Evening star., 1941-12-21
More Than 300 Yacht,
Aiding Coast Guard
In Defense Work
Number Is Expected
To Be Doubled Soon;
Serve on All Coasts

More than 300 cabin cruisers,
fishing craft and yachts, forming
unique part of this country's inshore
line Of defense, are now on active
duty with the Coast Guard as
portion OF its new Reserve, Coast
Guard headquarters disclosed here
yesterday.
Of11cials estimated that within
the very near future" the 312 con-
verted craft guarding Atlantic and
Pacific coast lines as well as the
Gulf Of Mexico and Great Lakes
would be doubled in number.
Before the outbreak Of war the
service had commissioned approx
mately 27O yachts and small COM
mercial craft for 24-hour duty at
vital defense areas. Since Decem-
ber 8, however, the Reserve program
has been stepped up considerably.
In addition to these Reserve YES
sells, q large number of the more
than 1000 boat owners forming the
non-military Coast Guard Auxiliary,
have been giving valuable assistance
to Federal authorities, according to
the headquarters announcement
Many auxiliary members have VOL
unteered their boats without COM
pensation, and in some instances
boat owners have remained with
their craft until regular Coast Guard
personnel could be placed on board.
District Owners Lauded.
Of1cials cited the Outstanding"
performance of several Washington
yachtsmen. who, without prior in
structions, placed their boats on pa
troll OF important bridges crossing
the Potomac River the night after
war was declared against Japan.
Later in the week the yachts were
relieved by reserve vessels rushed
here from Chesapeake Bay.
AT the present time three Reserve
boats-two of them converted yachts
and one an eX-fishing traWler-are
guarding the Potomac bridges.
Coast Guard headquarters points
out that all boats have been VOL
unteered by their owners and there
has been no need of Communicating
craft as was reported from the West
Coast in the opening days of the
war. Some yachtsmen have even
offered their boats as outright gifts
to the Coast Guard and Navy.
With President Roosevelts S sigma
ture on a bill Tuesday authorizing
the Navy to accept such yachts as
gifts, the two services are now con-
sidering offers already received, Of
flcials said.
Help With Recruiting.
In addition to volunteering their
boats, auxiliary members are rem
derlng valuable assistance in the
recruiting of Coast Guard enlisted
men. officials told of a Detroit
businessman, member Of a Michi-
/ gan auxiliary fiotilla. who set up
a recruiting Office in his place of
business. In one day 400 men ap-
/ piled and were sent to recruiting
officers in that city.
Headquarters said reserve enlist
ments through the country are av-
eraging 100 day.
! The Reserve. not yet a year old,
| Is patterned CLOSELY dICer tne Naval
! Reserve, it was explained, and is
| open to qualified citizens between
the ages of II and g. Commissions
| to the rank of lieutenant COM
mander are provided for, in addi-
tion to warrant. chief warrant anG
regular enlisted personnel
Officials explained the Reserve had
provisions for both regular and tenn
porary members. Regulars are be-
ing taken on for the duration of
the war, while the temporary men,
bership, usually for year at time,
is provided for those owners who en-
roll with their boats
The auxiliary, which originally was
organized under the name of Goa st
Guard Reserve. but changed with the
creation of the military reserve, is
more than two years old.