Evening star., 1941-05-02
New Coast Reserve
OF 270 Boats 10 Be
Active in June
Section Including D. c.
Will Have Thirty-Two;
$4,000 Sought
BY MALCOLM LAMBORNE. Jr.

Q
President Roosevelt's recent re-
quest of Congress for $2,770,000
for administering the new Coast
Guard Reserve and the 27O yachts
to be used as patrol craft in active
service opens the way for full
mobilization of the first peacetime
fleet of pleasure craft ever called
to the colors.
Officials at Coast Guard head
quarters here report that several
boats, in areas where outfitting Is
well under way, already have been
commissioned in the Reserve. They
would not disclose, however, where
the commissioning had taken place
or reveal their identity.
By the end of June nearly all of
the 270 vessels are expected to be in
active service in this country, Puerto
Rico, Hawaii and Alaska, sources
at headquarters predict.
Reserve regulations made public
for the first time this week Stipulate
that the owner may join his yacht
for as long period as the Coast
Guard will have use of the vessel.
The term of service mutually is
agreed upon by the owner and the
Coast Guard, and the skipper will
be commissioned for that period.
Must Pass Examination.
In order to accompany his boat
in this service a yachtsman must
pass an examination in navigation
and seamanship and prove to an
examining board that he is quail
fed to operate his boat capably
under Coast Guard direction.
All boats needed by the Coast
Guard must have accommodations
for at least four on extended in
land cruising, and they will range
in length from about 80 to 80 feet.
The yachts will assume many of
the peace time functions of larger
Guard vessels which now are need
ed for more urgent duties at sea
and with the Navy.
The Norfolk district, which in
cludes Washington and the vital
industrial and military areas at
Baltimore, Annapolis and Hampton,
is expected to mobilize a total of
80 yachts.
YachtSmen who receive commits
sions or warrants on the basis of
their boats use in the Guard are
to be enrolled as temporary men,
berS of the Reserve but will be
accorded all the courtesies, pay and
rank of a regular Coast Guard
officer.
Preference Is Given.
Preference in the selection of Off
GERS for the Reserve, according to
the regulations, is given. first, to
personnel of the regular Coast
Guard; second, members of the
Coast Guard Auxiliary; third, other
experienced operators of small boats
and yachts, and, fourth, licensed
deck and engineer officers and ex-
members of the Coast Guard not
employed on ocean or coastwise vas
sells.
A greater portion of the 270 yachts
is expected to be recruited from
among Auxiliary members-Wash-
lll6 VII olOIlC lldo 41fC dCIlFC Auhlll-
ary f1otillas.
The regulations sound the keynote
of the new Reserve, which is pat
termed closely after the Naval Re-
serve, when they state:
"a basic requisite of the Reserve
is the immediate availability of its
members for active duty in time of
war or national emergency, and its
members are under a continuous
obligation therefor. The vital i'm
portance of the civilian effort in
modern warfare and in time of
emergency also is recognized. Con-
sequently an individual whose civil
liam occupation is such that his i'm
mediate separation from his civilian
occupation, on being called to active
duty, will not be to the best interest
of the national defense should not
be admitted to the Reserve"