In 1926, the Department of the Navy authorized the formation of Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) units at six universities around the country. Georgia Tech, along with Harvard, Yale, Northwestern University, University of California at Berkley, and the University of Washington, were selected to be the host institutions for the first NROTC units. Planning began in July 1926 and by autumn the Georgia Tech unit was underway with 59 students. Because Georgia Tech is not near a large body of water, the lake in Piedmont Park was used for training in the early years. To help with training, the Naval Armory, completed in 1935 (razed in 1980), included a ship's bridge with a complete communications system, a fully-operational ship's boiler, as well as a lifeboat with davits, a flagbag, and signal lights. Beginning in 1932, qualified NROTCs could choose either a Navy or Marine Corps option. Women were first admitted to NROTC programs at select schools in 1972 and authorized at all NROTC units by 1974.
From the description of Georgia Tech Naval ROTC Scrapbook and Photograph Collection, 1926-1980. (Georgia Institute of Technology). WorldCat record id: 328320057
