The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-11-04
Ship Repair Units In
 Drive For Volunteers
Men Registered for SeIective Service Eligible to Apply: Tradesmen Needed to Repair Ships Planes

With recruiting for Seabees, the .Javy's Construction Pattalions, end ing October 3l, a similar program will begin immediately in non-re- stricted manpower areas for skilled workers in Ship Repair Units, it was announced today by It. Comdr. L.. M. Nelson at State Navy Re- cruiting Headquarters, New Haven, Conn.
 Ship Repair T-nits--the SRU's-- fix damaged fighting ships at ad- vanced Naval Bases Or they follow in the wake of attacking task forces, in fully equipped repair ships, to repair all but major damage on the spot and get ship and crew back into the fight at the earliest pos Sible moment.
 With the war being fought a long way from home, the repair of ships is q tough problem for the Navy 1t is pointed out by It. Comdr. L. M Nelson. A badly damaged ship often cannot be lowed 5000 miles to the United States and American ships, even when fighting victorous battles, suffer damage. It's the job of the men of the Ship Repair Units to keep 'em fixed and fighting.
 Qualifications for enlistment, or voluntary induction of draft age men, in Ship Repair Units are, with few exceptions, similar to Seabee requirements. Carpenters, electric ians, triggers, lders--mechanics of all kinds--are needed for patriotic service where their skills can be used for victory.
 Ship Repair Unit volunteers are sent to a Naval Training Station for four weeks indoctrination. There they get into the swing of Navy life, learning about Naval history, tradi- tions and regulations and drilling. After a month of this healthy out door life, they are in top physical trim.
 The second phase of the training program is assignment to one of the great Naval stations for specialized training the Section Base at Stat en Island, N. r., the Naval Station at New Orleans; Destroyer Base at San Diego, Calf; the Navy Yard at Boston, Philadelphia, or Mare Is- land, Calf. Training consists of working on damaged ships, doing the same kind of work that later will be done at advanced bases. The training period is two to four months.
 The men are welded into smooth operating teams of 10 to 480 men. each a complete unit, fully equipped to handle repair jobs. They go over seas In teams.
 Most SRU men qualify for petty officer ratings, with base pay rang ing from SIS to $l26 a month and 20 per cent extra when they serve over seas. They receive $l33 worth Of free uniforms, dependency allow anceS and are eligible for low-cost government insurance and other "extvas."
 Physical requirements have been modified. Even men who once have been rejected by the Navy for some minor physical defect may be eligible for the Ship Repair Units. The en- phasis is on craftsmanship.
 Men between the ages of IS and 38 who have the necessary trade ex- perience and who have not been called for induction, can join the Ship Repair Units through the con- payatively new plan of voluntary induction, which works as follows:
 1. You go to the nearest Navy Re- cruiting Station, take the Navy ph, seal examination and have an interview on your experience in your