Transportation OCS

THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL

DURING THE VIETNAM ERA 1966 TO 1968

By Robert Flannery, TOCS class # 6-67 and Raymond Moot, TOCS class #6-67

In 1965 the Transportation Corps along with five other Army

branches received orders to activate Officer Candidate Schools. They would be

needed in order to meet the demand for Commissioned Officers that the Army required

for the Vietnam buildup. This would be the first time a Transportation Officer

Candidate School would be active since WW II. The Infantry and Artillery were

the only active Officer Candidate Schools at the beginning of the Vietnam Era.

During the last quarter of 1965 the Engineer, Signal and Armor branches opened

their Officer Candidate Schools. The

Transportation, Ordinance and Quartermaster Officer Candidate Schools followed

in early 1966.

The Armor OCS began as a Branch Immaterial OCS producing

officers for the Armor, Transportation, Ordinance and Quartermaster branches under

a Two Phase OCS program. Upon the completion of 13 weeks of Phase I OCS training

at Fort Knox the candidates for Transportation, Ordinance and Quartermaster

were transferred to Fort Eustis, the Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort Lee respectively

to complete their final Phase II 10 weeks of OCS training. On June 27th

1966 Class #15-66, the first Phase II TOCS class, graduated at Fort Eustis. Three

additional Phase II classes would follow.The TOCS Regiment consisted of six Companies (A through F)

with each having two student companies. On July 1st 1966 Company B

had the honor of starting the first full 23 week TOCS class and it was designated

as Class # 1-67, Bravo One (B-1). New classes would follow at approximately two

week intervals. Since Company A was still training classes under the Two Phase OCS

program it would not receive it’s first 23 week class until Aug 12th

1966, Class #4-67, Alpha Two (A-2). The TOCS Regiment became fully operational

in mid-November 1966 with the start of Company F’s Class # 12-67, Foxtrot Two

(F-2).

Delta Company accepted its first student class of 110

candidates on September 9th 1966. It was designated as Class # 6-67,

Delta One (D-1). Two weeks later on September 23rd a second student

class of candidates designated as Class # 7-67, Delta Two (D-2) began training with

115 candidates. Class # 6-67 would graduate 85 on March 8th 1967 and

Class # 7-67 followed with 80 graduates on March 23rd 1967. Class # 2-68, Bravo Two (B-2), the “Last Class” graduated

on February 28th 1968. The TOCS Regiment was officially deactivated

in March 1968. Only the Infantry, Artillery and Engineer Officer Candidate

Schools would remain open. TC officers were trained at the Engineer Branch

Immaterial OCS at Fort Belvoir for the remainder of the Vietnam Era.Over 2,400 TC Second Lieutenants were commissioned at Fort

Eustis from a total of 30 TOCS candidate classes (4 Phase II classes and 26

twenty three week classes).  There have

been no active Transportation Officer Candidate Schools since 1968.

Three graduates of TC OCS went on to become generals, MG

David Whaley (A-1, 24-66), BG Daniel “Mike” Kelleher (B-2, 2-67), and MG Mario “Monty” Montero (C-1, 3-67). In

addition, at least two graduates were selected for Senior Executive Service

(SES) and they are from Delta Company; Jack Mann (D-1, 6-67)

and Bill Roderick (D-2, 7-67).

I have been working to find material on the Transportation OCS Program and thanks to Doug, MG Dave Whaley, COL Ray Moot and the Trans Museum I have located some good information…Carl Stone, February 1, 2020