Evening star., 1935-03-24


a equipped engine rooms
ashore is the boast of the
~ officers and men Of the lst
Battalion, United States
Naval Reserves Of the District of Co.
lumbia. Heretofore somewhat handi-
capped by the lack of the training
ship regularly assigned here for train
ing purposes, the local Reservists, with
the aid of the Navy Department and
the commandant of the Washington
Navy Yard, have assembled here
scores Of pieces Of ship engine room
apparatus, and, under the direction
Of Lieut.. Comdr. William C. Lock-
hart. it has been set up in the base
ment of the present armory building,
on Eleventh street southeast, in the
Washington Navy Yard.
The basement Of the building has
been fitted up to simulate the en-
gine room Of a destroyer, the type
OF ship on which the local men are
expected to serve aboard in time of
war. The boiler equipment is fired
by gas and a fully equipped and
workable engine and pumps will be
used for the instruction of the men
on the regular drill nights during
the week. 1t is said to be the first
equipment of it's kind ever installed
in a Reserve armory.
The equipment will be used for the
instruction Of the men in the engine
room ratings. In addition to the
construction of the engine room, the
engineers force of the Reserve has
installed a complete gas heating SyS-
TEN in the armory.
This new training equipment will
be displayed to the members of the
Naval Inspection Board when it in
spects the battalion next month.
The drill attendance of the three
divisions has shown a marked i'm
provement during the past week, ac-
cording to Lieut.. Sullivan, division
commander. The battalion total is
approximately 80 per cent, as COM
pared with rs per cent attendance
year ago. The I'd Fleet Division
alone turned in an attendance of Sc
per cent, only two of its members
having been absent at the last drill.
Ensign ]. F. Replogle has requested
a transfer from the Sd Fleet Division
TO the volunteers on account of his
private employment preventing his
regular attendance at the weekly
drills. The battalion commander has
recommended that Lieut. 81. g.
Eugene c. Carusi, now in the volun-
teers, be transferred to the division
to fill the vacancy.
Lieut.. 81. g. George D. Sullivan.
commanding the Sd Fleet Division.
also has been compelled to ask for a
transfer to the volunteers because of
his private employment, which is said
TO keep him out of the city much Of
the time.
Inc battalion commander has rec
commended that Lieut.. q. GD F.. S.
Kirk, executive officer of the division,
be detailed to assume command.
Lieut.. Carusi is to fill the vacancy as
executive officer of this division.
1t was said at the armory that
Lieut.. Sullivan has displayed unusual
energy, industry and loyalty. The
nope was expressed that as soon as
possible Lieut.. Sullivan would return
10 the command of the division.
Lieut.. j. D. Sullivan, division COM
mander, has just completed a COM
prehensive plan of class room in
struction for the battalion. which will
be in operation by the time the In
spection Board arrives. The NAVY
department stresses this plan of in
structlon for the weekly drill periods
OF the ReServiSts.
Under the program which has been
completed each enlisted man will he
required to go through the whole
course. There is a recruit class. to
which will be assigned all new men
enlisted in the battalion. where thev
Will be given the rudiments of naval
training: the class for apprentice sea-
men, a primary deck class and a pri-
mary engineer class. There also will
De advanced classes in deck and en-
gineering.
Lieut.. Sullivan explained that, I'M
Ger the new system, there will be nc
py-paSSlng OF any of the class room
instruction; that every man must 20
through the full course before he is
eligible for promotion. The advanced
classes are primarily for the training
OF men for ratings in the various
specialist groups.
certain period will be assigned on
each drill night for class room in
Spection.
The enlisted men of the battalion
Will give a dance on the night of
April IL. which will be subsequent tn
the annual inspection. The music
Will De furnished by the Navy orches-
ira. Lieut.. Sullivan says that these
dances for the enlisted men are to be
a regular feature.
1t is planned to organize one or
more base ball teams in the diyi-
slons for the purpose of playing
games with both military and civilian
units throughout the city.
Lieut.. Comdr F. w. Benson. U. S.
NJ, who for two years has been
instructor of the local Reserve bat
talon and in charge of Naval Reserve
affairs here under the commandant
OF the Washington Navy Yard, has
been ordered to sea to command the
United States Destroyer Twiggs, now
on the West Coast.
Previous orders had directed
Comdr. Benson to the battleship
wyoming OF the Atlantic Training
Squadron as gunnery officer. These
orders have been revoked. There was
some disappointment when the new
orders arrived for Comdr. Benson, !
who is very popular among the local |
Reservists, because they were looking
forward to serving at sea with him |
this Summer on the Wyoming, the
ship which has been assigned to take |
the local battalion on its training |
cruise.
John II Gilbert 2SaQ uortfnrd |