USN Naval Training Ctr Port Deposit, MD

• Official Name: The facility was officially known as the United States Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, located near Port Deposit, Maryland. • World War II Origins: The center was established in 1942 during World War II to meet the urgent need for training large numbers of Navy recruits. • Massive Construction: The base was built in just six months, covering more than 1,132 acres, and included over 500 buildings at its peak. • Named for Commodore Bainbridge: The center was named after Commodore William Bainbridge, a hero of the War of 1812 and captain of the USS Constitution. • Training Millions: Over 500,000 sailors and WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) were trained at Bainbridge during WWII. • WAVES Training: In 1943, Bainbridge became one of the first sites to train female Navy members, including the first African American WAVES. • Peacetime and Korean War: After briefly closing in 1947, the center reopened during the Korean War to again train Navy recruits. • Cold War Role: During the 1950s and 1960s, Bainbridge expanded its mission to include advanced technical training in electronics, radioman, and nuclear power. • Famous Graduates: Notable alumni include astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space, who completed training at Bainbridge. • Decommission and Legacy: The base was officially closed in 1976. Today, the site is largely abandoned, but its legacy lives on in the thousands of sailors it trained and in the local Port Deposit community.