Evening star., 1941-05-11
Naval Reserve
Fleet Divisions
To Sail Soon
All Units Scheduled
For Active Duty
By Muy 30

For Active Duty
By May 80
With the lone division now re-
naming here of a three-division
battalion, and this scheduled to go
before the end of the month, the
activities at the local Naval Reserve
armory will be confined largely to
training of the members of the spe-
cial Naval Academy divisions and
looking after the mobilization OF
other branches of the Volunteer Re-
serve as they are called. The call
ing into active service of all of the
local feet divisions, however, still
leaves a number of officers and men
here who are in the so-called VOL
unteer class, mostly specialists, who
may be called individually or in
small groups as their services are
required by the needs of the expand
ing fleet.
The lst Division, commanded by
1t. B. H. Lindman, is the only one
remaining, and mOmentary orders
are expected for the movement Of
this unit in view of the announce
ment of the Navy Department that
all of the remaining divisions of
the Organized Reserve would be
mobilized before Decoration Day.
Although this division and the I'd
Division, which left here Wednes-
day to 90 to the Norfolk Training
Station for a month or SO before
being assigned to a ship, have been
primarily trained for duty aboard
| destroyerS, it was indicated that
! thev later would be assigned to
auxiliary vessels or naval district
ships which are to be manned by
naval crews. The Sd Division, which
was called out on January l, was
| the only one that was assigned to
a destroyer, and it is now operating
the Destroyer J. Fred Talbot in the
Atlantic neutrality patrol, basing on
the Panama Canal.
1t was announced definitely that
1t. w. Croft Jennings, who for
several years has been commander
of the local battalion, has been
ordered to active duty and to as
sumo command of the U. S. S. Opal,
a converted yacht. Ensign w. G..
Clavtor of the local battalion, who
has been on active duty at the local
armory for several month. and En-
sign William K. Van Allen Of the
Volunteer Reserve, have also been
ordered to the Opal.
When the I'd Division left here,
officers said that it had its full COM
plement of 100 men which it has
been striving to obtain ever since
the quota was raised several months
ago from 70 to 100 enlisted men.
1t also is expected that the 1st
Division will have its full quota b.
the time that it is called into the
service. Enlistments are being re-
ceveid in the local Reserve armory
in the Washington Navy Yard.
The departure of the feet units.
it was pointed out. will necessitate
a rather prompt decision by the
Navy Department on the new re-
ouirements of young men who de-
sire to enter the Naval Reserve 10
qualify for appointment to the
United States Naval Academy from
the Naval Reserve. In order to
qualify by a years service in the
Reserve. those who intend to seek
appointment in the class entering
the academy on July l, 1912, Will
have to enter the Reserve prior to
July l of this year.
officials say these young men
should apply early in June so that
their papers and other requirements
can be fulfilled before the deadline,
but that they are without informa-
ton at this time as to how the men
will comply with the current re-
uuirement that during their year of
service they shall be attached 10
and drill with an active division
of the Organized Reserve. With
these divisions now on active duty
at sea, there will be no such units
with which they can drill.
The Naval Reserve now is allowed
100 appointments a year from the
ranks of its enlisted personnel and
in addition is permitted to fill all
of the vacancies now used by the
enlisted personnel of the regular
establishment which also is allowed
100 appointments. The local bat
talon had three divisions of acad-
emy candidates this year and the
examinations were held last week.
Because of the demand being
made by the Navy Department for
special groups Of men for the Re-
serve, the work of the local Reserve
headquarters under the command
ant of the Washington Navy Yard
will in no manner be leSsoned, it
was said. Some of these men arc
quartered in the armory, while the
main office of the Reserve is in the
administration building. The clear
ing out of all of the divisions will
give considerably more space for
the naval academy divisions which
are expected to be formed here and
it was indicated that the drill equip
ment Of the local battalion will be
put to full use by these divisions
as they conduct their training dur
ing the year that they are preparing
for their tests for appointment TO