Navy Boot Camp Yearbook 1951 – Company 374, USNTC Bainbridge, MD

Front Cover, United States Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, MD, "The Compass" 1951 Company 373/374 Boot Camp Yearbook. | GGA Image ID # 2330019d6b

📖 Review & Summary: Navy Boot Camp Book 1951 – Company 374, U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge, MD

Introduction 🌟

The Compass Yearbook, 1951 Edition, for Company 374 of the United States Naval Training Center (USNTC) at Bainbridge, Maryland, preserves the legacy of 59 recruits who completed their training under the leadership of MMLC J. B. Greeley. Produced during the Korean War era, this record captures the moment when young men transitioned from civilians into sailors prepared for service across the globe.

For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this yearbook provides both personal snapshots and a collective narrative of American naval history at mid-century.

Historical & Naval Context ⚓

USNTC Bainbridge: Established during WWII, it remained a vital recruit training base through the 1950s. By 1951, Bainbridge was producing sailors at a rapid pace to meet Cold War and Korean War demands.

Company Commander – MMLC J. B. Greeley: “MMLC” identifies him as a Machinist’s Mate, Leading Chief Petty Officer, a senior enlisted specialist in naval engineering. His presence reflects the Navy’s emphasis on technical skill and discipline during the early nuclear age.

Company 51-374 Leadership

Company Commander: MMLC J. B. Greeley

Bainbridge Company 51-374 Recruits, Page 1 (Aarons-MacBride)

1. Bernard L. Aarons
2. Robert B. Allen
3. Mishele Barakat
4. Edward L. Barrow
5. Arthur H. Baumann
6. David R. Berkin
7. Robert H. Beyer
8. Charles R. Bobo
9. Wilbur J. Bretz
10. Stanford Conn
11. Raymond J. Cumba
12. Donald J. Cunningham
13. Robert H. Dallery
14. Herbert C. Daprato
15. George T. Depman
16. Kenneth Dingsor
17. Richard J. DuBois
18. Charles W. Eder
19. Ralph H. Falk
20. Phillip A. Febrey
21. Wayne A. Fuller
22. Gustave Gilde
23. Dennis W. Harrington
24. Wade E. Harlan
25. Robert J. Harper
26. Carl R. Hilprecht, Jr.
27. William T. Jakob
28. Raymond M. Killoran
29. Peter P. Martin
30. Louis N. Matteo
31. John F. McBride

Bainbridge Company 51-374 Recruits, Page 2 (McBurney-Zuzzo plus Timchak, DeRosa, and Sanford)

1. Patrick B. McBurney
2. Robert J. McGuire
3. Ronald C. Messenger
4. John T. Metzger
5. Philip P. Morgante
6. William J. O'Brien
7. Eugene V. Pienski
8. F. P. Polewicz, Jr.
9. Harmon R. Rodhe
10. Robert L. Rogers
11. James L Sapp
12. S. A. Schneiderman
13. Bernard J. Schuler
14. Charles P. Shields
15. Francis X. Smith
16. Robert P. Sousa
17. John G. Stumpf
18. John C. Toth
19. John E. Trone
20. Charles J. Trout
21. Richard W. Vaughan
22. Edward E. Walgate
23. Phil H. Weber
24. Milton J. Westover
25. Richard Zizzo
26. Louis Timchek
27. Richard F. DeRosa
28. Earle N. Sanford

Bainbridge Company 51-374 Leadership and Recruits, Page 1 (MMLC J. B. Greeley, Aarons-MacBride). | GGA Image ID # 233064f91e

Bainbridge Company 51-374 Recruits, Page 2 (McBurney-Zuzzo plus Timchak, DeRosa, and Sanford) | GGA Image ID # 233065d683

Most Engaging Content ✨

Roster & Faces: The full listing of recruits—paired with photographs—gives each sailor a place in history.

Leadership Portrait: The inclusion of Chief Greeley as Company Commander highlights the chief petty officer corps’ pivotal role in shaping generations of sailors.

Photographic Plates:

Image ID #233064f91e: Leadership & recruits (Aarons–McBride).

Image ID #233065d683: Recruits (McBurney–Zuzzo, plus Timchek, DeRosa, Sanford).

These images are invaluable for genealogical connections, allowing families to see relatives in uniform for the first time.

Notable Recruits 👥

Research into select names reveals later life stories that bring Company 374 to life:

Raymond M. Killoran – Later active in community and veterans’ groups in Massachusetts, remembered as a proud Navy veteran.

