About this Unit
The Great Lakes naval region has played a significant role in U.S. military history, particularly during the War of 1812, when both American and British forces vied for control over vital waterways. The establishment of Navy training facilities, most notably Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois in 1911, marked the area as a crucial center for naval preparation and support. Throughout both World Wars, the station trained hundreds of thousands of sailors, contributing greatly to the U.S. Navy's operational strength. Today, Naval Station Great Lakes remains the Navy’s only boot camp, training all enlisted personnel and continuing its legacy as a backbone of naval readiness.
Historical Facts
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Birthplace of Navy Boot Camp: Great Lakes Naval Station, located near North Chicago, Illinois, is the only boot camp for the United States Navy, training over 40,000 recruits annually since 1911.
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World War I Expansion: During WWI, Great Lakes rapidly expanded—growing from about 39 buildings to over 775, and training more than 125,000 sailors by war’s end.
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Historic Integration: Great Lakes was the first US Navy installation to train African American sailors, starting in 1942 during World War II.
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“Bluejackets” and the USS Recruit: The base features a landlocked training ship, USS Recruit (“The Bluejacket”), constructed in 1949 and used for hands-on seamanship training.
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Women in Uniform: The first female recruits began training at Great Lakes in 1948, following the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act.
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Historic Preservation: The Great Lakes Naval Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with many original buildings still in use.
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Celebrity Graduates: Many famous Americans, including actor Tony Curtis and baseball legend Yogi Berra, completed their Navy training at Great Lakes.
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Training Innovations: The base pioneered realistic firefighting and damage control training, which set new standards for the Navy.
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World War II Massive Throughput: At its World War II peak, the base graduated over 1,000 sailors per day, with more than one million passing through during the war.
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Modernization: The Recruit Training Command underwent a $763 million modernization program in the early 2000s, adding state-of-the-art facilities and technology for today’s sailors.
