Reservists, Ex-Navy Men Can Take Two-Month Practice Cruise This Summer, 1920

From the Hickory Daily Record, April 24, 1920

Navy Practice Cruise Open to Ex-Service Men

The navy recruiting station located in the Mint building of Charlotte has received instructions to the effect that the midshipmen of the naval academy at Annapolis will this year make the summer practice cruise, as was the custom before the war.

This cruise will give the middles a wonderful sightseeing trip as the squadron will visit the Panama canal, many ports on the Pacific coast and then to the beautiful Hawaiian islands, after which they will visit the rendezvous of the Atlantic fleet at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Boatswains Mate Ferris from the Charlotte station, who is spending several days in Hickory, says he has the authority to re-enlist ex-Hickory men for this cruise and also the men of the reserve force will be given an opportunity to make the cruise by making application through the commandant of their naval district. The number of reservists to be accepted for the cruise is limited to 1,500. The cruise, which will begin about June 1 and continue until the end of August, will give the reservists an opportunity to complete the active duty required for conformation of rating.

The practice squadron for this cruise will be composed of the following battleships: Connecticut (flagship), Michigan, Kansas, Minnesota, South Carolina and New Hampshire. The fleet will touch at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Panama, ports in Puget Sound, San Pedro, Cal., San Francisco, San Diego and ports in the Hawaiian islands.