The White Falcon - 14.08.1957, Blaðsíða 3

Wednesday, August 14, 1957
THE WHITE FALCON
Page 3
Nation Salutes Growth of AF
As Military Flight Turns 50
POWER PACKAGE—Major combat and support craft of the Air Force are shown at Eglin AFB, Fla. They
are, outer circle, clock-wise, beginning with plane in center foreground: Convair F-102 supersonic inter-
ceptor, North American F-100 supersonic fighter, Martin B-57 jet bomber, Douglas B-66 jet bomber,
Boeing KC-135 jet tanker, Boeing B-52 jet bomber, Douglas C-124 transport, Boeing IvB-50 tanker, Lock-
heed C-139 transport, Grumman SA-16 rescue amphibian, Northrop F89D jet interceptor and McDonnell
RF-101 supersonc reconnaissance plane. Inner circle, clockwise from center: Cessna T-37 jet trainer,
North American F-86D jet interceptor, Lockheed F-94C jet interceptor, Lockheed RC-121 reconnaissance
plane, Convair B-3G bomber, Boeing KC-97 tanker, Republic F-84F jet fighter ad North American F-86
jet fighter. In center is Sikorsky H-19 helicopter.
By STAN FELDER, SN, USN
The Air Force was fifty years old Aug. 1. In a half-century it advanced from turtle-
paced “pushers” to supersonic planes that can whip across the country in a few hours.
This phenomenal growth of the world’s mightiest air arm stemmed from a short
office memorandum from the War Department’s Office of the Chief Signal Officer.
It read: ^
“An Aeronautical Division of this office is hereby established to
take effect (August 1907).
“This division will have charge of all matters pertaining to mili-
tary ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects. All data on
hand will be carefully classified and plans perfected for future tests
and experiments. . . . ”
Two years later, the Wright brothers made the first flight for
military acceptance from Ft. Myer to Alexandria, Va.,’ and back.
In 1910 the Army air arm had two officers, nine men, one air-
plane, one airship and three balloons.
Until Congress made its first aviation appropriation of $125,000
military aviation appeared doomed.
The First Aero Sq., the initial U.S. tactical aviation unit, was
formed in 1913 with 16 officers, 77 EM and six planes.
In 1924 a Douglas World Cruiser flew around the world in 15
days, 11 hours and seven minutes. In 1957 a flight of B-52 jet bombers
flew around the world in 45 hours and 19 minutes, averaging 525
miles an hour.
The year 1947 was another giant air landmark. The Air Force
came into its own as a special and independent arm of the nation’s
military might.
Since that time the Air Force has gone supersonic with its F-104
Starfighter, F-100 Super Sabre, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-101 Voodoo
and the F-105 Thunderchief.
Into this era also has come a supersonic bomber, the B-58, vertical
take-off and landing planes, and helicopters.
WWII bombers flew along at speeds around 200 mph. Today’s
planes can fly well over 600 mph.
In armament, planes have gone from rigged-up machine guns to
lightning-fast rockets that home on targets with radar and infra-red
guidance systems. (AFPS)
Behind the
Camera
By T/Sgt Bob Bandy
_Although it seems as though it
were only a short time ago that
the baseball season started, a
quick looksee at the records shows
that TFK-TV has telecast fifteen
baseball “Games of the WEEK.”
And the last few have been stud-
ded with some impressive firsts ..
For example the contest between
the Dodgers and St. Louis. .. .the
game that brought St. Louis back
in the National League driver’s
seat. It was also the first time in
more than three years that the
Cards beat big Don Newcombe.
For St. Louis it was the first time
that pitcher Sad Jones had gone
the full route. And teevee fans,
there’s still more action in store
as Channel 8 will continue to
bring you the “Game of the Week”
including the World Series for the
remainder of the baseball season.
BCT Man
Sells Poem
Sp/3 Bryce Turner, finance
clerk with the personnel division
of Headquarters, Second BCT, has
been advised that one of his recent
poems has been accepted for publi-
cation in INSERT, an occasional
magazine of prose and verse.
THE FALCON contacted G.R.
Speeden, INSERT’S editor.
Speeden said the publication would
hit the market within the next
few weeks. At that time we will
try to obtain permission from all
concerned—and print the work.
The American Revolution be-
gan April 19, 1775, with the bat-
tles of Lexington and Concord.
Education Notes
Latest news from the Education
Office is a USAFI group study
program which include Elemen-
tary and Secondary courses.
Classets are due to begin on 26
August through 18 October and
from 18 October until 13 December.
Classes will meet twice each
week and are two and one-half
hours each. Final exams will be
administered by the Office.
For information on these courses
administered by the Education
personnel may call 5180 during
normal duty hours.
£ee 1fcuJ/h Church
CHANNEL JUMPING
AND TV HIGHLIGHTS
Some interesting numbers....
There are 900 TV stations in the
world being received by about 63
million sets. Of these, 44% million
sets and 500 stations are in the
United States.... Good news for
Sid Ceasar f ans.... Rumors have
it that a reunion will take place
between Ceasar and Imogene Coca.
