The White Falcon - 02.10.1964, Qupperneq 6

6
WHITE FALCON
Friday, October 2, 1964

“I WAS HERE FIRST” — Boasting he was aboard before anyone
here at present time is SMSgt. Robert C. McNeil.
Sgt. Says He Was Aboard
Prior To Anyone Here Now
*
AFI—SMSgt. Robert C. McNeil, 57th Fighter Inter-
ceptor Sq. Analysis Section, is thought to have arrived
in Iceland ahead of any members of the present-day Ice-
landic Defense Force. Military, that is.
He first arrived in Iceland as a Seaman First Class
in July, 1941. McNeil’s first trip was made as a member
of a convoy of 57 ships trans-'"*
porting the 6th Marine Division
to Iceland. The Marines relieved
British and Scottish soldiers gu-
arding the island. Iceland’s stra-
tegic location made it necessary
real estate for allied shipping
and air routes during World War
II.
McNeil at that time was a cox-
wain of a landing boat assigned
to the USS Fuller, a Marine
transport vessel. British and Scot-
tish soldiers, relieved from the
island guard duty, were needed in
Britian because Hitler was plan-
ning an invasion across the chan-
nel.
Liberty in those days was hard
come by, McNeil noted. He and
his mates were given six hours
ashore to visit Reykjavik.
“The change in the city is al-
most unbelievable,” McNeil said,
“today it is one of the most mo-
dern capitals in the world. We
landed a few miles north of the
city. I recently visited the beach
where I thought we made the
landing. Landmarks, however,
grow dim in 23 years and I am
not sure just exactly where I did
beach my craft.”
Sergeant McNeil rose to the
rank of chief petty officer in
the Navy before transferring to
the Air Force in 1948.
When the Japanese attacked
Pearl Harbor, McNeil was on the
USS Fuller on the way to Pa-
nama.
During the Korean War he was
stationed at Guam and served in
the Strategic l^ir Command.
In February of 1942, he was as-
signed to the USS Layfayette
(French Liner Normandie) and
suffered burns that hopitalized
him for three days when the liner
caught fire and capsized. He then
transferred to Naval Aviation
and was a radio gunner. He saw
service in PB4’s, PBM’s and PV-
2’s.
In September of 1945 he was
discharged, but the call of service
was strong and he then enlisted
in the Air Force.
mco Vim
by Rebecca Long
The NCO Wives Club held its
monthly social September 15. An
evening of fun, games, prizes and
delicious refreshments were pre-
sented by hostesses, Jo Taulbee,
Ann Roosie and Jeannie Olson.
The Club welcomed one new mem-
ber, Katie Gary, from Corpus
Christie, Texas, and five visitors:
Suzanne Spencer from Long Is-
land, N. Y., Mary Ruth Hanson
from Brooks, Ga., Rose Romo from
Calumet City, Ill., and Sigurborg
Elliot and Katrin Sulelett from
Reykjavik, Iceland.
Betty Hathcock was recently bid
farewell by the Wives Club and
presented the traditional “bless”
gift, a dainty silver cross. Betty
has contributed much time and
effort to the good of the Club
and has served as treasurer for
the past five months. Best wishes
go with her and her family to
their new tour of duty in Cali-
fornia.
The NCO Wives Club will hold
its next business meeting Tuesday
evening, October 6, (8:00 p.m.) in
the reading room of the NCO
Club. All club members are re-
minded that the election of new
officers will be held at this time
and are urged to be present. All
NCO wives are cordially invited
to attend.
JfffJft'j Umi
Call 41S6
BEDTIME STORY — Carelessness and just plain ignorance caused
this—and it could have been worse! Don’t let it happen to you (or
anyone else), observe fire prevention regulations at all times, not
just during fire prevention week.
Fire Prevention Week Starts,
But is Year-Round Reminder
This year as every year, National Fire Prevention Week
will be observed October 4 through 10.
This designation should not be taken lightly by any
citizen. For example, on Oct. 9, 1871, a brief lapse in care-
fulness sparked a fire at a modest mid-west home. It didn’t
seem particularly threatening or uncontrollable. But it was.
Thirty hours later 2,100 acres of'
Chicago were a blackened, smold-
ering waste. More than 200 of it’s
citizens had perished, 100,000 were
homeless and almost 17,500 build-
ings were in ruins. Direct losses
were $168,000,000, the indirect
costs incalculable.
