Evening star., 1940-05-17
50 Yachts 10 Parade
On Potomac Before
Service Officials
Private Croft Will Take
Places of Government
Boots at Regottas
BY MALCOLM LAMBORNE, Jr.

BY MALCOLM LAMBORNE, Jr.
One Of the first Coast Guard Re-
serve reviews in the country will
be staged here tomorrow afternoon
before Coast Guard ofYicials, who
this week reported wide response
to their program for the formation
of reserve f1otillas at marine centers
throughout the United States.
The full force Of Washington's
three flotillas-represented by IS
members and approximately so
yachts-is expected out for the ma
rine parade. Coast Guard officials
from headquarters here as well as
the district director of the reserve
from Norfolk, Va, will be on hand.
Yachts will form of the old Army
engineers wharf in Washington
Channel, grouped into three divi-
sions representing flotillas Nos. 2,
II and 13. They will proceed in
formation downstream to the re-
viewing boat located off Hams
Point.
Will Practice Semaphore Signals.
Following the parade small groups
will continue south to rendezvous
at Gunston Cove, Occoquan and
Mattawoman. En- route reserves
will practice semaphore signaling
learned in winter classes. Tomor-
row night they will work in the
blinker system.
The reserve, authorized by the
last Congress, fast is becoming ma
tional in scope, with yachtsmen
demonstrating their willingness to
repay that arm of the Government
service which has played such an
important part in America yacht
ing.
A voluntary, military organ
ization, the reserve came into be-
ing to promote a better understand
ing of seamanship and increased
safety af1oat.
With the spread of war abroad
a fuller Interpretation of the re-
serve becomes apparent. Increased
demands on its ships and personnel
for neutrality patrol have made it
necessary for the Coast Guard to
abandon to a large extent its CO.
operation with yacht clubs In pa
trolling regattas.
Coast Guard Officers to Command.
In its place the reserve will be
asked to furnish flotilla yachts, each
of which will be commanded by
commissioned Coast Guard officer
during regatta and race week ends.
Reservists of the two local flotil-
las-Nos. 2 and 11-already this
spring have shown fine co-opera-
tion," according to Potomac River
Sailing Association officials, in sup
plying their craft as Race Commit
tee boats for the weekly sail races
here
Robin Hood, who is captain of
the Washington division of reserves;
Frank Campbell and Arthur M.
Hahn have turned their yachts and
equipment over to race officials, who
are without their regular commit
tee boat due to delayed fitting out
operations.
The continued growth of the re-
serve is seen in figures released re-
Gently by headquarters here. A
total Of 2,100 reservists now are
registered in 100 flotillas from the
Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico
and from the East to the West
Coasts, although the full machinery
of the organization did not get 60
ing until the last winter.
As COmmandant Waesche Sees 1t.
Rear Admiral Russell R. Waesche,
commandant of the United States
Coast Guard, this week declared:
''I look upon the program laid down
for the reserve as one highly i'm
portant in bringing about safer op-
Grafton Of yachts and other motor
boats. In order to set an ex-
ample for other boat owners it is
necessary that high standard in
the reserve organization be MAIN
tanned and that reserve vessels be
competently and safely operated at
all times"
Commanders of the three local
flotillas are Robin Hood, No. 2;
Herbert M. Campbell, No. II, and
Walter E. Blount, No. 13, which
was organized only last week.
Comdr. Hood. in addition, supervises
the Washington region, which in
cludes Southern Maryland as far
north as the Severn River.
Local fleets meet once or twice a
month for study of marine subjects.
Flotilla No. II has established
headquarters in frame building
overlooking Washington Channel
at Maine avenue and Eighth street
S.W.