• Identification0/20/8
  • Title
    • Guide to the U.S. Naval Training Programs, Records of
    • U.S. Naval Training Programs, Records of the
  • LanguageEnglish
  • Date1934-1960
  • OriginationU.S. Naval Training Programs
  • Physical Description4.00
  • RepositoryNorthwestern University Archives Deering Library, Room 110 1970 Campus Dr. Evanston, IL, 60208-2300 URL: http://www.library.northwestern.edu/archives Email: archives@northwestern.edu Phone: 847-491-3354
  • AbstractDuring WWII, Northwestern offered its facilities for use by the War Department. All together eleven specific training programs were operated at Northwestern in addition to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (Naval R.O.T.C.). This series consists of three and one half-size boxes of records of the University's Naval programs which span the period from 1934-1960. The bulk of the records deal with the Technological Institute's administration of the naval programs in general, but there are also records that deal specifically with their administration of the Naval R.O.T.C. program, the Naval V-12 program, and the U.S. Naval Training School (Radio) program. The records are arranged into the following six categories: general records, class schedules, registration records, draft status records, student rosters, and U.S. Naval Training School (Radio) program records.

During World War II, Northwestern University devoted resources to aid in winning the war. To this end, students who had completed three years of high school with high standing were allowed to enter the University thus enabling them to complete their degree requirements before reaching the minimum draft age of twenty. An accelerated program of study was also adopted that allowed students to graduate in three years by attending summer sessions. To facilitate the program, the semester system was changed to a quarter system.

Northwestern offered its facilities for use by the War Department. All together eleven specific training programs were operated at Northwestern in addition to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (Naval R.O.T.C.), which had been operating on campus since its establishment in 1926. The Navy operated seven of these eleven programs. They were the Navy V-7 Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School (the “90-day wonders”), the Navy V-5 Naval Aviation Preparatory Program, the Navy V-1 Accredited College Program, the Naval H–V(P) Medical and Dental Program, the U.S. Naval Training School (Cooks & Bakers), the U.S. Naval Training School (Radio), and the Naval V-12 Unit.

The Technological Institute at Northwestern University played a significant role in administrating the Naval R.O.T.C. program, Naval V-12 program, and Naval Training School (Radio) during the WWII period.

The Naval R.O.T.C. program was established in the fall of 1926 at Northwestern. The premise of the program was to provide an additional flow of naval officers to supplement the limited supply turned out by the U.S. Naval Academy. Naval R.O.T.C. students took more specific naval courses and at the completion of their college course were commissioned ensigns without attendance at a midshipmen's school. The program was popular, with a great increase in enrollment spurred by the outbreak of WWII. The pre-war existence of the Naval R.O.T.C. Unit proved to be of great value to both the Navy and the University when, during WWII, Northwestern became the scene of extensive naval training activity. Between July 1943 and June 1946 the Naval R.O.T.C. program was incorporated into the V-12 program. At the termination of the V-12 program in June of 1946 those who desired to continue and met requisite qualifications were transferred on an inactive basis to the Naval R.O.T.C. unit to complete their training. The Naval R.O.T.C. program continues to this day at Northwestern.

The Nava1 V-12 Unit (Navy College Training Program) was established in July 1943. The students in this program were selected from enlisted reserve units in colleges and high schools or entered as freshmen under the V-12 program. The course for freshmen consisted of four terms of sixteen weeks each. The curriculum for the first year included: mathematics, English, physics, engineering, drawing, naval organization, physical training, and historical backgrounds of the war. After the first year students were assigned to special curriculum to prepare them for duty as engineering, deck, supply, medical, or dental officers. Students obtained the equivalent of two years of college work in one and one-half years. Graduates of the program were sent to midshipmen’s school for 120 days, after which they were commissioned ensigns in the Naval Reserve. The Naval R.O.T.C. was incorporated into the program and men who had received college training in the Naval R.O.T.C. or some other program previous to their enrollment in the V-12 program had their requirements shortened proportionately. The program existed at Northwestern for three years with the last trainees graduating in June 1946. Overall a total of 2,777 men completed Northwestern's V-12 program.

The Naval Training School (Radio) was established in June 1942. This was a 16-week program that was offered to Apprentice Seamen already enlisted in the Navy. Completion of the course led to a rating of Seaman Radioman or Radioman 3rd Class. Code, typing, and theory courses were conducted by the faculty of the Technological Institute and naval courses were taught by the Naval R.O.T.C. faculty. In the period 1942-1945 over 6000 radio operators were graduated from this program.

The Naval Training Programs Records, 1934-1960 were transferred from the records of the Technological Institute Administration Office on August 28, 1986 (Accession # 86-239).

Kathryn A. Mlsna; April 1991. Reformatted by Rachel C. Teuer; August 5, 2004.

These records may not be used without the permission of the University Archivist.

Naval V-12 Program Records, 1943-1946. (Series 0/20/1)

Military Training Programs Records, 1941-1949. (Series 0/20/2)

This series consists of three and one half-size boxes of records of the University's Naval programs which span the period from 1934-1960. The bulk of the records deal with the Technological Institute's administration of the naval programs in general, but there are also records that deal specifically with their administration of the Naval R.O.T.C. program, the Naval V-12 program, and the U.S. Naval Training School (Radio) program. The records are arranged into the following six categories: general records, class schedules, registration records, draft status records, student rosters, and U.S. Naval Training School (Radio) program records. The general records category is comprised mainly of booklets describing the curriculum and regulations of the V-12 and Naval R.O.T.C. programs. Also, there are files containing correspondence regarding the Navy grading system, lists of students with GPAs greater than 3.6, and student in good standing forms; lists of students compiled according to Navy programs and anticipated graduation dates along with related correspondence; and requests for transcripts and responses, all arranged chronologically. The last folder in the category contains withdrawal for military service forms, which includes the military address of a former student. This file is arranged alphabetically by student's surname. The class schedules are arranged chronologically by term and include both technical and non-technical classes with separate schedules for the Naval V-12 program. The registration records are arranged chronologically by academic year and include lists of students enrolled in non-engineering courses, summary registration figures by program, as well as related correspondence. The draft status records are arranged chronologically by academic year and include Selective Service College Qualifying Tests, lists of students by class with their GPA, and related correspondence. Within each folder the correspondence is arranged chronologically and the lists are arranged by class. The student roster files are comprised of four categories: Naval V-12 rosters of students who were enrolled in engineering; rosters of students listed according to Navy program: Naval R.O.T.C. program student rosters; and student rosters of enrolled veterans. Within the folders, the rosters are arranged chronologically by academic year. Many of the files also contain related correspondence. The enrolled veterans files contain news clippings as well. The bulk of the U.S. Naval Training School (Radio) program records relate to personnel matters. The first folder consists of correspondence regarding the salaries and titles of the program's instructors and to the location of the program's student files. The remaining Radio Program files are personnel records of the program's staff, which are almost completely records of full-time program instructors. These files are arranged alphabetically by the instructor's surname. The last two folders contain the part-time program instructors' personnel files and the records of support staff who were paid on an hourly basis. Personnel files typically contain resumes, applications, oaths of loyalty, Bureau of Naval Personnel questionnaires, selective service information, W2 forms, salaries, vacation entitlements, teaching schedules, correspondence regarding hiring, promotions, terminations, and recommendations, and in some cases, photographs of the staff.