Evening star., 1940-06-16
Naval Reservists
Start Training
For Batt|eship Duty
Local ButtoIion Swings
Into Intensive
Program for Cruise

Plans for the approaching train
ing cruise aboard the battleship
Wyoming are declared by officers of
the 1st Battalion, District Naval Re
serve, to be in full swing. All Of the
operations from now until they de-
part for the port Of embarkation will
have this end in view, 1t was said,
including particularly the intensive
training of the gun crews Of each Of
the three divisions. This latter
branch of the personnel will be given
gun firing and loading training with
the drill gun in the armory.
A considerable part OF the instruc-
ton will be given over to training
for service aboard a battleship. 1t
Is understood the training this year
was ordered for two reasons. One
is that most of the destroyers, II not
all, are engaged on neutrality patrol,
and the situation is 80 serious at
this time that it was not deemed
desirable by the department to re-
lieve them for the purpose of spend
ing the entire summer training
naval reServists. The Wyoming is a
part Of the Atlantic Training Squad
ron and will be available after the
midshipmen have completed their
summer cruise.
The target practice aboard the
battleship is expected to be with the
secondary batteries, which are sub
stantially the same caliber of guns
which the Reservists fire their scores
with while cruising on destroyers.
Furthermore it was indicated, the
battleship training is for the purpose
of giving the officers and enlisted
personnel a broader training, as dis
tinguished from the specialized
training which they have received
aboard destroyers during the past
few years.
1t. w. Croft Jennings, commander
OF the local battalion, has altered
the normal training routine, in
which half the weekly drill period
was devoted to practical work and
half to general instruction, to a
routine in which the emphasis is
almost entirely on practical work,
with particular emphasis on battle
problems and gunnery exercises. A
new 5-inch loading machine has
been set up in the local armory,
which, it was said. will enable the
three divisions of the battalion to
acquire additional practice in ham
ding this type of gun for broad
side" firing.
Under the new system the weekly
drill will be divided into three
periods. least one of which will be
devoted by each division to battle
problems, the three divisions alter
mating at this work. In this way,
it was added each division will
work on battle problem each drill
night. During the two remaining
periods of the drill the divisions
will engage in lifeboat drill, practice
of gunnery safety precautions. study
of shipboard etiquette. which is In
| sisted upon more on battleships than
destroyers: methods of damage con-
troll, handling of fireroom casualties.
and the like. The whole purpose of
these drills, it was asserted, is to
prepare the men for naval life at
sea, in any capacity to which they
might be assigned upon and after
mobilization.
Members of the Naval Reserve
officers Association of the District
made tour through the Navy's
ship-model testing basin at Car
| derock, Md, last Wednesday in con-
nection with the June meeting.
/ Owing to the precautions being OBJ
served by the Navy Department
against the admission of undesirable
persons into key places, only officers
of the Naval and Marine Corps
Reserves were admitted and as
result the usual quota of guests at
the associations gatherings were
absent.
/ 1t H. B, Atkinson. Supply Corps,
president of the local chapter, an
nounced that there will be no meet
ings during July and August. but
that the regular meetings will be
resumed in September.
| Officers of the Naval Communica-
/ tons Reserve Division and the
Thursday Night Widows had a
! joint meeting recently at dinner
dance. The Thursday night wild
ows." it was explained, are the
women relatives and friends Of the
personnel who stay at home on the
drill night for the local organization.
The training ship of the local
battalion made cruise last week
under the command of Comdr.
A. B. McCrary, U. S. N, director
of naval reserve affairs in this area.
With Comdr McCrary we're 1t. F. H.
Hatfield, U. S. NJ, and Chief Boats
wain's Mates Joseph P. Slattery
and H. B. Berryhill
1t. Morris Weinstock. commander
of the Naval Reserve Communica-
tions Division. announced that drills
of that unit will not be suspended
during the coming summer because
of the national defense plans. He
said that instructions have been
received from the chief of naval
operations to continue the drills
during the summer months, and that
they will be held both in the armory
and aboard the training ship of the
local organized battalion. 1t. Wein-
stock told the members of his COM
mand that these are critical times
and continuous training is necessary
in behalf of national defense. He
explained that an interesting course
would be conducted during the
summer months
1t. Weinstock said that the IN
specting officer from the Regular
Navy who conducted the annual
tests of the local battalion COM
mented most favorably upon the ap-
pearance of the personnel of the