Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-26
TRAINING SHIP
COMING SOON
The Newton May be in Local
Waters by Saturday; Eagle
Crew History

A year ago today several Naval
Reserve officers and men proceeded
to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and
took over from the ~Commandant of
the Third Naval District the U. s. S.
Eagle AS, which had recently BEEN
assigned to the Naval Reserve
Force for training purposes, and
steamed with her to Perth Amboy,
where the squadron commander,
Lieutenant Commander Sidney b.
Austin, turned the vessel over tc
Lieutenant Walter w. Wigman, as
commanding officer. 1t was largely
through the efforts of L~ieutenants
N. w. Pierce, George Biting aad
w. w. Wigman who worked over
a year with the naval authorities 10
have a training ship sent to the
local waters, that the U. S. S. Eagle
was finally ordered to Perth Amboy
w. Parker Runyon of the Perth
Amboy Dry Dock Company furnish
ed wharfage for the ship.
Before the arrival of the Eagle,
the reserve organization was largely
a paper one and not very active;
therefore it RAJ necessary to spend
most of the fdll and winter months
in recruiting and organization work
However, one weekend cruise was
made down the New Jersey coast
before the ship was secured for the
winter. During the winter months,
the crew met on board every Tues
day night for instruction and drill.
BY the beginning of the cruising
season, the crew was fairly well
qualified to perform their duties on a
naval vessel at sea. On May 70, the
reserve units were mustered INTO
the New Jersey state naval militia
comprising the third and fourth di-
visions of the second battalion with
headquarters at Camden, Lieutenant
w. B. Griswold and Lieutenant Louis
Compton were elected by the men
TO command the Perth Amboy divi-
sions. The U. S. S. Eagle 4S Is the
flag ship of the fifth squadron un-
der command of Governor Edwards,
as commander in chief of the state
military force.
Governor Edwards designated the
Eagle As as his flag ship on Me-
mortal Day, after an inspection or
the ship on that day. In the Me-
mortal Day parade, the crew turned
out sixty strong in uniform and
equipment with rifles. On July 4,
former Judge Adrian Lyon and DR..
G. w. Naulty, on behalf of the
Sons of American Revolution, pre-
sented to the organization a set OF
marching colors.
These activities proceeded their
cruise season which started May ~,
with a weekend cruise to Atlantic
Highlands. Since that cruise eight
others were made to Gravesead
Bay, Sandy Hook. down the Jersey
coast, up the Hudson River. a visit
at Fort Hancock out, to Scotland
lightvessel, twice for target practice
and also to the Brooklyn Navy
Yard. An average OF forty men
made each trip.
Two two-weeks' cruises were also
made during the summer, hfty-
seven men and r.ne officers making
the first cruise and thirty-fve men
and nine officers making the second
cruise. W..
Upon learning that New York
State had received two new wooden
cargo vessels from the Shipping
Board, Captain Wigman determined
to have one for PERTH Amboy. He
detailed Ensign Hardiman to go to
Washington to negotiate with the
authorities to this end, with the re-
suit that President Harding issued
an executive order transferring the
s. s. Newton to Perth Amboy. n
Newton is at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard now and will be sent to Perth
Amboy upon completion of dock ar
rangeYnentS.