Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-14

A 1sCoCIFCo IL lLlc ObLIlCL Oh
Columbia, will be given a lit
tie battleship polish before they en-
bark On their annual training cruise
this Summer. BY the time they step
aboard the battleship Wyoming at
Annapolis TO start theii two weeks
Of service at sea, they at least will
have q theoretical background Of the
duties aboard these largest fighting
ships, and will be better able to grasp
the practical training, which will be
something new to many of them.
Orders were received at the local
battalion headquarters to Immediately
begin instruction on battleship duties,
which are somewhat different from
those aboard dcsucyers and other
small boats aboard which most of
the members have been trained dur
| ing their periods of enlistment in the
local battalion. 1he division officers
are planning to give series Of lee
lures. taking up every detail OF bat
| tleship work, 80 that they viii not
be without some knowledge when they
| board the vessel, anu little time will
be lost in having them shake down
into their new duties. Subsequent to
the receipt of the orders. Lieut. James
E. SulliVant, commandant of the local
battalion, issued a memorandum TO
commanding officers OF the three fleet
divisions in which lie outlined various
phases Of the paCtleship's routine and
construction, which are TO be en-
phasiZed in the course of the lee
lures.
The division officers IN their instruc-
ton will have the aid Of some vet
Grams in the battslI2n who have not
only made battleship cruises, but who
were in service during the war aboard
them. They will be able to give the
new men some idea If the strict rou-
tine which Is followed aboard these
ships, and compare It with the duty
to which the men have been trained
aboard destroyers and other small
vessels.
The lectures, it was said, ale de-
signed primarily 10 familiari1e the
personnel with ba'tleships and their
construction. Among the points TO be
stressed In the lectures will be those
on general construction of the Hyom-
ing, her personal characteristics, arma-
ment, machinery and the location of
the several compartments, engine
rooms, radio shacks, store rooms, Off
GERS and crews quarters, mess halls
and artif1cers' wcrksL ops.
Many Of the local men also will get
their first experience of sleeping in q
hammock. Each will be required to
take his hammock, mattress and bed
clothing, rolled up, and when he
boards the ship will deposit it in the
designated hammock netting, where
it is to remain during the daylight
hours. At certain period each night,
when the bugler sounds "hammocks."
the men will claim their respective
hammocks and then swing them at a
designated spot, getting in at taps. |
Then in the morning all he has to do
to make his bed is to roll it up and |
deposit it in the netting. A couple |
Of times during the cruise he will |
have to get it out on deck in the day |
time for airing. The local men who |
have had only small boat duty have |
been used to hunks, so that the ex- |
perience will be new to many Of them. !
They also will have to learn how to
roll and lash them, as 1t has to be
done in a certain way.
| In addition to their lecture duties,
the division commanders will have TO
prepare battle lists and station billets,
showing each man his station for
| steaming duty and while in port, and
duties for emergency such as fire and
battle drills, abandon ship and the
like. Other division officers will in
struct the personnel of the deck and
engineering forces in the daily routine
Of work and drills aboard battleshipS
Of the feet.
1t was pointed out by one of the
officers that a particularly interesting
feature of the cruise this year will be
elementary instruction in damage con-
troll for officers and enlisted personnel.
The larger ships of the feet, it was
added, now carry an officer whose
sole duties are with damage control
and attendant experiments. Usually
this officer has q special force as
signed to him, and they make plans
for repairing any damage, such as
that resulting either from collision or
battle.
Reports from the medical officers
Of the battalion show that almost
three quarters Of the men have COM
pleted, or will complete this week, the
series of typhoid NEGOTIATIONS and
smallpox vaccinations. According to
the present plans new series will
not be started until August when
the remaining men and incoming re-
cruits will be treated.
With complete sailing schedules
now arranged for week end cruises
aboard the training launch attached
to the battalion, space on the crew
rolls is said to be at a premium, the
boat accommodating IL men and
officers on each trip. Use of the
launch is assigned by divisions, with
the division officer in command. In
addition to the three feet divisions,
the communications division and the
recruit classes are also given an OPP
portunity to cruise. The recruit class,
1t was said, now Is eagerly looking
forward to an all recruit or boot"
cruise, which is tentatively scheduled
for the end of July. The battalion
commander, with recruiting officer,
will pick 10 men, outstanding members |
of the class, to make this trip. The |
men will be selected on the basis of
attendance at drills and general
progress shown in the general course |
Of instruction.
Applications for enlistment In the |
battalion. it was said, are still being |
received. Interested men should re-
port to the recruiting officer, Ensign
Lamar. at the armory on Monday
evenings, at 8 o'clock. Men seeking
enlistment in the organization are re-
olIired tn serve for three months In |