training - Basic Armor Training
• Commenced Training: 20 June 1977
• Completed Training: 16 September 1977

Company D 1977 Leadership

• Brigade Commander: COL Thomas E. Williams
• Deputy Command Officer: LTC William K. Bedsole
• Battalion Commander: LTC William V. Hill
• Company Commander: CPT Barry Shelton Sprouse
• XO: 1LT Kenneth R. Roberts
• First Sergeant: 1SGT Nicolas S. Palomares
• First Platoon Sergeant: SFC Basil T. Cook
• Asst. First Platoon Sergeant: SSG James R. Lowe
• Second Platoon Sergeant: SSG Walter Rhoden
• Asst. Second Platoon Sergeant: SGT Richard Rocha III
• Third Platoon Sergeant: SFC Charles Harrell
• Asst. Third Platoon Sergeant: SSG Thomas E. White
• Fourth Platoon Sergeant:  SSG Charles R. Melson
• Asst. Fourth Platoon Sergeant: SSG Rickey Mathes
• Fifth Platoon Sergeant: SFC Kenneth Robbins

• Asst. Fifth Platoon Sergeant: SSG Hilario Rodriquez Ortiz
• Training NCO: SFC Wilbur Dopita

• Supply Sergeant: SSG Freddie Ingram
• Company Clerk: SP/4 James Joye

• Senior Tank Commander: SFC Emmett C. Simpkins
• Tank Commander: SSG Charlie N. Berry
• Tank Commander: SSG Dale L. Chittick
• Tank Commander: SSG Eric Hollmann
• Tank Commander: SSG Robert J. Hurley
• Tank Commander: SSG Talmadge L. Jackson
• Tank Commander: SSG George T. Patterson Jr.
• Tank Commander: SSG Eddie Thomas
• Tank Commander: SGT Dean J. Burke
• Tank Commander: SGT Edwin D. Hegr
• Tank Commander: SGT Timothy H. Symons
• Motor Sergeant: SSG John E. Norfork
• Mechanic: SP/4 William Davis Jr.
• Mechanic: SP/4 Donald R. White                
• Tamms Clerk: PFC Kay B. Chang
• Supply Clerk: PVT Stanley J. Jenkins

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 1 (Kelly Adams-Lyndell Bright).

1. Kelly Adams
2. William Amick
3. Wayne Anderson
4. Artis Appling
5. Odell Archie
6. Douglas Arnold
7. Kenith Baldwin
8. Versal Batesel
9. Lawrence Bateson
10. Lance Bedson
11. Jeffrey Bell
12. Paul Bellerive
13. Richard Bernstein
14. Severo Berrios
15. Frank Bitz
16. Philip Bitz
17. Lloyd Bradley
18. Billy Brewer
19. Gary Brewer
20. Lyndell Bright

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 2 (Billy Brittingham-Mark Ferguson).

1. Billy Brittingham
2. James Burke
3. James Campbell
4. John Chenot
5. Stephen Chipman
6. Gary Coan
7. Michael Carter
8. James Chancellor
9. Charles Colbert 
10. John Collins
11. David Coppola
12. Charles Cross
13. Lawrence Davis
14. David Dees
15. James Dials
16. William Dowling
17. Scott Downing
18. Derrick Dunbar
19. Santiago Esparza        
20. Mark Ferguson

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 3 (Michael Ferguson-David Hergenroder)

1. Michael Ferguson
2. Roderick Fields
3. John Firestone
4. Wesley Floyd
5. Wayne Fox
6. Richard Franks
7. Charles Fuss
8. Kevin Garfield
9. Kenneth George
10. Edward Gillum
11. Frank Ginsbach
12. Glenn Gipp
13. Wallace Givskud
14. Donald Godette
15. Kraig Greenfield
16. Jose Guzman
17. Michael Haney
18. Donald Hargreaves
19. Scott Hayward
20. David Hergenroder

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 4 (Richard Herrmann-Curtis Linehan)

1. Richard Herrmann
2. Larry Hester
3. Terry Hicks
4. Anthony Johnson
5. Billy Johnson
6. Doran Johnson
7. Jerry Holmes
8. Scott Jennings
9. Herbert Johnson
10. Clint Jones
11. Johnnie Julian
12. James Kelly
13. Timothy Kennedy
14. Donald Kercher
15. Robin Koontz
16. Casey Kruger
17. Daniel Kurth
18. David Lewis
19. Norman Limehouse
20. Curtis Linehan

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 5 (William Lyons-Karry Norman)

1. William Lyons
2. Leroy Mack
3. Brett Mahoney
4. Ernest Maldonado
5. Jose Martinez
6. Bryant McClendon
7. Kelvin McCumbers
8. Keith McKee
9. Mark McSwain
10. Thomas Mecke
11. Bevan Miles
12. Douglas Miller
13. James Miller
14. David Milton
15. Milton Mixon
16. Jimmie Moore
17. Steven Morabito
18. Stephen Moyher
19. Richard Nichols
20. Karry Norman

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 6 (Donald Owen-John Scarlett)

1. Donald Owen
2. Joel Panabaker
3. Ronald Parks
4. Scott Patterson
5. Guy Peters
6. Richard Peterson
7. Dennis Phillips
8. Robert Prather
9. Bruce Raffety
10. Calvin Repinski
11. Allan Rich
12. Michael Roberson
13. Wayne Robinson
14. Jaques Rodrigues
15. Milton Rose
16. Thomas Rose
17. Stephen Ryder
18. Kenneth Salyers
19. Michael Sayers
20. John Scarlett

