The White Falcon - 13.07.1963, Síða 1

Volume II, Number 26__U.S. NAVAL STATION, KEFLAVIK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ICELAND Saturday, July 13, 1963
President Kennedy Ends
European Tour with Visit
To Italy and Vatican City
President John F. Kennedy’s arrival in Rome was greet-
ed by crowds waving posters marked “Viva the United
States” and “Viva Kennedy.”
In his last official stop on a 10-day European tour, Presi-
dent Kennedy conferred with Italian President Antonio
Seg-ni and Premier Giovanni'
Leone. Mr. Kennedy also had
private audience with Pope Paul
VI at Vatican City.
President Kennedy arrived in
Italy after 12 hours of confer-
ences with British Prime Minister
Harold Macmillan in London.
Even though Premier Leone’s
newly-formed government still
awaits parliamentary approval,
President Kennedy regarded his
French Navy Leaves
NATO High And Dry
The Naval arm of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) suffered a severe blow
when France withdrew her fleet
from the alliance. Observers at-
tribute the action to President
Charles deGaulle’s desire to create
his own nuclear defense force
(force de frappe).
The reason for the French crea-
tion of an independant deterrent
is believed to be the result of her
fear that the United States would
hesitate in using nuclear weapons
to defend Continental Europe. As
a consequence France has been
slowly building a counter-offen-
sive force consisting of nuclear
arms—carrying bombers and mis-
sile—-bearing submarines, closely
resembling the United States
Navy’s Polaris subs.
This action means that NATO,
or Western Allied efficiency could
be seriously hampered. French
readiness to participate in a
joint NATO force or their ability
to work in harmony with the
multi-national fleet remains in
doubt.
French withdrawal encompass-
es more than the military readi-
ness of NATO.
The degree of political unity
which exists at present has been
dealt a serious blow. An earlier
French refusal to accept a posi-
tion in a multi-national polaris
force had weakened member na-
tion cooperation, causing even
greater discord.
General consensus shows that
France has the world’s fourth
strongest Navy. Their fleet con-
sists of 55 destroyers, 3 cruisers,
22 submarines, 4 aircraft carriers
and a number of auxiliary types
of vessels.
However, ground and air units
are still working in conjunction
with NATO’s European command,
and her support bases and harbor
facilities remain at the disposal of
the alliance.
talks with the Premier as impor-
tant because of Italy’s role in the
Atlantic Alliance.
“Italy,” he said, “is a country
which not only has warm rela-
tions with the United States but
is dedicated to the security of
Europe and world peace.”
Mr. Kennedy’s second full day
in Italy was highlighted by a pri-
vate audience with Pope Paul VI,
after which he flew to Naples to
visit the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization’s naval headquar-
ters.
President Kennedy was sched-
uled to leave Italy in order to
arrive back in the United States
to address the nation by radio and
television on July 4.
Postal Department
Introduces Mr. Zip
To Speed Mails
On July 1, the United States
postage stamp was 116 years old,
and, to celebrate the event, the
event, the Post Office Department
came up with a system of speed-
ing mail delivery at reduced postal
costs.
Mr. Zip, an antic cai-toon char-
acter, is the symbol for the
Post Offie Department’s Zone
Improvement Program which
calls for the use of a five-digit
code in addressing mail. Large
volume mailers will be the first
to benefit from the new system
that may bypass as many as six
mail handling steps and reduce
the time between deposit and del-
ivery as much as 24 hours.
Here is how the five-digit code
will be used to speed delivery:
Suppose you live in the 3300
block of North Dimviddie Street,
in Arlington, Va. Your present
address is Zone 7. Your Zip Code
will be 22207. The first numeral
2 designates one of ten national
service areas, consisting in this
case of Maryland, Virginia, West
Virginia, North and South Caro-
lina and the District of Columbia.
The second digit, 2, identifies the
service subdivision, in this case
Northern Virgina. The third digit
identifies the Arlington post of-
fice. The last two digits, 07, ident-
ify the stationn from, which the
mail to that address is delivered.
ZIP Code directories may be
obtained by writing to Headquar-
ters Services Division, Post Office
Department, Washington, D.C.
20260.
White Falcon
Discontinued
For 1 Month
Due to the annual vacation
of the employees of the Isa-
foldarprentsmidja Printing
Company in Reykjavik, this will
be the last edition of the White
Falcon until August 10,
The fact that there will be
no White Falcon does not, by
any means, indicate a curtail-
ment of the activities of the
staff. Coverage of station oc-
curances will continue as nor-
mal. Notification of the White
Falcon of any and all news-
worthy events will be greatly
appreciated—THE EDITORS.
