Evening star., 1936-08-09
NAVAL RESERV|STS
BACK FROM CRUISE
Three Divisions End Two
Week Voyage to West
Indies.

IIlulcSs
Sun-tanned and hardened, and
considerably wiser in the ways Of
naval practice, 1s officers and 200
enlisted men forming the 1st Bat
talon, United States Naval Reserves
in the District of Columbia, returned
to Washington last week, after COM
pleting two weeks of training at sea
aboard three destroyers of the Allan
tic Scouting Fleet.
After cruising several thousand miles
In the North Atlantic, officers and men
returned to their station here and
were placed on inactive status for
another year unless war clouds de-
velop making it necessary to call
them to the colors. During this
time every officer and man took his
station in the ships company, just
as though he was a member Of the
regular crew and learned the naval
work by actual practice. 1t was the
first time that the local contingent
has been at sea in such large
flotilla of destroyers the three which
left washington having joined up at
Sea with IS other vessels, and the
fleet then operating as a unit until
disbanded so that the vessels might
take the men to their home ports.
On the other destroyers were Re-
servists from other East Coast cities,
including contingent from the Bal
timore, Md, battalion
Although there were many veterans
IN the group. some of them World
War service men, it was new ex-
perience for many of them, the extent
of cruising for some of them having
been limited to the Potomac River
aboard the small training launch
assigned here for training purposes.
The first week of the cruise accord
ing to the officers. was a busy one,
full Of new experiences for many and
plenty of hard work for the old timers
whose duty 1t was to prepare the new
men for their tasks on the bridge, at
the guns, on deck and in the engine
and fire rooms. The men were said
to have been enthusiastic in putting
to practice use the training they had
received In the armory and aboard
the U. S. destroyer Jeary at the
Washington Navy Yard.
The respective feet divisions en-
gagged in short range battle practice,
the final scores of which have not
been received. Each of the WASH
ington divisions qualified three gun
crews each as compared with two in
the previous years, which entailed a
great amount of care on the part Of
officers in the choice of proper per-
sonnel to man the different positions
for operating and servicing the guns.
1t was pointed out that a great deal
of credit is due the organization for
having so quickly absorbed the in
creased number of enlisted men,
which increase was effected subsequent
to July 1 and preparing them for
participating in the gunnery practice.
After the gunnery exercises the
f1otilla steamed into Guantanamo Bay
and dropped anchor off the United
States Naval Station. Boats were put
over the side and recreation provided
for the officers and enlisted men dur
ing the weekend liberty period. The
elimination whale boat races were a
feature of the stay in Cuban waters.
Besides this there were swimming
parties, base ball games and tennis
for those who desired to participate
in such sports. The recreational
facilities proved adequate to accom-
nodate all Of the vessels present.
Prior to embarkation on the cruise,
the SIS officers and enlisted men of
the I'd Fleet Division, commanded by
Lieut.. J. B. Cleland, jr., held their
annual dinner. The division had as
its guests Lieut.. Comdr. Mark H.
Crouter, U. S. N, officer in charge
of Naval Reserve affairs here, and
Lieut.. James E. Sullivan, commander
of the Reserve Battalion. The pur-
pose of the occasion was to afford an
opportunity for the officers and men
to learn more about each other and
to create a genuine esprit de corps.
1t was asserted that the weekly
drill periods are so taken up with
routine drills and study that little
time is left for social contacts which
are held to be so necessary to the
building up of an efficient service
unit.
The regular weekend cruises on
the battalion's converted motor
launch. 1t was announced, were inau-
gurated for the dual purpose of pro-
viding a limited amount of training
for officers and enlisted men and to
improve the morale of the organiza-
ton. These cruises. which rotate be-
tween the three divisions and the
recruit unit, have been more helpful
in achieving the end in view. 1t was
said that the only regret of the Off
GERS in charge is that the facilities
for such training are so limited here.
The proposed assignment of a larger
vessel driven by modern Diesel engines
and provided with adequate quarters
and training equipment to accommo-
date the large number of men who
apply for these cruises each week
was hailed with great enthusiasm by
the members of the battalion. The
fulfillment of this proposal, accord
ing to the officers, is awaited with
great anticipation, as it was pointed
out that men join the naval units,
instead of the land forces, because of
the supposed opportunities for cruis-
ing 1t affects the morale to some
extent if the men are denied facili-
ties with which to obtain this train
ing, and the officers are taking every
possible step to have the Navy De-
partment assign vessel here which
will aid in fulfilling this desire of the
men.
The regular weekend cruise was
conducted last week end by the in
structor for the benefit of those Off
GERS and men who serve with the
battalion in a voluntary status. with