The White Falcon - 07.03.1964, Blaðsíða 3

Saturday, March 7, 1964
WHITE FALCON
3
Navy Policy Statements
Soviet Recon Fears
Ungrounded In Reality
Soviet air reconnaisance of United States aircraft car-
riers in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans has stimulated con-
siderable public interest and discussion. Much of the debate
has revolved around speculation on the significance of the
Soviet flights, and their implications of carrier vulnerability.
Three key facts must be emphasized in any discussion of
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the Soviet reconnaisance flights.
Most significantly, the Soviet
planes were detected by United
States radar and intercepted by
carrier borne fighters long before
they were in a position to threat-
en the American ships. The fight-
ers remained with the visiting
Soviet aircraft throughout the
time they were in the vicinity of
the carriers. In wartime they
would have destroyed the raiders
instead of merely escorting them.
Secondly, the Soviet flights took
place over international waters
during routine peacetime travel
between ports, with no attempt
being made to conceal the carriers’
movements along normal shipping
routes.
Finally, there is a matter of
semantics: the incorrect use of
the word “overflight” as a blanket
description for Soviet aerial re-
eonnaisance of our carriers has
left the public with a lingering
and unjustified belief that carri-
ers are especially vulnerable to
Soviet air attack. Actually, the
majority of the aircraft involved
in the so-called overflights have
remained several miles away from
the carriers, with only a handful
coming within visual range of our
ships, and then always with our
own fighters “riding shotgun” to
thwart any potentially hostile
action.
It is therefore imperative that
the Soviet reconnaisance flights
be described as such rather than
broadly lumped together under
the misleading term “overflights”.
Clearly, the flights demonstrate
an increasing awareness by the
Soviets of the importance of our
fleet in the defense of the U. S.
Honor Roll ...
(Continued from Page 1.)
a member of the Pep Club, Glee
Club, a J. V. cheerleader, year-
book staffmember and a member
of the student Council. She is an
eighth grade student.
Henry, son of Cdr. and Mrs. H.
E. Thornhill, Jr., attended school
in California for seven years and
one in Rhode Island before matri-
culating at Mahan. He is Presi-
dent of the Freshman Class and
a member of the varsity basket-
ball squad.
Wayne, son of Chief and Mrs.
D. G. Gibson, is a member of the
ninth grade and is taking five,
courses. He attended school in
Georgia before arriving here. He
is a Library assistant and a mem-
ber of the Glee Club.
For First Honors a student must
maintain a 4.0 average in the
solid curricula. Second Honors re-
quires a 3.9-3.5 average and Hon-
orable Mention is acheived on a
3.4-3.0 average.
Those receiving Honorable Men-
tion were:
Deborah Hitchens
Bill Herrick
Diane Fitch
Lea Fletcher
Jo Ann Haveland
Christine Fitch
Lorraine Kemp
Margaret Barbacci
Claudia Bien
Donna Weil
Thomas Starbird
and her allies. These flights may
thus be part of a psychological
effort by the Soviets to attempt
to cause a loss of confidence in
the effectiveness of aircraft carr-
iers by the peoples of the Free
World.
The effectiveness of naval for-
ces as a major deterrent to Com-
munist expansion has been vividly
demonstrated to the world on many
occasions. The Communists recogn-
ize that in any area of the Free
World which must be approached
from the sea, U.S. seapower is
the first force they must reckon
with. Our attack carrier striking
forces and our antisubmarine car-
rier forces are integral and vital
parts of our overall seapower.
They represent a tremendous off-
ensive punch, both nuclear and
conventional. Hence the Soviets’
understandable interest in and
concern for means to counter the
effectiveness of our aircraft car-
riers.
Carrier mobility poses a real
problem to the Soviets; they are
concerned about their inability to
pre-program weapons systems
capable of providing full assur-
ance that the carrier strike force
can be found and destroyed when
they want it to be.
The extent of the Soviet con-
cern with the threat posed by our
carrier forces is underscored by
the fact they have chosen to divert
a long-range nuclear weapons
system to the relatively minor task
of maritime aerial reconnaisance.
Ship movements in peacetime
are not normally classified. The
Soviet reconnaisance flights are
relatively simple since the ports of
departure, destination and prob-
able track are public knowledge.
It is quite a different thing, the
problem of locating a ship in times
of tension when security measures
limit the availability of informa-
tion on ship movements.
The Soviet reconnaisance flights
have provided our carriers and
their embarked aircraft with valu-
able experience in the detection,
tracking and interception of poten-
tially hostile aircraft. Under war-
time conditions the intruding air-
craft would have been destroyed
by the interceptors before reach-
ing a favorable position for att-
acking the carriers. Also, in war-
time the carriers would be taking
steps to avoid detection and their
movements or locations would not
be known to the enemy.
The so-called “overflights” by
Soviet aircraft must be recognized
for what they really are — a
psychological gambit in an electro-
nic game of cat and mouse in
which the United States Navy
learns more than it reveals and
which poses no serious threat to
our ships or to our national se-
curity.
More Rehabilitations
More children and adults with
physical handicaps are rehabilita-
ted today than ever before. You
can help the crippled help them-
selves by giving to the 1964
Easter Seal Campaign March 1
to March 29, Easter Sunday.
