Evening star., 1936-06-07


~ of Columbia, are hopeful that
the bill now pending in Congress au-
thorizing funds for the erection OF an
armory here for the organization to
replace the present very unsatisfactory
quarters will make some progress at
this session. The proposed law made
a step forward last week when the
House Naval Affairs Committee con-
Quoted hearings on the measure, which
was introduced early in the session by
Representative Stephen M. Young,
Representative at large from Ohio.
The bill provides for the erection of
an armory to house both the Naval
and Marine Corps Reserve units, both
of which have been drilling for several
years in quarters which considerably
limit the training activities. 1t is pro-
posed to erect the armory on a site
on the water front in the Washington
Navy Yard and near the present arm
CRY.
According to officers of the naval
battalion. the quarters used as a drill
hall have been condemned. The
structure is lean-to which was added
to an old brick building during the
war. 1t is difficult to heat during the
Winter months, when most of the ac-
tivities of the Reservists are confined
to training indoors.
The report of various naval officers
who have examined the structure
comment on the unsatisfactory condi-
tionS prevailing. Despite these, the
local reseryists have done as much as
hey can to improve the training facili-
ties within the building. However, the
size prevents a full battalion from
conducting Infantry drill during the
Winter months.
The proposed new structure would
be located on the Anacostia River
water front where facilities could be
provided for handling small boats.
which could be used by the men dur
ing Summer months, giving them
much valuable training which they
cannot obtain at the present time ex-
Cept when they are on their annual
training cruises aboard ships of the
feet.
The armory project has received the
undivided support of heads of divi-
Eions in the Navy Department and the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
Efforts have been made to obtain funds
from the Works Progress Administra-
ton, but so far no word has been re-
ceived as to an allotment. In the
meantime the Reservists have sought
the aid of Congress in getting funds
appropriated for the building.
Lieut.. g. c. w. Croft Jennings re-
eeived orders from the commandant of
the Washington Navy Yard Rear Ad-
miral Joseph R. Defrees, directing his
transfer to the 1st Fleet Division.
Lieut.. Jennings relieves Lieut. u. G.
j. F. Carpenter, who has been or
dered to the Sd Fleet Division as ex-
ecutive officer at his own request.
Lieut. Jennings formerly was executive
officer of the Sd Fleet Division. He
has been on active duty with the Ist
Battalion since early in 1885, when
he was transferred to Washington
from one of the Middle Western units.
In civil life Lieut.. Jennings, who is a
graduate of the United States Naval
Academy serves as one of the special
assistants to the Attorney General of
the United States.
Lieut.. Carpenter, who will now serve
as executive officer of the Sd Fleet
Division. was commanding officer of
the 1st Fleet Division for three years.
His division had the distinction of
being the local division to win the
Admirals Cup, which is awarded an
nually to the division which attains
the highest average of drill and train
ing cruise attendance Lieut. Carpenter
Is one of the Navys experts in the
photographic Office of the Navy De-
partment.
With this change in command the
officers of the lst Fleet Division now
include Lieut.. Jennings as command
ing officer, with Lieut.. 81. g. Winston
s. Brown. executive officer; Lieut.. q.
G. Raymond J. Zanzot. deck platoon
officer, and Ensign F. w. Lemley. en-
gineering platoon officer. The officers
of the Sd Fleet Division are Lieut..
q. g. F. S. Kirk, commanding Off
Ger; Lieut.. q. g. Carpenter, execu-
tive officer; Ensign w. r. Fifer, deck
platoon officer, and Ensign ]. S. Miller,
engineering platoon officer. Lieut..
g. g. NJ. j. Gigy, engineering spe-
cialist officer, is also drilling with the
Sd Division
Lieut. James E. Sullivan, battalion
commander; Lieut.. 81. g. Eugene C.
Carusi, battalion adjutant, and En-
sign H. Arthur Lamar, battalion aide
and recruiting officer, left the navy
yard last week aboard the organiza-
tons training launch for a practice
cruise to Colonial Beach. The cruise
was the first of the season. The crew
included number of feet reserve men
Of the 1st Division and group of men
from the Recruit School.
The launch. which has recently been
overhauled, will now be available each
week end until the Fall for cruises,
which are necessarily limited by the
small size of the boat to 3 officers
and II enlisted men. Battalion Off
GERS say that they are hopeful that the
Washington unit will receive one of
the 100-fcot, twin-screw Diesel engine,
Guard is shortly making available
for Naval Reserve use. A boat of this
size, it was said. would accommodate
s officers and 80 men, thus enabling
all officers and men of the battalion
TO make at least one cruise during the
Summer. which is said to be hardly
possible now due to the limited accom-
modations for sleeping aboard the
present vessel.
Lieut.. Comdr. F. P. Quigley, en-
gineering specialist officer, has re-
ceived notification from the University
of Pennsylvania that he has been
awarded q. degree in electrical en-
gineerins. Comdr. Quigley, who has
been drilling with the Washington
battalion for some months on the staff