Evening star., 1940-09-01

Trophy Becomes
Permanent Property
Of Sailors Unit
The Admiral w. S. Benson Me-
mortal Cup. the annual attendance
prize for divisions of the 1st Bat
talon, District Naval Reserve, has
been permanently retired by the 1st
Division. Under the rules of the
award, the cup was to be presented
annually to the division having the
highest drill attendance record for
each year, with a provision that it
was to become the permanent prop
erty of the organization winning it
three consecutive times.
1t. P. E. Kerst was in command
of the division during the last COM
petitive period During the two
prior years when the division cap
tured the cup, it was commanded
by 1t. w. Croft. Jennings, the pres
ent commander of the battalion.
The cup is a memorial to the late
Admiral w. S. Benson, U. S. N, the
first chief of naval operations and
who served in that capacity during
the World War and who was long
friend of the Naval Reserve. The
cup was donated to the battalion by
group of local Naval Reserve Off
GERS who have been associated with
Admiral Benson while in the Navy
and later while he was a member of
the United States Shipping Board,
predecessor of the United States
Maritime Commission.
The divisions drill attendance
record averaged more than 80 per
cent. Prior to the 1st Divisions
three time success, it was said, the
Sd Division, under 1t. F. S. Kirk,
won it for two years. Presentation
of the cup was made to 1t. Kerst, on
behalf of the division, by Capt.
Walter Brown, U. S. N, production
officer at the Washington Navy
Yard.
Three United States destroyers are
expected to dock at the Washington
Navy Yard the latter part of the
week. They are the Branch, Hunt
and Satterlee. On Saturday they
will take aboard the local battalion
of Naval Reserves for their annual
two weeks of duty at sea. Each will
take aboard one of the three divi-
sions. Each is organized on the
basis of forming the nucleus OF a
II,
the ReservistS are aboard they will
take the places of certain OF the
Regular personnel who have been
ashore to make space for the Re-
servists. The ships will be in COM
mand of officers of the Regular eS-
tabliShment, as they are in full
commission However, it was indl-
Gated that the commanding officers
of the Reserve divisions will be de-
tailed to duty as acting executive
officers of each of the three vessels.
It is expected that the divisions
will engage in target practice off the
Virginia capes. The midcruise port
of call will be Charleston, S. c.,
where overnight liberty will be
granted. The battalion will return
to Washington on September IA.
1t. Jennings, commander of the
organization, announced the dlvi-
sions will drill on separate nights,
instead of as unit, in order that
the medical officers of the battalion
may complete the physical exami-
nations to determine that each Off
Ger and man is fit to undertake the
arduous work involved in tour OF
duty at sea. The 1st Division, under
1t. Kerst, will drill Tuesday night.
The I'd Division, under 1t. Gunior
grade) Brown, will hold its meeting
on Wednesday night and the Sd Di-
vision, under 1t. Kirk, on Thursday
night. In addition to the physical
examinations to be given at that
time, each of the division will en-
gage in final loading drills prepara-
tory to the cruise. Each division is
expected to have at least two COM
plete trained gun crews and the
drills this week will provide last
minute practice not only for the
loading crews, but also for the gun
pointers, trainers and sight settlers.
Comdr. A. C. McCrary, director of
Naval Reserve affairs for the Dis
trict, expects several local officers to
be assigned for instruction in gas
defense at the Edgewood Arsenal,
Md, during next month. However,
he was not prepared to announce
the assignments at this time. Its.
Jennings and KerSt of the battalion
received this instruction earlier in
the year and have been responsible
for the excellent training which the
battalion members have received in
gas defense during the summer
training period.
Capt Walter Brown, representing
Rear Admiral George Pettengill,
commandant of the Washington
Navy Yard inspected the local Re-
serve battalion last week. 1t. Jen-
nings presented the group to the in
specting officer.
This was said to be the last in
spection by representative of the
commandant prior to the cruise.
The battalion members also re-
ceived additional instruction in gas
defense under the direction of 1t.
John Wetherill, chemical warfare
officer of the Navy Yard. He plans
to have the men taken into the gas
chamber for practical training in the
use of gas masks and first-aid pro-
cedure. This practical training is
designed to supplement the theoreti-
cal instruction which the group has
received under Its. Jennings and
Kerst.
Comdr McCrary announced that
the special class to prepare enlisted
men for the competition for ap-
pointment to the United States
Naval Academy has been resumed