Evening star., 1937-01-17

Naval Reserve OmcerS As
sociation out of the way, the officers
with the directing the destiny Of the
lst Battalion, United States Naval
Reserves in the District Of Colun-
bia will be able to direct their efforts
to laying plans for seeking improve
ments for the training Of the men,
bers Of the battalion.
As Congress Is now in session, the
first and greatest need Of the local
Reservists, it was pointed out, is that
of an armory. While officers of the
battalion have not disclosed any plans
they have made, it Is known that
they have been considering presenting
their facts concerning their predica-
ment to friends in Congress with a
view to having legislation offered and
adopted which would provide special
fund for the construction Of an arm
ory building here. Preliminary plans
have been drawn for building
especially designed for the training
not only Of the Naval Reserve contin-
gent, but the Marine Corps Reserve,
which has quarters as bad, II not
worse than the sailors.
The proposed project would call for
a building which would be large
enough not only for the seaman bat
talon, but for the Marine Corps Re-
serve regiment which now Is housed
in buildings on the Municipal Center
site.
Any money which might be pro-
vided by the Congress would be used
entirely for construction purposes, as
it was said that there is . site avail
able in the Washington Navy Yard.
Figures submitted to the Navy De-
partment some time ago in the hope
that funds for the project might be
obtained from the Public Works Ad-
ministration called for an ALLEGATION Of
$500 900 for such q building, which
would be located Immediately on the
Anacostia River water front. In such
location the men could have facili-
ties for small boat training not now
available as the present building in
the Navy Yard which they occupy is
some distance from the river front.
This building is most unsatisfactory.
according to Reserve officers, although
they have made the best Of their sit
uation in the matter of training They
have fitted it out with material OBJ
tanned from ships, but the drill hall is
only lean-to added to an old brick
building during the war. 1t is so
small that while the entire battalion
can be lined up in close order, it is
impossible to maneuver the entire or
ganization in drill. The result is that
during the bad drill nights in Winter,
the force is unable even to 60 out in
the open for such instruction.
Even when the inspection board
conducts its tests only about two divi-
sions can be put through their PAGES
at the same time. The classroom
space is very limited. with the result
that in instruction work the classes
have to be formed in small groups
in the drill hall, which in extremely
cold weather is hard to heat. No
steam heat is provided. attempts be-
ing made to heat the building with
small gas heaters distributed about
the drill hall.
When the armory project is started
on its way, the Reserve officers have
another problem facing them, and
that is the matter of training ship,
which they put to practical use during
C,,re n@ a he
This lack is also held by the Reserv-
lists to be a serious handicap to their
training work. as the small boat they
now have does not give opportunity
for the wide range of training required
OF Naval ReServiSts The officers are
hoping that they will be able to con-
vince the naval officials of the i'm
portance of having a destroyer here,
but they would be willing to take a
smaller vessel, such as one of the
type turned over to the Navy by the
Coast Guard Some of the boats, it
was said, already have been assigned
to Naval Reserve units. but the local
officials thus far have been unable to
obtain even one Of these. Prior to
the depression period the Reservists
always had a large training vessel,
the last two of which were Destroy
ers. and they said that the men were
kept in a much better training state
than 1t is possible to keep them In
now under the present conditions.
1t also was pointed out that as the
young men enlisted in this service be-
cause OF their interest in ships, it
would materially lift the morale Of the
organization by having a vessel here
which they could use on week end
trips.
Changes in personnel Of the Re-
serve were announced as follows:
Placed on honorary retired list-Lieut.
Comdrs. Jesse o. Arkebauer, Charles
Behounek, John c. Dean and Francib
M. McCausland; Lieut.. Kavanaugh
c. Downey, Gunner Robert j. Nor
ley and Lieut.. Comdrs. Leander H.
Porter, Thomas P. Quinn and william
L. Walker.
Discharges-Lieut. q. g. Claude C.
Barlow. Aviation Cadet Francis X.
Bride, Lieut.. Arthur E. Buck, Aviation
Cadet Robert H. Cameron, Lieut.. q.
g. William B. Campbell. Aviation
Cadet Thomas r. Fonick, Ensign Jo-
hanes L. M Froberg, Lieut.. q. g.
Cameron j. Gadsby, Lieut.. Comdr.
Nathan C. Johnson, Aviation Cadet
Harold H. Jones, Ensigns John M.
Lesner, Eugene F. Lindsay, Alfred B.
MacChesney, Samuel Van Culin and
Winfield H. McKown and Lieuts. q.
G. William A Smith and George M.
OFT.
Observation-Disclosures John A. An
derson, John D. Bading, Albert A.
Bainbridge, Charles H. Baltic, Harold
Bill, Ferdinand Bishop. William c.
Coulbourn, Jack B. Dawley. Mel
bourne c. Driscoll, Robert E. Ewers,
Loren Grinstead, William H. Hacuser,
William H. Hilands, Truman B. Nickle,
John c. Hit, Edward L. Holz, Jules
j. Jordy, Herman Jorgensen and
Samuel S. La Bouisse; Lieut.. Wal
ter n Graft Lieut.. Condr. Henry L,