To mark the Chicago conflagra-
tion, Fire Prevention Week is ob-
served annually during the week
of October 9, its anniversary date.
A reminder of the needless
tradgedy and waste of fire, the
observance originated in 1911 as
Fire Prevention Day at the sug-
gestion of the Fire Marshal As-
sociation of North America, now
a section of the National Fire
Protection Association.
“Fire Prevention Week” was
first officially proclaimed in 1922
in the United States, and since
then the President has proclaimed
the week, including October 9, as
‘Fire Prevention Week’.”
It’s message is this: Fires are
not deplorable accidents, but the
consequences of neglect and care-
lessness. Fire Prevention Week is
a time to check defenses against
fire in our homes and places of
work, to make sure our personal
habits are fire safe ones.
A fire prevented will not burn,
nor has a prevented fire ever
damaged or destroyed life and
property. Fire-Safety through
Fire Prevention concerns us all,
since a pitiful score of approxi-
mately 12,000 human lives and
untold millions of dollars are
sacrificed annually in the United
States alone, through the exer-
cises of carelessness, ignorance,
or non-application of a new simple
fire-safety rules which for the
most part, could have otherwise
been prevented.
Let us again remember, Fire
Prevention concerns us all. The
mission is too great to be effected
by the efforts of your Fire Depart-
ment personnel alone. It requires
the combined effort of all.
AUGUST’S BEST — Marine of the Month LCpl. Fredrick J. Blanken,
Jr., Airman of the Month Dwight W. Steele, A2C, Rear Adm. Paul
D. Buie, Commander Iceland Defense Force and Sailor of the Month
Jackey E. Cristwell, SN, pose for the camera man during presentation
ceremonies held on Sept. 24, 1964.
IDF Men Of Month Receive
Certificates? Checks? Tickets
Members of the Iceland Defense Force, whether they be
Sailor, Marine or Airman receive a new benefit for being
chosen as men of the Month for their respective service.
Each man receives a meal certificate for a complimentary
meal in one of the outstandings restaurants in Reykjavik.
In ceremonies held in his office on Sept. 24, Rear Adm.
Paul D. Buie, Commander Ice-’^-
land Defense Force presented
Certificates of Achievement, $25
checks and the meal tickets to
the Men of the Month for August.
Sailor of the Month Jackey E.
Cristwell, SN, a native of Brent,
Ala., reported to IDF for duty
as driver for the Chief of Staff
of Commander Barrier Forces
Atlantic. Prior to joining the
Navy Cristwell served a four year
tour of Duty in the Marine Corps.
Before reporting to Iceland he
was stationed in Charleston, S. C.
Airman of the Month Dwight
W. Steele, A2C, a radio operator
for the 932nd Aircraft Control
and Warning Scmadron at Rock-
ville, is a native of Rago, Kansas
and graduate of Adams High
School in Rago. Prior to reporting
to Iceland he was stationed in
Cottonwood, Idaho.
Representing the Marines for
the Month of August is Frederick
J. Blanken, Jr., LCpl., a native of
South Amboy, N. J. Blanken will
tour across the U. S. next month
when he leaves Iceland for a tour
of duty at Quaintio, Va. During
his tour in IDF, Blanken has
served as gate sentry here on
base and at HvalfjorSur.
Some of the outstanding areas
of merit for the men of the Month
are military bearing, appearance,
professional performance and
leadership potentalities.
About Iceland . . .
(Continued, from Page 2.)
temporarily slashed taxes, raised
wages and established provisions
for a governing structure and
legal system to be set up in the
near future. Alas.
During his grand tour, a fort
was constructed to protect Reykja-
vik, armed with six large guns
which had been buried in the
sand for one hundred and forty
years. “Long sixes of an excellent
caliber” said Jorgensen proudly.
“Completely harmless and unshoot-
able” echoed other sources. At
any rate Iceland was in a state
of defense.
Several Icelanders in high places
(such as the bishop of Iceland)
recognized the rule of Jorgensen
and perhaps the apex of his car-
eer came when he was officially
received by the most revered Ice-
lander of the day, Olafur Stef-
ansson, former governor of Ice-
land.
Jorgensen announced his full
title: His Excellency, the Protec-
tor of Iceland, Commander in
Chief by Sea and Land. He was
not yet an Alexander or a Napo-
leon but who could say he was
not on his way? He issued a
decree forbidding all irreverence
to his person.
Next week: The fall of Jor-
gensen, “King of Iceland."
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