The White Falcon - 14.08.1957, Blaðsíða 1

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Volume VII, Number 16
THE WHITE
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Headquarters, Iceland Defense Force, Keflavik Airport, Iceland
Wednesday, August 14, 1957 |
NATO — UNIFIED POWER FOR PEACE
General White Departs
Iceland Defense Force
Brigadier General John W. White, Commander, Iceland
Defense Force since 6 August, 1955 is ending his tour of
duty at Keflavik Airport, Friday, 16 August. He will be
succeeded by Brigadier General Henry G. Thorne, Jr.
Both Generals will be honored
at a formal Change of Command
ceremony featuring a review of
the NATO Army, Navy and Air
Force troops comprising the Ice-
land Defense Force, to be held on
the 16th.
General Thorne’s most recent
assignments have been as Base
Commander and Commander of
MATS Transport Aircraft Train-
ing School at West Palm Beach,
Florida; and Deputy Chief of
Staff for Personnel at MATS
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
General White will leave for
his new assignment as Deputy
Chief, Armed Forces Special
Weapons Project, Department of
Defense, Washington, D.C.
As Commander, Iceland Defense
Force, General White has left a
record of many notable accomplish-
ments. By personal example he
has inspired members of his com-
mand to be individual ambassadors
and to set an example of the true
American tradition for which base
personnel of both the present and
future can be proud.
He has rendered frequent assist-
ance to the Icelandic Government
and communities, especially in the
time of crisis or emergency. One
of General White’s major aims has
Brig Gen John W. White
been to make IDF resources, in-
cluding personnel and equipment,
available on an immediate basis to
aid in relief work, perform
rescues, supply transportation,
provide medical assistance, etc.
In the past two years, General
White has successfully carried
out his policies to make this base
strategically strong and con-
stantly alert to defend Iceland
and to provide a key, reliable
point in the NATO defense line,
in case of any emergency.
Improvement of living and
working conditions for personnel
assigned in Iceland were accorded
high priority during General
White’s Command, and much has
been done to enhance both the
physical appearance and the
morale level at Keflavik.
General White, a Command
Pilot and the holder of the Legion
of Merit, is a graduate of the
United States Military Academy,
class of 1934, and the National
War College. Prior to this assign-
ment, he served as a member of the
Joint Chiefs of Stqff, Washington,
D.C.
During World War II he was
instrumental in the establishment
of bombardier schools in the U.S.,
two of which he later commanded.
In May, 1946, General White was
transferred to the U.S. Air Force
in Europe, where he became
Director of Plans for the Berlin
Airlift.
After graduating from the Air
Force War College in 1950, he
went to Mather AFB, Calif., as
Commander of a Bombardment
Training Group, and he assumed
Command of the Base in January,
1952.
General White is married to the
former Patrica Krausse of Galve-
ston and San Antonio, Texas, the
General’s native state. They have
two children, John W. Jr., and
Sally. The family now makes their
home in Washington, D.C.
Regulation Change Eases
Overseas Travel Expenses
Travel to and from overseas as-
signments will be less expensive
for Air Force families in the fu-
ture, according to Pentagon of-
ficials.
First change is an entitlement
called the Interim Housing Allow-
ance. Under it the quarters por-
tion of the overseas station allow-
ance can be paid an AF member
before his dependents arrive. This
allows him to obtain non-govern-
ment family accommodations,
which he must have before his
dependents can be transported to
his new overseas station.
The second change benefits both .
AF individuals and families ar-
riving at new overseas stations.
It permits payment of Temporary
Lodging Allowances while living
in hotel or hotel-type accommoda-
tions up to the first 60 days. The
new allowance pays 50 per cent
of the country’s travel per diem
rate to a single individual, 100
per cent of the rate to the indivi-
dual accompanied by one depend-
ent and 150 per cent to an AF
member accompanied by three or
more dependents.
Temporary Lodging Allowances
in the same percentage rates also
may be paid for a maximum of
ten days to AF members, and
families, upon completion of their
overseas tour.
Secretary Brucker Visits Iceland
The Hon Wilbur T Brucker, Secretary of the Army, U S Department of Defense,
arrived in Iceland Saturday, 10 August. Mr. Brucker’s visit here was for the purpose of
conferring at the American Embassy in Reykjavik as well as inspecting the American
military installation at Keflavik Airport. Secretary Brucker was accompanied by Mrs.
Brucker and Hugh M Milton III, Assistant Secretary of the Army.
AF Grants Early Outs To Meet RIF
Washington (AFPS)—The Air Force has announced that several
thousand airmen in grades E-3 will be released from active duty
approximately five months early.
The early out will be given to those airmen whose enlistments
expire during FO 58 and who don’t intend to re-enlist.
In order to reach a 900,000 strength figure by the end of the
year, the Air Force said 3,800 officers and at least 21,200 airmen
would be discharged to meet a recent Defense Department order.
