Evening star., 1927-10-09

Elaborate plans are being made by
the local Naval Reserve Battalion, un-
der Lieut.. Comdr. Finney Bascom
Smith, commanding officer, and Lieut..
Harry j. Nichols, executive officer, to
use the Navy day celebration. Octo.
ber 27, as q means of increasing the
interest of the citizens in the work
the local citizen sailors are doing to
fit themselves for immediate service
aboard ships of the active fleet in
time Of war.
The United States destroyer Allen
training ship of the battalion, will be
open to visitors during the entire day,
and at night special drill will be
given, to which will be invited rela-
tives and friends of the men. The Of
ficers also are planning 70 invite a
number Of Federal and local Govern
mcnt officials, as well as those active
i'm civic affairs. to show them just
what the Reserve does.
They will be shown the armory of
the Reserve in the Washington Navy
Yard. and after the formal exercises
are given the building will be turned
over TO the enlisted personnel for
dance. at which it is planned to have
the music furnished by an orchestra
from the Navy Yard Band.
Comdr. Mark l.. Hersey, United
States Navy, reported for duty last
week as commanding officer of the
destroyer Allen, relieving Lieut.
Comdr. Alfred S. Wolfe. The latter
is in the Naval Hospital here, and
has not yet received orders sending
him to his new detail.
The commissioned personnel of the
Allen was changed further this week
VI T. Tn1, r,;t
States Navy, was ordered from the
Concord to the local training ship.
He will serve as executive and en-
gineer officer. relieving Lieut.. II. S.
Dunbar, jr, whose new detail also
has not been determined.
Wedding out of the active Reserve
divisions of the local battalion has
been started by the officers, and last
week a number of men from the 1.;t
and Sd fleet divisions were ordered
transferred to the volunteer Reserve
list, which is an active unit. These
men are not required to attend drills,
and it was because of their failure to
attend drills regularly that they were
changed to the inactive units.
1t was pointed out by those in charge
= the battalion that so many men are
annlying for enlistment in the bat.
talon. men who will attend the drills,
that it was decided that the officers
could not afford to keep on men who
only appeared on paper. The increase
in personnel also has shown the need
for a new armory for the organization.
it was pointed out. as it is impossible
now to muster the entire battalion in
the assembly hall on drill nights The
transfer of men will be continued
when certain members do not show up
regularly for drills
There has been some time a
waiting list of young men of the city
who want to join the local Reserve.
but who have been held back because
the organizations were filled. Enlist
ment of these men already has been
started to fill up the gaps made by
the transfer of the men to the inactive
Reserve list.
The name of another officer was
added to the local Reserve lists when
the records were received at the navy
ward headquarters of Lieut.. Comdr,
William F. Yates, volunteer Reserve.
now residing at 43O7 Thirteenth street
northeast. Comdr Yates formerly was
attached to the Reserve of the Sd
Naval District, with headquarters in
New York City. He was added to the
list of the local volunteer Reserve Of
ficers.
The school system Of the local Re
serve was formally inaugurated last
week and Lieut.. Harry j. Nichols,
dean of the school, said that the men
were enthusiastic over the system and
it did not appear that any of them had
been frightened away by the fact that
they would have to attend schools. A
graded system has been instituted, so
that men will not have to take the
same subjects twice, unless they fail