Evening star., 1936-07-12

w YITH the cruise date rapidly
A/ approaching, all training
Wv now being given to the
officers and men OF the
ist Battalion. United States Naval
Reserves in this city. is designed f1r
the purpose of fitting the officers and
men to settle down promptly In their
billets on the destroyers which will take
them this year to the West Indies. Just
two weeks from today the local citizen
sailors will be heading out of the
Chesapeake capes on three destroyers
and nosing their way through the
North Atlantic to their West Indian
destinations. The battalion Is sched-
uled to sail on Saturday. July IS. With
only three drills left before the cruise,
all hands are working at high speed to
prepare for the cruise, according to
the officers.
The deck ratings will devote the
July drills to instruction in fire control
and gun drills, with particular en-
phasis on fire control and gun
casualties The engine room and flre
room ratings are working on the pro-
cedure OF getting a destroyer under
way and the handling of fire room and
engine room casualties. The quarter
master Signalmen ratings are being
trained in the duties Of quarter
master when in port and when under
way and in visual communications. The
work of the battalion during the week
L. taI ~
collision and abandon ship drills for
all hands. Following these drills the
battalion will be given its physical
examinations to determine qualifica-
tions for the annual cruise.
Many officers of the battalion now
are taking or have taken the pro-
fessional examinations for promotions
in rank. Lieut.. u. g. w. c. Jennings
commanding officer of the lst Fleet
Division, and Lieut.. q. g. F. S. Kirk
commanding officer of the Sd Fleet
Division. have just completed their
examinations for promotion to the
rank of lieutenant, while Ensign w. H
Fifer, engineering officer Of the Sc
Fleet Division, has completed his tests
for promotion to lieutenant, junior
grade. Lieut.. q. CD Eugene c. Carusi
battalion adjutant, has been selected
for promotion to the rank of lieutenant
and will take his professional examina-
tions within the next three months.
A battalion review was held for
liuet. Comdr. Mark H. Croutec
U.SN, officer in charge of Naval
Reserve affairs in the District OF
Columbia. This review was the last
which the local battalion will hold
until after 1t returns from its training
cruise.
Comdr Crouter has been with the
Washington battalion for more than
o year and because of his outstanding
professional qualifications and ability
has earned the full and complete con-
fidence of all Naval Reserve officers
and men in the District, according to
officers of the unit. He has been un-
firing in his efforts to assist in the
training of the Reserves and most help
full with advice in the battalion's
problems, they report.
Lieut.. James E. Sullivan, battalion
commander, in addressing the bat
talon following the review, pointed out
the extremely difficult task that con-
fronts the officer in charge of the
Naval Reserve in the District, and said
that from the very moment that
Comdr. Crouter first set his foot in the
drill hall he has had the united sup
port of every officer and man in the
battalion because of his fairness and
exceptional ability in dealing with the
citizen sailors.