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 7 (Lorents Schenk-Rodger Treat)

1. Lorents Schenk
2. Robert Schott
3. James Shull
4. Kevin Simonson
5. Duncan Screetch
6. Lodes Sherrin
7. David Shinn
8. Erminio Sisneros
9. Neil Smith
10. Ronald Smith
11. Thomas Smith
12. Kenneth Snyder     
13. John Stephens
14. Norman Stubblefield
15. Donald Tabor
16. John Tarlton 
17. Tony Tattrie
18. Larry Tatum
19. Perver Taylor
20. Rodger Treat

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 8 (Barry Watts-Ricky Wright plus James Hayward)

1. Barry Watts
2. Reginald Weaver
3. James Weekley
4. Oscar West
5. James Whitburn
6. James White
7. Robert Whiting
8. Arthur Williams
9. James Williams
10. Leonel Wood
11. Laurence Woods
12. Roy Woods
13. Clifford Wright
14. Ricky Wright
15. James Hayward

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Leadership, Page 1. First Training Brigade - Basic Reconnaissance Training - Basic Armor Training. Portrait Photos Include COL Thomas E. Williams, LTC William K. Bedsole, LTC William V. Hill, CPT Barry Shelton Sprouse, and 1LT Kenneth R. Roberts. | GGA Image ID # 16c7b29300. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Leadership, Page 2. Portrait Photos Include 1SGT Nicolas S. Palomares, SFC Basil T. Cook, SSG James R. Lowe, SSG Walter Rhoden, SGT Richard Rocha III, SFC Charles Harrell, SSG Thomas E. White, SSG Charles R. Melson, SSG Rickey Mathes, and SFC Kenneth Robbins. | GGA Image ID # 16c7d7a0b5. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Leadership, Page 3. Portrait Photos Include SSG Hilario Rodriquez Ortiz, SFC Wilbur Dopita, SSG Freddie Ingram, SP4 James Joye, SFC Emmett C. Simpkins, SSG Charlie N. Berry, SSG Dale L. Chittick, SSG Eric Holimann, SSG Robert J. Hurley, and SSG Talmadge L. Jackson. | GGA Image ID # 16c7f0c5ae. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Leadership, Page 4. Portrait Photos Include SSG George T. Patterson, Jr., SSG Eddie Thomas, SGT Dean J. Burke, SGT Edwin D. Hegr, SGT Timothy H. Symons, SSG John E. Norfolk, SP4 William Davis, Jr., PFC Kay B. Chang, and PVT Stanley J. Jenkins. | GGA Image ID # 16c8589592. Click to View a Larger Image.

🎖 Leadership

• Brigade Commander: COL Thomas E. Williams
• Deputy Command Officer: LTC William K. Bedsole
• Battalion Commander: LTC William V. Hill
• Company Commander: CPT Barry Shelton Sprouse
• XO: 1LT Kenneth R. Roberts
• First Sergeant: 1SGT Nicolas S. Palomares

Additional cadre included multiple platoon sergeants, assistant platoon sergeants, and — uniquely — a large team of Tank Commanders and armor specialists, underscoring the armored training mission of Fort Knox.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 1 (Kelly Adams-Lyndell Bright). | GGA Image ID # 16c88bc51d. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 2 (Billy Brittingham-Mark Ferguson). | GGA Image ID # 16c8edac85. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 4 (Richard Herrmann-Curtis Linehan). | GGA Image ID # 16c9c099ca. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 5 (William Lyons-Karry Norman). | GGA Image ID # 16c9d17bd9. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 6 (Donald Owen-John Scarlett). | GGA Image ID # 16ca133bc1. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 7 (Lorents Schenk-Rodger Treat). | GGA Image ID # 16ca1ad914. Click to View a Larger Image.

Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 8 (Barry Watts-Ricky Wright plus James Hayward). Includes Three Uncaptioned Training Photos. | GGA Image ID # 16ca4b9f53. Click to View a Larger Image.

👥 Recruit Roster

The roster includes 155 recruits from across the U.S., with a noticeable mix of names reflecting the Army’s post-draft diversity. Hispanic surnames (e.g., Guzman, Martinez, Maldonado), alongside European and Anglo-American names, show how the all-volunteer force (post-1973) was drawing from varied communities.

Back Cover, Company D-2-1 1977 Fort Knox Basic Training. | GGA Image ID # 16ca5186b7

📸 Noteworthy Images

Leadership Portraits (Pages 1–4): Formal officer and NCO photographs, showcasing a structured chain of command.

Recruit Pages (5–12): Individual portraits of the graduating class, highlighting both diversity and camaraderie.

Back Cover (Page 13): A closing piece marking the company’s identity within the Fort Knox training tradition.

📌 Why This Yearbook Matters

The 1977 Fort Knox Company D yearbook captures a transitional moment:

The Army modernizing its training structure and armored doctrine.

The growing professionalization of soldiers in the post-Vietnam era.

The evolution from mass draft armies of the 1960s to the more specialized, technology-driven volunteer force of the late 1970s.

⚑ Provenance: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives (GG Archives)