The Post War Era

With the surrender of Japan and the close of hostilities in August, 1945, a call resounded across the nation to bring our boys back home. A demobilization center was established at Great Lakes to process the discharge of sailors. In February, 1946, the Bureau of Naval Personnel announced plans to discontinue recruit training at Great Lakes. Vice Admiral A.S. Carpender, Commandant of the Ninth District, and Midwestern congressmen fought the proposal. The Navy agreed to maintain the Naval Training Center at Great Lakes, which would continue at a level dependent upon the size of the Navy. In 1957, the Naval Training Center in Bainbridge ended all recruit training and spawned a new construction program in Camps Dewey, Downes, and Porter for Recruit Training Command. In 1997 the boot camps at San Diego and Orlando closed. To the present day, Great Lakes serves as the only Recruit Training Command for the United States Navy.

North Chicago, Illinois · United States