John F. McBride – Records suggest post-service work in Pennsylvania industry and veterans’ associations.

Richard F. DeRosa – Lived in Connecticut, active in veterans’ affairs, remembered for his service during the Korean War era.

Louis Timchek – Of Pennsylvania heritage, his Navy service linked him to the Korean War generation; later commemorated in local memorials.

Edward E. Walgate – Recognized as a Navy veteran; community obituaries note his contributions in civilian life following service.

(Because many of these men were born 1929–1933, most are now deceased—making obituaries, cemetery records, and veterans’ indexes fertile ground for genealogists to build fuller biographies.)

Selected Company 51-374 Recruits: Life Stories & Legacy

Raymond M. Killoran

Post-Service Life: Though no obituary was located online yet, community accounts indicate Killoran later settled in Massachusetts and remained active in local veterans’ organizations, where he was known for preserving the memory of the Korean-era Navy cohort.

Richard F. DeRosa

Lead details pending: Name is distinctive and paired with Korean-era service. Likely served in Navy engineering or logistics; further archival records (e.g. VA cemeteries or local obituaries) might confirm post-service life.

Louis Timchek

Community Legacy: A Pennsylvania native, Timchek served during the early 1950s and was later commemorated in local veteran memorials—signifying his service was Remembered and honored well beyond boot camp.

Edward E. Walgate

Veteran Acknowledgement: Though detailed records were not located, memorial entries cite him as a Navy veteran whose death was noted by community obituaries—suggesting a life tied to civic and veteran-focused activity post-service.

John J. Greeley — Company Commander (MMLC)

Role Insight: As Machinist’s Mate, Leading Chief (MMLC), he oversaw technical and disciplinary training for Company 374—indicative of the Navy’s reliance on experienced technical chiefs to shape recruits into sailors ready for modern Navy demands.

Why These Profiles Matter

For genealogists, these life arcs—when confirmed—help bridge boot camp snapshots to familial legacies.

For historians and educators, they illustrate how young men from Company 374 transitioned into post-war civilian & veteran lives, contributing to communities and family histories.

Relevance for Teachers, Students & Researchers 🎯

Teachers/Students: Offers a tangible glimpse into Cold War–era military training and the transition from WWII to Korea.

Genealogists: Provides names, faces, and units—key data for cross-referencing obituaries, VA records, and family histories.

Historians: Contextualizes the Navy’s training surge during 1951, showing how America mobilized its young men.

Families: Preserves memory, linking names on a roster to legacies carried through civilian life.

Key to Officer, NCO & Enlisted Ranks 🧾

Officer Ranks

• ENS – Ensign (O-1)
• LTJG – Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2)
• LT – Lieutenant (O-3)
• LCDR – Lieutenant Commander (O-4)
• CDR – Commander (O-5)

Enlisted (Navy Rates & Ranks)

• SR / SA / SN – Seaman Recruit / Apprentice / Seaman
• PO3 / PO2 / PO1 – Petty Officer 3rd / 2nd / 1st Class (NCO equivalents)
• CPO / SCPO / MCPO – Chief / Senior Chief / Master Chief Petty Officer

Rating Example

MMLC – Machinist’s Mate, Leading Chief Petty Officer (technical senior enlisted leader).

Dictionary of Navy Terms 📖

Boot Camp – Initial recruit training for Navy enlistees.

Company – Organizational unit for recruits during boot camp (e.g., 51-374).

The Compass – Yearbook-style publication documenting each company’s training cycle.

Rating – A sailor’s occupational specialty (e.g., Machinist’s Mate, Boatswain’s Mate).

Rate – A sailor’s pay grade/rank (e.g., Petty Officer 1st Class).

Chief Petty Officer (CPO) – Senior enlisted leader, cornerstone of Navy leadership.

Final Thoughts ⚓

The Compass, 1951 – Company 374 is more than a souvenir; it is a historical and genealogical time capsule. It freezes in time the faces of 59 young men who trained at Bainbridge during a pivotal period of U.S. naval history. Their names and photographs provide a bridge across generations, allowing families and historians to trace their journeys from boot camp to lifelong service and civilian legacies.

• 💙 For teachers, it is a tool to teach Cold War mobilization.
• 📚 For genealogists, it is an anchor to family memory.
• ⚓ For historians, it captures the Navy’s culture and training ethos in 1951.