Evening star., 1935-05-05

i sions composing the 1st Bat
~ talon, United States Naval
Reserves In the District OF
Columbia, at the annual inspection,
according to q preliminary report
made public here last week. A copy
Of the report of the board Of regular
officers who conducted the inspection
has been received at the local armory
and Lieut.. j. D. Sullivan, battalion
commander, and the other officers Of
his command are studying it.
While Lieut.. Sullivan expressed him
self as being much pleased with the
report, it is not known as yet whether
either the battalion or one of the divt-
sions viii take either Of the trophies
which are awarded each year for
the battalion and division having
the highest figure Of merit as result
of the annual inspections. The tro-
phies were donated several years ago
by the United States Naval Reserve
Oficers' Association. The inspections
throughout the country have not been
completed, and the awards cannot be
announced until all Of the reports and
data are on hand at the Navy De-
partment for comparative purposes.
The officers and men of the local
organization worked hard to build
up the efficiency Of the organiza-
ton, and they believe that the results
shown by the inspection report just
received indicate that they have done
q good job.
With the inspection out Of the way,
yx,kaf Pr,lInvgaA tho iY1Cfa1lof finY1
Of the new class room system, the
officers began the preparations for
the annual cruise, which this year
vii be made on a battleship. 1t will
be the first time since the World War
that the local outfit as an organiza-
ton has had battleship duty. How
ever, some of the individuals have
made various cruises, as opportunities
were provided by the Navy Depart
ment when certain ships were going
on special duty.
Heretofore, all Of the cruises have
been made on destroyers or eagle
boats, as the various divisions are or
ganiZed for service on these vessels
in time Of emergency. However, it was
pointed out, in view Of the fact
that in the event of an emergency
it might be necessary to send some
of the Reservists to the feet for duty,
it was believed desirable to vary their
training by giving them a taste of
service aboard the big vessels, as
the duty there is considerably diff
ferent from that on the smaller YES
sells.
In preparation for the cruises the
officers and men are making plans
for target practice and the crews are
being selected. 1t is expected that
they will fire the secondary batteries
of the big ship, as these guns are
nearer the type Of those found on the
destroyers. The drills in the armory
are all with guns Of the secondary
battery type.
Oficers Of the local battalion are
hopeful that they will be able to have
allotted from the Federal works fund
sufficient funds with which to con-
struct a special armory here for the
local battalion. The local outfit has
been without a suitable building for
training purposes most Of the time
since the World War.
For q brief period they were al
lowed to use the old Naval Militia
Armory on the Washington Channel
waterfront. This building was owned
by the National Guard and was used
prior to the World War for training
the Naval Militia, which then was a
part of the National Guard How
ever, when the 260th Coast Artillery
was formed. and the land forces were
crowded for armory space, they asked
the ReServistS to vacate and they were
moved to an old commercial building
on the edge Of the Washington Navy
Yard reservation, where they have
been ever since.
This building is wholly unsuitable
for the purpose to which it is used.
1t does not have an adequate drill
hall, and the quarters generally are
unsatisfactory for the proper train
ing Of the ReservistS. It is located
some distance from the waterfront,
and there can be no facilities for the
handling and training in small boats,
which would be possible If there were
an armory on the river with a dock
TO accommodate ships and small boats.
A tentative site for the proposed
armory was selected some time ago.
It Is on the Anacostia River water
front, with the Navy Yard reservation.
west OF the Eleventh Street Bridge
and south Of the present Seaman
Gunners' quarters. Any funds which
might be obtained for armory pur-
poses would be spent entirely on the
building, and nothing for the site, as
the land is Government owned. It
was pointed out that the Reserve bat
talon in the National Capital should
nave an adequate armory which would
serve as a model for other Naval Re-
serve units throughout the country.
There Is need for a structure which
could house drill guns Of various cali
Der and the intricate eqipment which
Is used aboard ship for present-day
fire control on battleships. There also
would be facilities for the storing of
held guns which are used by the NAVY
in landing forces during trouble
without ship there is need Of much
room for the construction of bridges
similar to those on ships so that the
off1cerS and men could obtain the
same instruction during the armory
drill periods in the Winter as they
receive on the vessels while taking
their annual training cruises during
the Summer.
Plans for a special building have
been prepared under the direction of
Lieut.. Sullivan, battalion commander.
and 1t is understood that these have
been submitted to Rear Admiral j. r.
Defrees, commandant of the Wash
ington Navy Yard. All those who have
seen the conditions under which the
local ReservistS receive their training
point out that the greatest need of
the outfit at the present time is an
adequate armory.
The Reserve officers, 1t is understood.
intend to push forward their plans for
such project in the hope that funds
might soon be allotted for such
building, and the training can be
started in soon after the beginning Of
the new year.
A recent conference of Rec,1lar ard