Evening star., 1932-04-10
d. G.. Naval Reserve

Considerable disappointment was felt
among the officers and men Of the LIST
Battalion, United States Naval Reserves
OF the District of Columbia, over the
decision of the Navy Department to sus-
pend the annual training cruises which
already had been announced this year.
However, there had been a feeling for
scme time that the cruises might not
be held, and this was supported by the
recent orders received here dispatchinR
the U S. Destroyer Hamilton to the
West Coast for the purpose Of partici-
pating in war games there.
The Hamilton is the destroyer assign
ed to this area for the purpose Of tax
ing the Naval Reserve organizations of
the 5th Naval District on their annual
cruises. The vessel is part of the At
lantic Training Fleet, established some
months ago, when the department de-
cided to take ships assigned individually
to Naval Reserve organizations away as
an economy measure. Other ships of
the Training Squadron also were sent
to the West Coast with the Hamilton.
The first cruise of the local Naval
ReServists had been set to start on June
Is, the second on July 80 and the last
on August 20. Many Of the officers and
men, as a result of, the orders issued
earlier in the year, had made arrange
mentS with their civilian employers for
time of in which to make the cruises
The law requires officers and men of
the fleet Naval Reserve to take a mini
mum of IS days of training at sea a
year, and in the past those officers and
men who have failed to take any of the
scheduled training cruises have been
penalized by being transferred from the
feet to the Volunteer Reserve for fail
ure to maintain efficiency. The per-
sonnel now is wondering Just how thev
will stand now by failing to comnlv
with the law, when the Navy Depart
ment has taken away the means of
complying with it.
Ever since the annual inspection the
personnel. under the direction of Iieut
Harold E. Richardson. commander of
the battalion. has been undergoing a
course OF intensive training for the
cruises. OF course, it was said that
they will keep up the training but
some Of the incentive was taken ont
of the plans by the departments de-
ciSion to suspend the cruises for this
year.
In addition to the visits Of the Ham
ilton here to take aboard Reseryists of
this city and Baltimore, Md for train
ing, the cruise plans for the year also
provided for visits here of a number
of destroyers, bringing to the Capital
City number of Reserve organiza-
tions from the North Atlantic States
and the Midwest But these also have
been called off in the general orders
issued by the Navy Department.
With the calling off of the cruises
and the absence Of the Hamilton on
the West Coast and the inability of
the Navy Department to furnish q
small boat which had been planned for
the local Reserves, it is now unlikely
that the local men will receive any
training afioat this Summer. The
small boat was to be g specially con-
structed motor boat, with berths. and
a galley tosbe used on week end train
ing cruises. Shortly after it was or
dered the department announced that
the order would not be completed on
account of the shortages Of funds. 1t
is estimated that it would cost S700 to
fit the boat out.
1t is understood, however, that the
cruise suspension order does not in
clude week end cruises for organiza-
tions which have vessels assigned to
them. 1t is possible that If the Ham,
ilton is returned to the East Coast this
Summer, following completion Of the
to the Capital for the purpose of>taking
the local men out on short week end
trips However, these have not proved
popular here in the past, for the rea-
son that it is difficult to get men to
agree to take these short trips be-
cause there is little liberty for them
There is not time during the period
they are out for them to reach any
large city, it was pointed out.
The order suSpending training, 1t was
said, does not apply to the aviation
divisions, and officers and men, it is
understood, will be ordered out for this
purpose. AS a matter Of fact, four local
Reserve aviation officers received orders
here during the week to report at the
Naval Air Station at Anacostia about
April l8. They are Ensigns John j.
Klak and John E. Sommers, and Iieuts
Junior Grade) Albert P. Taliaferro