Talks Begin
On Pay Bill
By R. C. Rude, J02
A Senate subcommittee head-
ed by Sen. Howard Cannon (D.,
Nev.) will begin hearings on the
new pay bill July 16.
The senator estimated that the
hearings will not run for more
than a few days, getting the pay
bill to the Senate before any civil
rights filibusters tie up legisla-
tion.
Senator Cannon, a Brigadier
General in the Air Force Reserve,
said that he anticipated some
changes being made in the bill.
Although he said he had some
personal ideas for changes on the
pay bill, the senator declined to
disclose them until he had made
a further study of the bill.
An idea of one change that
may occurr in the Senate pay bill
may be deduced at a June 26 meet-
ing between Secretary of Defense
McNamara and Sen. Richard Rus-
sell (D., Ga.), chairman of the
Senate Armed Services Com-
mittee.
In that meeting Secretary Mc-
Namara reportedly desired hav-
ing the House-passed bill changed
to restore cuts the House had
made in his recommendation for
officer pay raises.
Sen. Cannon has sent to the
Defense Department a number of
questions asking for:
1. Statement of any changes
Defense desires making in
the House-passed pay mea-
sure.
2. Confirmation of cost figures
of the House Bill.
3. Ideas of technical changes,
such as in language, that De-
fense wants in the bill.
Possible complications that may
tie up the bill both in the sub-
committee and on the Senate
floor are certain items which are
proving to be more expensive than
originally anticipated. Combat
pay will cost over 35 million as
opposed to the original expecta-
tion of $1 million. In addition,
the retroactive combat pay en-
closure will cost $8 million.
(Continued on Page S.)
ComBarLant Receives
lew Chief Of Staff
By R. F. Myers, J03
Captain Douglas M. Birdsall has relieved Captain John
W. Murph as Chief of Staff, Commander Barrier Force
Atlantic. In ceremonies Tuesday, July 9, Rear Admiral
Paul D. Buie pinned the aiguilette on Captain Birdsall.
Captain Birdsall has served on'
COMBARFORLANT Staff since
November as Assistant Chief of
Staff for Operations and Plans.
This position is now filled by Com-
mander Henry L. Basler, Jr.
A native of Pomona, California,
Captain Birdsall was commission-
ed Ensign in March 1942. A grad-
uate of the Naval Aviation Cadet
Transfer Program, he was de-
signated Naval Aviator immedia-
tely upon commissioning.
Captain Birdsall came to Ice-
land after a tour of duty as Di-
rector, Test Pilot School at the
Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent
River, Maryland from January to
October 1962. Prior to that as-
signment, he was Assistant Direc-
tor of the Service Test Division
at Pax. In 1957 Captain Birdsall
was Commanding Officer of VP-
56.
Captain Birdsall holds the Dis-
tinguished Flying Cross with two
gold stars and the Air Medal with
a silver star. These medals were
earned in World War II cam-
paigns in the Pacific and Aleutian
Islands and during the Korean
conflict.
His wife, Nancy, and their two
children, Robin, 18, and David,
17, currently reside on the Naval
Station.
Captain Murph will report to<
the U.S. Naval Postgraduate
School in Monterey, California, as
Chairman, Naval Warfare De-
partment.
Lt. Cdr. Peters Takes
Over As ComBarLant
Aide And Flag Sec.
By R. F. Myers, J03
Lieutenant Commander Ralph
C. Peters, Jr. relieved Commander
Harold R Hutchinson as Aide and
Flag Secretary on the staff of
Commander Barrier Force Atlan-
tic in ceremonies held July 3.
Lt. Cdr. Peters arrived in Ice-
land June 20 after a tour of duty
aboard the USS CURRITUCK
(AV-7) where he served as Na-
vigation Officer. Mr. Peters is a
native of Belpre, Ohio. His wife,
Elizabeth, and their two children
reside on the naval station.
Cdr. Hutchinson departed Ice-
land July 9. He will report to
NAS Patuxent River, Maryland,
and assume duties of Commanding
Officer, Airborne Early Warning
Training Unit Atlantic.
REAR ADMIRAL Paul D. Buie pins the Chief of Staff aiguilette on
Captain Douglas M. Birdsall. The new Chief of Staff relieved Captain
John W. Murph in ceremonies held July 9.
(Photo by P. E. Plouffe, PH2)