Evening star., 1927-05-08
d. c.. Naval Reserve

The local members of the United
States Naval Reserve Battalion in this
district last Monday night started in
their. intensive drilling schedule to
put them in the prime Of condition to
take their stations promptly aboard
the L. S. destroyer Allen, their train
ing ship, for the annual cruises, which
will begin in July. The arrival Of fair
weather. it was announced, has per-
mitted the Reservists to desert their
armory training in the theory Of naval
warfare to go aboard the Allen,
berthed at the Washington Navy
Yard, to put in practice some of the
things they have learned in the
armory during the Winter months.
Activities aboard the Allen last
Monday night gave the ship an ap-
pearance of getting ready to go out to
sea. Every part of the ship Vas IN
vaded with Naval Reservists, who, un-
der their officers, were put through
various drills, particular stress Being
laid on the gun drills, because OF the
fact that the Reservists will tiIe full
charges from the main battery during
the maneuverS this year, the first time
this has been allowed since the Re-
servists were called home during the
World War.
But the picking of gun crews
brought vividly to the minds OF the
officers, veterans of the World War,
that a new reserve was growing up
of the young men of the city who
| were too young for service at the time
of the great conflict, for among them
could not be found one man who had
, had any service as either a. gun
| trainer or pointer. This means that
all of the gun crews will be practically
| new, and an intensive period of gun
training will have to be given them.
The I'd Division of the Reserve,
commanded by Lieut.. J.. F. Moore,
| was given the preference at the guns,
because Of the fact that this division
will be the first to take cruise
aboard the Allen during the coming
| Summer. Lieut.. Moore was fire con.
| troll officer, and has organized his
communication system for setting the
ranges and getting them to the gun
sights in the quickest possible time
through the intricate destroyer com.
munication system. The officers re.
ported that everything worked smooth.
| ly at drill, and the men settled down
in the organization so quickly that 1t
is believed they will have no trouble in
perfecting themselves SO that some
fine scores will be made during the
cruiee.
The selection Of the gun pointers
the men who actually fire the guns
and are largely responsible for the
number Of hits, is being carefully
done, although the officers have no
way of determining their accuracy in
sighting. 1t had been hoped that the
rife gallery, authorized to be con
structed in the basement of the
armory, would have been completed
before this, so that the men could be
observed in this work, and those max
ing the highest scores selected as gun
pointers, on the theory that if they
were good at small arms practice
they would do well in hitting the big
targets at sea.
While the gun crews We're being
trained, the engineer gang, under
Lieut.. Lockhart, was taken into the
fire and engine rooms Of the Allen for
instruction in the intricate machinery
there and how to keep it in top-notch
shape during the target practice, and
to that extent aid the deck crews in
maintaining the required speed on the
range in all weather conditions.
The radio gang manned the radio
room. This branch of the Reserve