Biographical/historical information

The Naval Training Station in Great Lakes Illinois was built after discovering that over half of American Sailors in the Spanish-American War came from the Midwest. After approval from President Theodore Roosevelt, construction began in 1904, and it was completed in 1911.

Only six years after opening the U.S would enter the first World War and saw an increase in trainees from 618 to 50,000. To organize the growing numbers the Commanding Officer of station grouped men into regiments of 1,726 men. During the war 126,000 men would graduate from the training station, making up over 25% of the U.S Navy and becoming the largest training station in the U.S.

After the First World War and during the Great Depression the station tore down the temporary buildings and most trainings were discontinued. At the height of the depression in 1933, the station would close, but after a campaign by the local community it would reopen its doors in 1935.

During the early years of World War Two, Congress approved a $4 million expansion for the naval station, and a year later in 1941 saw another $30 million approved to continue expansion. The station opened the first African American training facility in 1942. By the end of the war over saw over a million men and woman train at the station, with 100,000 of them being African American.

After the war the station saw a decrease in population, from 90,000 to 10,000. Despite this, the station was still the primary training station for the Navy. During the Korean and Vietnam war the population would increase. By 1999, the station would become the only Recruit Training Command after the closure of the centers in Orlando, Florida and San Diego, California. Through this, the station would become the largest training center for the Navy and Illinois. Today, every enlisted Sailor in the U.S Navy is trained at the station and is known as the "Quarterback of the Navy".

Scope and arrangement

The Company 517, U.S. Naval Training Station Group Photograph Collection consists of a single group photograph dated June 3, 1943, depicting members of Company 517 at the U.S. Naval Training Station. The photograph has been annotated on the reverse with numbered identifications of individuals, including their full names and associated hometowns when known, primarily from Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and California. Several identifications are illegible or incomplete.

Administrative information

Custodial History

March 17, 2026 (processed), 1 item;photograph (1943) depicting members of Company 517 at the U.S. Naval Training Station. The photograph has been annotated on the reverse with numbered identifications of individuals, including their full names and associated hometowns when known, primarily from Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and California. Several identifications are illegible or incomplete. Donor: unknown

Processing information

Processed by Katelyn Hudson, March 2026

Copyright notice

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Metadata Rights Declaration

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