Evening star., 1938-12-18
Special Effort Urged
To GET Signa|men
For Naval Reserve
Suggestion Made Thct
Service Be Made
More Attractive

With only very few enlistments
In the signal branch of the Com.
munications Reserve, the Navy De-
partment has been urged to take
some steps to make it more attrac-
tive. Some months ago the de.
partment authorized the enlistment
OF l,038 men for the branch, men
who desired to perfect themselves
IN the visual signal branch of the
Navy and be available for i'm
portant assignments aboard ships
in the event of hostilities. MANY
such men would be needed to fill
the void which will be created by
sudden expansion in the fleet.
1t has been recommended to the
department that efforts to enlist
| the number required be pushed,
1t was felt that men of the caliber
and qualifications required of these
men, who would receive no pay and
at the same time lack the incentive
of such an absorbing hobby as ra-
dio, will require some additional
inducement, such as an assurance
OF an annual cruise, to bring them
into the Reserve in Volunteer
status.
The other branch Of the Com
munications Reserve is made up of
radio men, mostly amateurs having
their own stations, and men en-
gagged in work with the regular ra-
dlo companies. They have regu-
lar drills with apparatus provided
In the armories, and can talk and
send messages over the regular Re-
serve radio stations. But, it was
pointed out, the signalmen do not
have any such objective. Under
the present appropriations by Con-
gress these man cannot be of
fered the inducement of an annual
cruise aboard one of the ships OF the
fleet.
Because of the great difficulty in
getting the personnel for this
branch Of the service, there is a
probability that the Navy Depart
ment will give serious study to the
problem with view to devising
other ways and means of attract
ing qualified young men to this
branch of the Naval Reserve. How
ever, berfore an annual cruise in
ducement could be provided, funds
must be obtained from Congress,
which, in the past, has not been
ready to provide cruise experience
for other branches of the Volunteer
Reserve. Only the Organized Re-
serve, formerly the Fleet Reserve,
which is the branch which holds
weekly drills with pay, is required to
make an annual cruise, for which
regular facilities are provided.
The commandants of all naval
districts have been directed to fos-
ter those relations between the Naval
Communications Reserve and other
branches of the Naval Reserve.
Where Communications Reserve
units are now in cities where there is
are now in cities where there is a
a Naval Reserve armory, it was ex-
planned, the commandants have been
directed to move the quarters Of
these units to these buildings, in
order that better relations between
the two branches may be effected. {
1t. Comdr. w. I. King, Medical
Corps, senior medical officer of the
local battalion, has requested de-
tachment from his present duties
and transfer to the Volunteer
branch. He was employed by the
Veterans Administration in this
city, but has been transferred to
st. Petersburg, Fla. Comdr. King
is one of the oldest officers, in point
of service, in the local battalion.
He Joined In 1917, and later went
into the Regular Establishment for
four years, and then back into the
Reserve. He has rendered valuable
service with the local outfit, ac-
cording to the officers.
1t. James E. Sullivan, commander
Of the local battalion, has recon-
mended that Chief Boatswain's Mate
M. r. Hagerman be transferred
from the Volunteer to the Organ
lied Reserve and assigned to the
I'd Division. This division Is with
out a senior deck petty officer, and
Hagerman is scheduled to fill the
gap.
He had had a long and valuable
service with the Reserve, to which
he became attached shortly after
the war. He has been actively
drilling with the local battalion for
more than year, since coming from
Camden, N. J. The transfer is
said to be reward for his faithful
attendance at the drills of the
battalion.
The battalion will not hold any
drill during Christmas week, on
orders from the Navy Department.
The drills will be resumed on jan
uary 8.
Changes in Reserve officer per-
sonnel have been announced by the
Navy Department as follows:
Transferred to honorary retired
list: Comdr. William c. Newton,
1t. Comdrs. Emil ]. Carroll, John
P. Dougall, Hans K. Koebig, Henry
j. c. De Rheims, Owen w. Hughes
and Frederick w. Southworth, Its.
Charles E. Carlew and Laurence L.
Walker.
designations: 1t. Comdrs. Arthur
c. Albert, Charles j. McDevitt, An
drew G.. Aldrin and James E. M.
Thomson, Its. Alfred w. Anthony,
jr; John j. Cannon, Thomas s.
Maple, Randolph M. Mock, Harry
J. Swindle, Harold A. Bauman, Will
liam K. Kistler, Harold E. Maroney,
Robert M. Sayre, Harry A. Walker
and Herbert P. Wilder; Its. Junior
Grade) Norvell A. Garfield and
Ralph S. Jones, Ensigns Hubert S.
Dale. Joseph B. Fyffe, William B.
Jennison, George H. Moorhead,
Wayne M. Nelson, Roy F. Segur,
Emerson B. Taylor, Charles j. East
man, Ernest D. Garrett, Charles p.
h. Ill YaiI