Wilcox Hits Local Nite Spots
Frank “Shor-
ty” Wilcox, an
sx-geologist turn-
ed entertainer
and free-lance
writer, recently
appeared at the
NavSta Crow’s
Nest and Polar
Clubs.
Wilcox is an
extensive travel-
ler of European
countries and
while in Helsinki,
Finland last
year, sang at a
Bar-be-cue for
the then Vice
President Lyn-
don B. Johnson.
The song was
“The Yellow
Rose of Texas”
and Shorty was
accompanied by
Texas Pan Am Hostess Sally “Kay” Maxwell.
After the song, President Johnson placed his autograph on their
jackets and on Shorty’s 12-string guitar, which was on loan from
the factory. When Shorty returned the guitar, the factory presented
it to him as a gift.
Freedoms Foundation
Term IV Enrollment
With UofM Begins
Registration for Term IV of
the University of Maryland
Keflavik Extension will be con-
ducted at the High School office
March 2 through March 16.
Courses to be offered are:
English II, Spanish II and Speech
I. Math II, which is a 16-week
course, will continue.
Those who are interested in en-
rolling are invited to call Miss
Lee at ext. 6297 or visit the High
School office for further details
relative to days and hours that
courses are offered.
Military personnel receiving tui-
tion aid will only have to pay
$11.26 for each course. Informa-
tion pertaining to tuition aid can
be obtained from the High School
or from your respective E & T
Officer.
Since the number of students
permitted per course is limited it
is suggested that you apply for
enrollment as soon as possible.
Icelanders possessing a Matri-
culation Certificate from an Ice-
landic grammar school who may
be interested in taking these
courses are requested to contact
Miss Lee at ext. 6297 for details.
Ten Top Letter Writers
Honored in Washington
Washington — The top ten letter writers of the 1963
Freedoms Foundation contest had lunch with their senators,
and received an exclusive tour of the Capitol and White
House before receiving their awards at Valley Forge, Pa.,
on Washington’s Birthday.
At least one member from each4''
branch of the military received a
special award, and numerous
others were cited for what they
did to help improve understand-
ing of the “rights, freedoms and
corresponding responsibilities in-
herent in the American way of
life.”
The Freedoms Foundation cited
922 for patriotic contributions
made to the nation in words,
pictures or speech during the past
year.
The highest award presented by
the Foundation — The George
Washington Award — went to Lt.
Col. John H. Glenn Jr., “for his
exemplary citizenship in boyhood
and manhood, as a Boy Scout
leader, a Sunday School teacher,
a decorated Marine Corps pilot in
two wars, and commander and
sole passenger of Friendship 7.”
The Special Freedom Leader-
ship Award was presented to Gen.
Lauris Norstad, Air Force (Ret.)
“for enlightened leadership, pen-
etrating personality and intelli-
gent imagination as NATO’s Su-
preme Allied Commander, Europe.
For developing sentineled solidar-
ity among our Western Allies for
the protection of free men and
nations. For patriotically uphold-
ing the principles of the Ameri-
can way of life. For service to
freedom as a pilot’s pilot, gen-
eral’s general and diplomat’s dip-
lomat. For personal exemplary
conduct worthy as a goal for any
American boy.”
Among those receiving $100 and
George Washington Honor Medal
Awards for their public address-
es were: Vice Adm. H. G. Rick-
over, Gen. Mark W. Clark, Army
(ret.) and Air Force Maj. Gen.
Harold C. Connelly and Col. Hen-
ry C. Pennington.
Army Lt. Col. Bernard G. El-
fert submitted the winning letter,
“What Can I Do For Freedom,”
and received $1000 and an en-
cased George Washington Honor
Medal.”
Winning $100 and a George
Washington Honor Medal was
Navy photographer E. R. Swartz
for his photo, “A Proud Ship
With a Proud Heritage.”
Meteorological Pact
Washington — An agreement has
been signed by the India De-
partment of Atomic Energy and
the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration for coopera-
tion between the United States
and India in a meteorological
sounding rocket program.
Pakistan is already participat-
ing in the program under a sim-
ilar agreement. In addition, the
United Kingdom and Australia
are understood to be planning
participation in this phase of the
expedition.
"...A
TRADITION
OF
KINDNESS.”
ALWAYS THERE
______________ - - .WITH YOUR HELP
As Americans, we have long been proud of our traditions of kind-
ness and generosity toward our fellow men. Today, more than ever,
it is our duty as a peoplet to revitalize these traditions, and to
reaffirm our willingness to uphold them. The American Red Cross
is charged by Congress with the task of carrying out the merciful
responsibilities of the American people. Within our own country,
Red Cross touches the lives of millions of families every year, with
its health and emergency welfare programs. Throughout the world,
some 160 million people serve under the Red Cross banner. All of
us, therefore, have a mutual responsibility, to our nation and to
the world, to stand behind the Red Cross in its continuing mission
of mercy. Let each of us now stand up and be counted. Let each
of us contribute, in whatever way he can, to the current Red Cross
appeal. The Red Cross depends on all of us.
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