Evening star., 1936-03-29
D. c.. Naval Reservists
Praised by Col. Mas
Minnesota Representative Writes Compli-
mentary Letter to Lieut.. Sullivan, Com
mander of Local Battalion.

cal Battalion.
, Hooper now attached to the ONCE Of
the chief Of naval operations.
During all Of this period OF It's In.
cubation and development into a
valuable national asset for peace time
as well as war TINE, tine connecting
link between the U. S. Navy and
these Reserve officers and men has
been Lieut. Comdr. William ]. Lee,
U. 5. Naval Reserve, who has, for a
number Of years. been on active duty
as halSon officer and co-ordinator be.
tween the Naval Communication Serv-
Ice and the communication reservists
scattered throughout the country. At
the present time there are 800 officers
and 1000 men, who number among
their group several thousand Of the
most prominent and expert CONNER
cial and amateur radio men of the
country. In time Of peace these radio
| officers and men man reserve stations
and also their own amateur stations
and take up the work of relief and
rehabilitation until such time as COM
mercial telephone and telegraph lines
are repaired and again in operation.
| At the present time the U. S. Naval
| Communication Reserve has members
and radio stations in As Of the 48
States. Alaska, Hawaii, Canal Zone
and Puerto Rico They are divided
| into geographical areas known as sec
tions, and local organizations known
as units. Most of these units are
| located in Government owned build
ings and in many of the most i'm
portant cities and towns of the United
States. Each unit has an officer or
man who is designated to act as
liaison officer with the local chapter
Of the Red Cross, so that in case of
emergency such as the recent floods,
| the Red Cross and the Naval Com
munication Reserve work hand in
hand. In addition, the Communica-
ton Reserve obtains and relays infor-
nation to the United States Navy
through the regular Naval Reserve sta
tions and the commandants Of naval
districts.
While this branch of the Naval Re-
serve, though working night and day
in emergencies, have received little rec
ognition in the way Of provision for
cruises aboard ships of the Navy,
where they could work at the big sets.
During the past several years only
| cruises were provided for the Fleet
ReServistS, because Of the limitation
on funds, but it has been indicated
that these men of the communica-
tions volunteers will be given limited
opportunity this year to go to sea with
the fleet men. However a man to
take advantage Of the coming cruises
must comply with certain conditions,
one Of which is that he must have been
in the Reserve for at least three
months prior to the date set for the
beginning of the cruise. and the local
organization is urging young men who
desire to take advantage of this op-
portunity to enlist now so that they will
have the requisite time in.
The local feet divisions, It has
been announced, will cruise between
July rs and August on destroyers and
in West Indian waters. 1t was ex-
| planned in a communication to the
local naval communication men that
within the authorized quota members
OF the communications division may
be ordered to training duty individ-
ually, upon request. However, they
are not to be ordered to any training
duty unless such duty is calculated to
increase efficiency OF the individuals
or contribute to the betterment Of the
! Naval Reserve as whole.
| Also within authorized training
! quotas for the communications men,
members may be permitted to per-
| form training cruises with fleet divi-
sions, provided no officer or man of
| the feet division is thereby deprived
of an opportunity to cruise. and pro-
vided the Necessary accommodations
can be made available without undue
/ crowding. 1t is desired to have on
board each vessel performing a Naval
! Reserve cruise not less than four quail
! fed naval operators. These may be
supplied either from class FL or from
! class V-3. Thereafter, in selecting
officers and men to accompany the
| fleet division on its cruise, preference
is to be given to those officers and men
actively associated with the division.
1t was added that it is not con-
| Sidered desirable to cruise recently en-
| listed recruits nor other enlisted Re-
serves who have failed to maintain an
active interest in the organization to
I VH11 a. Ac 10
no enlisted man should be permitted
to cruise unless he has attended min
imum Of II drills during the six
months Immediately preceding the
cruise. In this connection, it was
pointed out. rs per cent of these drills
must have been performed in the
armory and rs per cent on "over-the-
air" periods.
All requests Of Communications Re-
servistS to take part in the cruise must
be in the hands of the conmunica-
tions division commander as soon as
practicable in order that men may be
furnished outfits of clothing. Assign
ment to this duty the division COM
mander announces, will be made on
the basis of interest and efficiency
shown by members.
With another Spring having rolled
around without the assignment of
large training ship here for the use Of
the local reserviStS, the members OF the
local battalion are making plans to
make the best of the small launch
which has been here for several years.
The boat has been out of the water all
the Winter to protect it from ice DAM
age, and plans are being made to paint
it thoroughly in preparation for the
week end cruises which will be taken
on her during the Summer months.
While the destroyer Leary Is eX-
pected here within short time for
use by the reservists on drill nights
to prepare them for destroyer service