NTC Great Lakes 1944 Company 1770 Group Photo

Group Photo, Company 1770, R. H. Nelson, SP(A)2, Company Commander, 28 September 1944, U. S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. GGA Image ID # 100475dc38. Click to View Larger Image.

I was seventeen - World War II was going full force, and males had to register for the military draft. A draft number was assigned, which was used for the call-up selection procedure. 

When called, the assignment was made first to the Army, and if their needs were met, then the other branches of the service would get the men they needed. 

For some reason, the Navy appealed to me more than the Army did. Therefore, I explored the possibility of enlistment. By enlisting, one could also select the area of service desired- and in my case, since I couldn't see myself at the end of a gun shooting at someone else, I decided to enlist in the Navy in the Medical Branch - at least I felt that there I might be able to do some good rather than destruction.

Because of some experience as a hospital orderly, I could enter the Navy with a rank- HA2c-one step up from the basic recruit known as an Able Seaman. I enlisted on the 1st of July in 1944, about two months before my 18th birthday. By September, I was on my way to basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Station just north of Chicago. 

The "Boot Camp" basic training was for 16 weeks. It consisted mainly of indoctrination studies of Naval History, seamanship, working as a team, firefighting, and many calisthenics and guard duty. We were often roused at 2 AM to fall out on the parade grounds for an hour of exercise, just plain marching or drill.

Our first pay in the Navy was a $5.00 bill. It was called the "Flying Five." We all stood in line, and upon reaching the paymaster, we were handed a $5.00 bill; we moved ahead a few feet, and someone grabbed the $5.00 and presented us a bag and a $2.00 bill in change. 

The bag contained essential personal items such as a toothbrush and paste, a shoeshine kit, etc. I still have the $2.00 bill, which was autographed by many of the fellows in my company.

Following Boot Camp, we had a leave to go home for about ten days and then returned to Great Lakes to await our "orders." Our company was split up, some going to sea duty, and some, like me, were assigned to service schools. I was sent to San Diego, California, to Pharmacist Mate School.

Excerpt from "I Remember When..." by Lawrence K. Gjenvick © 2015