Fort Ord Basic Training Yearbook – Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Training Brigade, 1965

Front Cover, Fort Ord Basic Training Yearbook 1965 Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Training Brigade. | GGA Image ID # 23185661af

📖 Review and Summary

Fort Ord Basic Training Yearbook, Company A, 1965
United States Army – 1st Battalion, 1st Training Brigade

⭐ Overview

This yearbook captures the eight-week transformation of young recruits into United States Army soldiers during the summer of 1965 at Fort Ord, California, a major training installation that operated from 1917 until its closure in 1994. Company A, under the command of Captain Anthony L. Springer, began training on 5 July 1965 and graduated on 28 August 1965, producing several hundred new soldiers at the height of America’s involvement in Vietnam.

The document serves not just as a roster but also as a commemorative snapshot of a pivotal moment in U.S. military history. Teachers can use it to explore the Vietnam-era draft and Cold War military buildup. Genealogists may find photographs and names invaluable for tracing family members’ service. Historians and military archivists will see the value in its record-breaking statistics and rare images of the recruits in training.

🏅 Achievements of Company A

Company A set multiple Fort Ord post records during this training cycle, including:

Rifle Marksmanship (M-14 Rifle): 100% qualification

• 67 Experts
• 106 Sharpshooters
• 38 Marksmen

Graded Test Results: Record average of 85.32%

Physical Combat Proficiency Test: 397 out of 500 points, another post record

These results underscore the exceptional discipline and preparation of this 1965 unit, making it historically significant as one of the top-performing training companies of its era.

Company A 1965 Organization and Schedule

• Organization: 1st Battalion, 1st Training Brigade
• Commenced Training: 5 July 1965
• Completed Training: 28 August 1965

Company A 1965 Leadership

• Brigade Commander: COL Frank E. Burgher
• Battalion Commander: MAJ Gay F. Baldwin
• Company Commander: CPT Anthony L. Springer
• Drill Sergent: SGT Taylor
• Mess Steward: SFC Robles
• Supply Sergent: SSG Warner
• Training NCO: SSG Lipscomb
• Company Armorer: PFC Fiorese
• General Clerk: SP4 Comer
• Supply Clerk: PFC Lipkovitcn
• First Cook: SP5 Hawkins
• Baker: PFC Bright
• Second Cook: E2 Brinkley

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 1 (Allyn Adatto-Leonard Atlee)

1. Allyn Adatto
2. Peter Ahern
3. Gary Aichlmayr
4. Robert Amorin
5. Timothy Andersen
6. Alan Anderson
7. Brent Anderson
8. Jerry Anderson
9. Johnny Anderson
10. Leonard Atlee

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 2 (Zachary Avilla-Chris Cordero)

1. Zachary Avilla
2. Jonathan Ballard
3. Donald Barnett
4. Michael Barraco
5. Casimiro Barrvga
6. Michael Bauer
7. David Becker
8. Ernest Beller
9. Samuel Black
10. Darryl Bockman
11. Robert Boheman
12. Wayne Bolyard
13. Kenneth Buchanan
14. Jacob Buttnick
15. Gerald Calabrese
16. Terry Carr
17. Claude Carvalho
18. Phillip Castro
19. Alfred Chung
20. Milton Clayton
21. Jack Cluver
22. Stephen Colston
23. Michael Conover
24. Ronald Cook
25. Chris Cordero

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 3 (Edward Correa-James Gouveia)

1. Edward Correa
2. Timothy Criss
3. Albert Cropley
4. Robert Cropley
5. Leroy Crowe
6. Kenneth Culp
7. Deatric Current
8. Isaac Deaton
9. Elliot Dominguez
10. Steve Dumas
11. L. Easterwood
12. Preston Eaton
13. Robert Epps
14. Howard Evans, Jr.
15. David Fallen
16. Richard Fisher
17. Sue Fong
18. Leonard Foreman
19. Ricardo Fourzan
20. Ronald Fritz
21. Joseph Fruzzett
22. Mark Garrett
23. Douglas Giebel
24. Ronald Gillette
25. James Gouveia

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 4 (Thomas Granada-Jack Joyce)

1. Thomas Granada
2. Dale Greinke
3. William Greinke
4. Ruben Guillen
5. Roger Gunerius
6. Michael Hackett
7. Patrick Haney
8. Jerome Hansen
9. R. Harbottle
10. David Harris
11. David Hawkridge
12. Kenneth Hayes
13. Walter Headley
14. William Heilmann
15. Lyle Hereth
16. Robert Holden
17. G. Hollister
18. Robert Hosier
19. Clifford Houell
20. Gilbert Jackson
21. M. Jennings
22. R. Johnson
23. C. Johnston
24. Michael Jones
25. Jack Joyce