To meet the required reduction in officer strength, the Air Force
said officers who are non-career reservists and who have established
dates of separation (DOS) during the last half of FY 58 will be
selected for release from active duty by Dec. 31.
The Recall and Direct Appointment program has been reduced,
and about 500 of the AFROTC FY 57 graduates selected for call
into non-flying duty during the current fiscal year will be delayed
some three months before being called up.
Army Secretary Greets Battalion
Army Secretary Wilbur Brucker and Hon Hugh M. Milton III, Assistant
Secretary of the Army, greet members of the Second Battalion Combat
Team during a Sunday visit to the Meeks Army Mess, during an in-
spection of the NATO installation at Keflavik Airport. Pictured left
to right are: Maj Irvin G. Ochs, CO, 2nd BCT; HQ Co’s Lt Harlan;
Asst Secy Milton; Secy Brucker; WO Mixon, Ordinance; Maj Damish
HQ Co Commadant; M/Sgt Murphy, HQ Co 1st Sgt; and Capt Butt,
CO Co A.
Secretary Brucker and his of-
ficial party were met at Loftleider
Airport, Reykjavik, by the United
States Ambassador, the Hon John
J Muccio and Brig Gen John W
White, Commander, Iceland De-
fense Force. En route to the
American Embassy, the Brucker
Party was conducted on a brief
tour of Reykjavik, led by an Ice-
landic Police motorcycle escort.
At the Embassy, Ambassador
and Mrs. Muccio entertained the
Bruckers, Mr. Milton, and Ice-
landic officials at dinner.
FLY TO KEF
At the conclusion of the visit to
Reykjavik, the Party, joined by
Ambassador Muccio, flew from
Reykjavik to Keflavik Airport, via
054.
Early Sunday morning the
Secretary, The Assistant Secre-
tary, and General White, were
joined by Col Howard Dellert,
Chief of Staff, IDF; Base Com-
mander, Col Richard Philbrick;
Col Linwood Griffin, COMNA-
RICE; Capt James T Moynahan,
COMNAVICE; and Maj Ervin
Ochs, Acting Cmdr, 2d BCT, and
the officials began a scheduled
inspection of the NATO installa-
tion. During the inspection trip
Secretary Brucker addressed the
officers and EM of the 2nd BCT.
He stressed the importance of
their assignment in Iceland and
cited the Army’s history and tradi-
tions as worthy of note today, as
in the past.
The Secretary, in France im-
mediately prior to his Iceland
visit, moves from Keflavik to
Thule, Greenland, before return-
ing to Washington, D.C.
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Army Sergeant Takes Award
SFC Clinton M Owens, stationed with the Reykjavik port
commission, was honored for meritorious performance of
duties at his previous post in special ceremonies at IDF
Headquarters last week. Owens was presented with the
Army Certificate of Achievement by Col Howard C Dellert,
Chief of Staff, acting in behalf of Brig Gen Jeremiah P
Holland, Commanding General, Ft Gordon, Ga (Owen’s
previous post).
Navy Announces
Cartoon Contest
Washington (AFPS)—-The Navy
has announced plans for its third
cartoon contest open to all naval
personnel on active duty and their
dependents.
Gag or situation type cartoons
must have a Navy theme or back-
ground, and must be suitable for
general use. They must be in
black ink on 8 by 10 and one-half
'inch white paper or illustration
board.
A contestant may enter as
many cartoons as desired, but
each entry must contain the en-
trant’s full name, rate or rank,
serial or file number, duty station,
hometown and hometown news-
paper, and a brief statement that
the cartoon is original. That ma-
terial must be attached to the
back of the entry.
All entries must be submitted
to the Chief of Naval Personnel
by Oct. 1, 1957.
At the ceremony, held in Col
Dellert’s office, Lt Col William R
Shaw, Adjutant General, read the
citation, while Col Dellert, Lt Col
Franklin Patterson (Reykjavik
Port Commander), and Asst Port
Cmdr Maj Philip P Brown looked
on.
The certificate specifically cited
SFC Owens for distinguishing
himself “... .through exceptional-
ly meritorious performance of his
duties in Household Goods and
Dependent Travel Section, Post
Transportation Section, and
demonstrated outstanding leader-
ship and managerial abilities.. ..
(at)... .Fort Gordon. His leader-
ship qualities, efficiency and sin-
cerity. .. .set an example... .to
bring great credit upon himself,
Fort Gordon, and the United
States Army.” The signature was
that of Gen Holland.
Presidential Pilot Honored
The job of piloting President
Eisenhower’s personal plane, the
Columbine III, is the subject of
a current magazine article.
The article, by the President’s
pilot, Col. William Draper of the
Air Force, appears in the Aug.
20 issue of “Look,” currently on
sale at the Base Exchange.