Letter, Lieutenant Virginia McKinley to Mr. and Mrs. Conole
A letter from the U.S. Naval Training Center notifying Irene Conole’s parents that Irene arrived for basic training. The letter includes instructions for how and when to visit Irene on base and the rules regarding visitation. A special pass is required to visit and visitors may only come on October 25 and 26, 1952, from 1pm to 5pm.
[page 1]
RECRUIT TRAINING COMMAND
U.S. NAVAL TRAINING CENTER
BAINBRIDGE, MARYLAND
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Conole,
Your daughter has arrived at this command for basic Recruit
Training. We realize that this will be a period of indoctrination and
provide each Recruit with careful discipline and congenial work in
healthful surroundings in order to ease that transition and make her more
useful to herself and to the Navy. In addition, every effort is made to
care for her physical, mental and moral welfare.
Upon the satisfactory completion of Recruit Training each recruit is
listed for assignment to a duty station or, if found especially qualified,
to a course in a service school after completion of which she is assigned
to a duty station.
We know that frequent and cheerful letters from home are of great
benefit. These letters are the best means of encouraging her in her
training, and stimulate her to write frequent letters home. Prompt
delivery of mail will result if addressed to her as follows:
Name Irene M. Conole, SR, USN Service No. 236 26 28
Company 77 , (W), Recruit Training (W)
U. S. Naval Training Center
Bainbridge, Maryland
Should you desire to make any inquiry or for any reason wish to
communicate with the Commanding Officer, please address mail as follows:
Commanding Officer, Recruit Training Command
U. S. Naval Training Center
Bainbridge, Maryland
SR Conole will be eligible to receive visitors on
the following dates: 25, 26 October 1952 , and again on the Graduation
Review weekend. Except in emergency cases, the Recruit will be allowed
to receive visitors only on the above dates. Visiting hours for Recruits
are from 1 PM to 5 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, at Building 303 on the
Center. Visitors for Recruits in Training will be limited to members of
the immediate family and close friends, who have completed the enclosed
Visitors Pass and returned same 10 days in advance to Recruit Training (W)
Receptionist in Building 308 as directed on enclosed pass. You are
advised against coming without first sending us notification of your
intended visit, and unless the Recruit is eligible to receive visitors.
Frequently families come great distances to visit Recruits and, upon
arrival, find that the Recruit they desire to see is on duty, and
consequently is not allowed to receive visitors. Such instances can be
avoided by making your arrangements sufficiently in advance.
Sincerely yours,
Virginia K. McKinley
VIRGINIA K. MCKINLEY
LIEUTENANT, U.S. Navy
By direction of the Commanding Officer
[page 2]
[form for pass to visit recruit, not filled out]
[page 3]
RECRUIT TRAINING COMMAND
U.S. NAVAL TRAINING CENTER
BAINBRIDGE, MARYLAND
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
CENTER RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR RECRUIT VISITORS:
1. Along with this Rules and Regulations Sheet you have received a
DOUBLE VISITORS PASS. Check the dates we have indicated on our
letter to you and insert on the bottom half of the pass. Please mail
within (10) days before your intended visit to Bainbridge. If you
fail to send the bottom half of the pass to us, we will be unable to
locate the Recruit you wish to visit.
2. Alcoholic Beverages are prohibited on the Center at all times.
3. It is a CENTER RULE that Recruits may receive visitors only on
the dates indicated on the letter you have received. Unless it is an
emergency no visits may be made on any other date than the dates stated
on the letter.
4. Visiting hours are from 1 PM to 5 PM on both Saturday and Sundays.
5. It is requested that you comply with the CENTER Regulations and stay
within the area designated for visitors.
6. A “Limit of 4 Visitors” is allowed each Recruit. Please do not ask
for more, as space for visitors is limited.
You have read the above rules and regulations, and now you are ready
to visit our Center. If you are coming a great distance, and are
planning on visiting on both Saturday and Sunday, may we suggest
that you find lodging for the night before visiting hours commence.
There are ample Tourist Courts on Route 40, and several highly approved
Hotels within the vicinity of Perryville and Havre de Grace, Maryland.
Check with the nearest hotel in your city or town, and they will
gladly assist you in procuring the names of these hotels, if you desire
to write ahead for reservations. Trains and Buses stop at Perryville
and Aiken, Maryland, from there bus and taxi service is available
to Bainbridge. Upon arriving at the Training Center you are greeted
by a sentry located outside the Main Gate. At the Main Gate, a Chief
Petty Officer will check your pass against the list of Recruits (W)
who are to receive visitors on that date. (This list is made out
from the bottom half of the pass you send to us.) He will direct
you to Bldg. 303 where you will meet the Recruit. If you come on
Saturday, and wish to visit again on Sunday, please give your name to
the Duty Watch at Bldg. 303. You are cordially invited to the
Graduation Review. Each Recruit is given four (4) Visitors Passes for
the Graduation Review, and she will send the pass to you a week before
her company is scheduled to graduate. Graduation Review commences
at 10:00 A.M.
We sincerely hope that you will enjoy your visit to the Center, and that
you will be kind enough to comply with our requests.
[page 4]
[sketched directions to building 303 at Bainbridge]