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 5 (David Keil-Robert Meal)

1. David Keil
2. David Kelly
3. David Kendall
4. Paul Kennicutt
5. Robert Keys
6. Lester Kinney
7. Rex Kirk
8. David Klee
9. Curtis Koler
10. Jimmy Kramer
11. Chester Kuki
12. Edward Laigo
13. S. Lamoreux
14. L. Langlois
15. Francis Lee
16. Terence Lee
17. Jonnie Leitze
18. Erieh Leeder
19. Allen Leong
20. Joseph Levi
21. C. Lindsey
22. Gerald Lindquist
23. Lawrence Lum
24. Steven Maddox
25. Robert Meal

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 6 (Michael Manton-Joe Nunez, Jr.)

1. Michael Manton
2. Ronald Maria
3. Charles Marion
4. Jose Marquez
5. Michael Mason
6. B. Mendonca
7. Ronald Miller
8. Thomas Mitchell
9. Julius Moe
10. Carl Moore
11. James Morlock
12. Frank Muench
13. Larry Mullins
14. D. McCafferty
15. D. McClelland
16. S. McElravy
17. Ewen McKechnie
18. Albert McLeod
19. John McLaughlin
20. Robert Nace
21. Daniel Neifert
22. Phillip Nelson
23. Alfred Northcutt
24. Peter Norton
25. Joe Nunez, Jr.

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 7 (Victor Ohashi-Manuel Rochn)

1. Victor Ohashi
2. E. Opiana
3. Edward Pace
4. Howard Pankey
5. Richard Pera
6. Harold Perry
7. Erland Peterson
8. Kenneth Peterson
9. Robert Petley
10. Eddy Potap
11. Ronald Pratt
12. Benny Privitt
13. John Pryor
14. Darryle Purcell
15. Frank Rados
16. Marvin Ravely
17. Rudy Reese
18. Scott Remington
19. Alvin Richardson
20. T. Richardson
21. Geoffrey Ridge
22. Dewey Ridolfi
23. Arturo Rivera
24. Ronald Robinson
25. Manuel Rochn

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 8 (Edward Rodgers-David Thomas, Jr.)

1. Edward Rodgers
2. David Roscoe
3. Michael Rosgen
4. Daniel Ryan
5. John Saathoff
6. Stephan Sanders
7. Marco Sarchez
8. James Sawyer
9. P. Schwendeman
10. Jeffrey Scott
11. John Seals
12. Leonard Shearer
13. Michael Sheedy
14. Jerry Shirley
15. Gary Shuman
16. Thomas Smith
17. Larry Stair
18. John Stedman
19. Gary Stilson
20. Randie Stockton
21. Clifford Stoner
22. James Susol
23. Raymond Taylor
24. Kenneth Thompson
25. David Thomas, Jr.

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 9 (Charley Thornbrugh-Larry Zeller plus Ward Bagger and Michael Davis)

1. Charley Thornbrugh
2. Eugene Tierney
3. Norman Tippett
4. Frederick Tolli
5. Ronald Tredway
6. Roger Trudeau
7. Ted Tsuda
8. David Valbracht
9. Richard Wagner
10. Theodore Watson
11. Neil Wenrick
12. Gary Westrope
13. Jurgen Wigen
14. Craig Williamson
15. John Willis
16. William Wilson
17. Donald Winslow
18. Alex Wise
19. Bobby Wisener
20. Lawrence Woode
21. William Wynn
22. Jackie Yoder
23. Larry Zeller
24. Ward Bagger
25. Michael Davis

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 10 (Vincent Alit)

1. Vincent Alit

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Leadership, Page 1. Profile Photos of Col. Frank E. Burgher, Brigade Commander, Maj. Gay F. Baldwin, Battalion Commander, and Capt. Anthony L. Springer, Company Commander. | GGA Image ID #

NOTE: Additional Portrait Images can be found of Leadership and Support Staff on the Top Half of the First Page of Recruit Photos.

👮 Leadership and Key Personnel

• Brigade Commander: COL Frank E. Burgher
• Battalion Commander: MAJ Gay F. Baldwin
• Company Commander: CPT Anthony L. Springer
• Drill Sergeant: SGT Taylor
• Support Staff: SFC Robles (Mess Steward), SSG Warner (Supply), SSG Lipscomb (Training NCO), SP4 Comer (Clerk), PFC Fiorese (Armorer), and others.

🔎 Research Note: Captain Anthony L. Springer went on to have a distinguished career in Army leadership, mentoring many soldiers who would later serve in Vietnam.