. .. .The West Point Story will be
dropped by CBS for the coming
season and this has raised a storm
of protest from some irate fans
including not a few letters from
Army people.... But the above
series will have company, .shows
like Ford Theatre, Galen Drake,
Bishop Sheen, Arthur Godfrey
and his Friends, Jackie Gleason
and the Buccaneers will be notable
only by their absence this coming
season....
Roadeo Winners
Compete in Florida
On to Orlando!!!
That is the victory cry of the
six Roadeo winners who will re-
present Keflavik Airport at the
MATS Roadeo contest to be held
August 13 to 15 at Orlando Air
Force Base, Florida.
The contest winners within each
Officers’Wives
Club News
By Mrs. Alex Sutton
The Officer’s Club was the
scene of an authentic Hawaiian
“Aloha” pax-ty on July 17th, when
the members of the Wives’ Club
gathered to say farewell to their
honorary president, Mrs. John W.
White, wife of Brigadier General
John W. White.
Mrs. Donald D. Ritchie, social
chairman, appointed Mrs. James
H. Burniston and Mrs. R.D. Gloyn
as hostesses for the day. Mrs.
Burniston, a native Hawaiian,
greeted Mrs. White with a beauti-
ful lei of red and white carnations,
and read an original poem, written
by Mrs. Earl Cartwright for the
occasion.
As a token of appreciation for
her guidance in the group, Mrs.
White was presented with a
Madonna figurine, by the club
members.
The luncheon tables carried out
the Hawaiian motif, as did the
stage, set for the delightfuul hula
dances of Miss Maureen Burniston.
The luncheon closed with Mrs.
Burniston singing “Aloha” in
Hawaiian, while the entire group
accompained her in English as a
parting gesture to Mrs. White.
Mrs. White and her daughter,
Sally, left for the States the
following week, and they will
soon be joined by General White
in Washington, D.C., where the
General has been assigned.
The Wives’ Club closed the
month by holding a special election
meeting on July 31st. The newly-
elected officers and the new stand-
ing committee chairman, for the
next six months are: Mrs. Edward
Seemer, President; Mrs. Charles
Bevis, Vice President; Mrs. Robert
Callahan, Secretary; Mrs. Merrill
Braden, Treasurer; Mrs. James
Burniston, Social Chariman; Mrs.
Arthur Dulaney, Hospitality
Chairman; Mrs. Alex Sutton,
Publicity Chairman; Mrs. William
Archbold, Nursery Chairman;Mrs.
Frank Koisch, Thrift Shop Chair-
man; Mrs. H. P. Layne, Hospital
Chairman; and Mrs. Leslie Shaw,
Special Projects Chairman.
classification are A/1C John Floyd
Staff Car), S/Sgt Jeff Bronner
(Pickup Truck), S/Sgt Everrett
Chipley (1% Ton Truck), S/Sgt
Cruz Hernandez (29-Passenger
Bus), A/1C Virgil Mayberry
(Tractor with Van) and S/Sgt
Jacob Holmes (Tractor with Re-
fueler). All are assigned to the
1400th Transportation Squadron.
Presenting a certificate to the
winner in each vehicle classifica-
tion, Colonel Leslie B. Shaw,
IADF Chief of Staff, said, “It
is a great honor for me to present
this certificate of accomplishment
to each of you. You have every
right to be proud of your ability
as a safe and skilled driver. I am
sure that you will be excellent
representatives of this base and
the Air Force as well,, in your
forthcoming competition at Or-
lando, Florida. Good luck, and
congratulations for a job well
done!”
The Roadeo is an annual test
of a driver’s ability in a number
of difficult, yet common driving
and parking situtations. The pur-
pose of the Roadeo is to improve
driver efficiency and increase
safe driving practices. It also
serves to identify the Air Force
driver as a qualified, safety-
conscious representative in deal-
ings with the civilian populace
on the world’s highways.
In the Roadeo contest, which
was held at Patterson Ramp,
drivers were timed while they
backed their vehicles around bar-
riers, up to a simulated loading
dock, drove through a gradually
narrowing lane and through an
offset alley, similiar to a narrow
city street corner. They were re-
quired to halt their vehicle within
five inches of a stop line and were
required to park adjacent to a
curb.
Drivers also had to pass a stiff
written examination in all phases
of road safety and vehicle main-
tenance. In addition, they were
tested on their ability to spot
equipment defects on their vehicle.
At Orlando, the six winners
will compete against representa-
tives of MATS bases throughout
the world. Champions in each of
the six classes will receive $50
and $25 savings bonds, respec-
tively.
Roadeo Project Officer is Capt.
Robert Fraser. Project NCO is
Master Sergeant Fulton Jones.
The floor of a new military tur-
bo-prop transport will be stronger
than a modern skyscraper's foot-
thick reinforced steel concrete
flooring.
Top Base Drivers at Orlando
Colonel Leslie B. Shaw, Chief of Staff IADF, congratulates A/1C John
W. Floyd for winning first place in the Staff Car Class at the Vehicle
Roadeo. Assisting Colonel Shaw at left is Air Base Group Commander,
Colonel Michael T. Reid. Winners in the other five classes include
S/Sgt Jeff Bronner, (partially hidden) S/Sgt Everett Chipley, S/Sgt
Cruz Hernandez, A/1C Virgil Mayberry and S/Sgt Jacob Holmes.