Evening star., 1937-02-28
NAVAL RESERVES
CRUISE DATESSET
Local Citizen Sailors to
Train on Destroyers
This Summer.

LIST Battalion, United States Naval Re.
serves, in the District of Columbia,
will again this year cruise on destroy
ers, it became known last week. The
destination OF the cruise has not been
announced. Although the men ex-
pressed the hope they would 60 either
to Bermuda or the Bahamas, the be-
lief was expressed they will 60 to New
England waters, with Boston as q pos
sible liberty port for the week end in
the middle Of the cruise.
No official announcement has been
made by the Navy Department, but 1t
was said the three divisions will not
cruise together Is they did last year,
each going on q separate destroyer.
Neither has 1t been ascertained
whether they will have one ship as
signed here. The End Fleet Division
will take its sea training from August
IA to u and the 1st and 3rd Fleet
Divisions from September TO II.
Ofncers had feared they would be
compelled to take the entire battalion
on q battleship cruise, and they were
enthused when 1t became known they
again would 60 on destroyerS. They
like this service, 1t was said, because
all Of their training Is directed toward
service on this type Of vessel In time
Of war-that is at the beginning, al-
though 1t may become necessary to
transfer them to other ships at later
periods. Because OF the latter pos
sibility It Is known that the Navy De-
partment desires the training Of naval
reservists be broadened to take in the
battleship service, 50 that In the event
it became necessary TO put them on
this type Of ship in war time they
would be familiar with 1t, to some ex-
tent.
All members Of the Fleet Reserve are
required to make the annual cruise.
II any do not 1t affects the efficiency
rating Of the individual and also that
of the division Is o whole when the
annual armory inspection is made as .
certain percentage Is allowed for cruise
duty.
It was announced last week the
U. 8. destroyer Leary would remain
here until June. The ship came here
in January to remain about six weeks
to permit the local divisions to train
with the equipment aboard, but as the
Reserve Onicers pointed out at the
time they did not expect to get much
use out Of her because Of the inclement
weather which prevented the men from
operating the exposed equipment. They
found this to be true as far as the deck
forces were concerned, although the
members Of the engine and fire room
gangs have made the fullest use be-
cause their work was entirely inside.
Although the vessel was scheduled
to leave here early next month for
ports in the Chesapeake Bay area FOR
the training Of other Reserve units.
she has been ordered to remain here
until June. With this announcement,
Lieut.. James Z. Sullivan, commanding
the battalion, together with his divi-
sion officers Immediately started the
preparation Of q training pro- ram.
which will give the enlisted personnel
an intensive period Of instruction
aboard the ship during the Spring
months, which will carry them up
until a few drill nights before they
begin their annual sea cruises.
While the Leary will be here at the
time Of the annual inspection in
April. when Q board Of regular ON
GERS from the Navy Department viii
put the divisions through q series OF
| tests to determine their efficiency and
progress during the past year. 1t Is
probable all the tests will be held In
the armory.
In view Of the fact that the Leary
is going to be here during the Spring
months, it is probable that the ofiicers
will make an effort to have the ship
make some week end training cruises.
so that the officers and men may get
some experience in ship handling
while under way, in addition to the
drills which they can have while it
is tied up at the dock.
Another training device to improve
| indoor training has been invented and
constructed by Chief Boatswain's
Mate Joseph Slattery, . reservist who
Is on indefinite active duty at the
armory.
This is an electrical contrivance
which permits the showing for In
struction purposes Of any series OF
LIGHTS which vessels are required TO
show 50 that they can be identified
at night. Various vessels have GER
tain lights which they are required to
carry for Identification purposes. and
as the local citizen sailors get only
two weeks training cruise each year
during which they are not likely to
see all of the colored light combina-
tions which ships are required to
carry for identification purposes. In
order to provide this instruction
Slattery devised the electric box.
Slattery recently constructed, fol
instruction purposes, q model OF
naval standard lifeboat. together with
davits and rigging. This model Il
used nightly for the instruction tr
the proper and efficient lowering and
hauling up of lifeboats and to learn
the various gear used In Its operation
Lieut.. Comdr. Charles B. McVay
IT,, instructor of the local Reserve, u
continuing his series Of lectures in
destroyer handling and maneuvering
He Is former commander Of the de-
stroyer Ellis, from which he came te
his assignment with the Reserve units
here.
Members of the Naval Communities
ton Reserve Division were assembled
aboard the Destroyer Leary last week
where they were given instruction and
demonstration in the handling OF
various types Of radio trafic by the
regular force aboard that vessel. They
also were given practical talks and
demonstrations on ship interior COM
munication circuits and the master
gyro compass and repeaters. 1nstruc.
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