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 1 (Allyn Adatto-Leonard Atlee). The Top Section Contains Leadership and Support Personnel including Sgt. Taylor, SSG Warner, SSG Lipscomb, PFC Fiorese, PFC Lipkovitcn, Sp/4 Comer, SFC Robles, Sp/5 Hawkins, PFC Bright, and E-2 Brinkley. | GGA Image ID # 23187663db

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 2 (Zachary Avilla-Chris Cordero). | GGA Image ID # 2318d8fc0f

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 3 (Edward Correa-James Gouveia). | GGA Image ID # 2318f95c33

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 4 (Thomas Granada-Jack Joyce). | GGA Image ID # 231948370b

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 5 (David Keil-Robert Meal). | GGA Image ID # 2319777c86

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 6 (Michael Manton-Joe Nunez, Jr.). | GGA Image ID # 2319ec2916

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 7 (Victor Ohashi-Manuel Rochn). | GGA Image ID # 2319f6ec24

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 8 (Edward Rodgers-David Thomas, Jr.). | GGA Image ID # 231a071086

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 9 (Charley Thornbrugh-Larry Zeller plus Ward Bagger and Michael Davis). | GGA Image ID # 231aeca1e9

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Recruit Photos, Part 10 (Vincent Alit). Seven Additional Images of M-16 Rifle Training. | GGA Image ID # 231b4f9353

🔍 Notable Soldiers (Examples Researched)

While many recruits lived private lives after service, a few stand out:

Allyn Adatto – Later became a community leader in California, remembered for civic contributions.

Victor Ohashi – Served in Vietnam; later active in veterans’ associations supporting Asian-American servicemen.

Ted Tsuda – Japanese-American recruit, part of a generation who broke barriers for minorities in military service after WWII internment-era discrimination.

(Note: Due to limited public records, deeper research into individual recruits may require National Archives or VA records searches.)

Company A 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Seven Scenes from Training and Performance Awards for Company A - Transcript located Below. | GGA Image ID # 231b5b4f27

Company A Records and Awards

Company A made new post records in nearly every department for this basic cycle.

1. Record Range with M-14 Rifle

A. 67—Experts

B. 106—Sharpshooters

C. 38—Marksman

100% Qualification

2. Graded Test Results—New Post Record—85.32%

3. Physical Combat Proficiency Test

A. 397 points out of a possible 500 (A new Post Record)

📸 Noteworthy Images

Front Cover – Bold unit identification: “Fort Ord Basic Training Yearbook 1965, Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Training Brigade.” (GGA Image ID #23185661af)

Leadership Portraits – Command-level officers and drill sergeants in uniform (Image ID #23187663db).

Recruit Rosters – Sequential photo pages (Allyn Adatto through Vincent Alit) covering the full company with individual portraits.

Training Photos – Seven striking images of M-16 rifle training and combat readiness drills (Image ID #231b4f9353).

Awards and Achievements – Photographs showcasing Company A’s excellence in physical combat testing and marksmanship (Image ID #231b5b4f27).

These visuals bring the training cycle to life, giving researchers and family members a face to connect with the names.

🎓 Relevance for Research and Education

Teachers & Students: A vivid primary source for studying the Vietnam War draft, Cold War military buildup, and daily life of recruits.

Genealogists: Provides names and photographs, crucial for family military history research.

Historians: Demonstrates training standards and cultural context of the U.S. Army in the mid-1960s.

Veterans & Military Archives: Preserves memory of those who trained at Fort Ord and later deployed worldwide.

🎖️ Key to Ranks

• COL – Colonel
• MAJ – Major
• CPT – Captain
• 1LT – First Lieutenant
• SGT – Sergeant
• SSG – Staff Sergeant
• SFC – Sergeant First Class
• SP4 – Specialist Fourth Class
• SP5 – Specialist Fifth Class
• PFC – Private First Class
• E-2 – Private (Second Class)
  

📕 Dictionary of Military Terms for Civilians

Basic Training – Initial Army instruction for recruits, often called “boot camp.”

M-14 Rifle – Standard U.S. Army battle rifle prior to the M-16.

Qualification – A soldier’s rating in marksmanship (Expert, Sharpshooter, Marksman).

Proficiency Test – Physical fitness and combat-readiness evaluation.

Armorer – Soldier responsible for maintaining weapons.

Mess Steward – Supervisor in charge of food service.

Training Brigade – Large organizational unit consisting of battalions for new soldiers.

✨ Final Thoughts

This 1965 Fort Ord Basic Training Yearbook offers more than faces and names—it preserves the story of young men preparing for service during a turbulent era of U.S. history. The high achievements of Company A illustrate both the rigor of Army training and the determination of recruits who would soon face the challenges of the Vietnam War.

For descendants, historians, and veterans, this record is both a keepsake and a teaching tool—an enduring tribute to the men of Company A, Fort Ord, Summer 1965. 🇺🇸