The White Falcon - 02.04.1965, Blaðsíða 3

Friday, April 2, 1965
WHITE FALCON
3
NATO Celebrates 16th Year
NATO
UNITED STATES
BELGIUM
CANADA
DENMARK
FRANCE
FED. REP. of GERMANY
GREECE
ITALY j
SACLANT CHIEF — Adm. H.
Page Smith, became NATO’s Su-
preme Allied Commander Atlantic,
April 30, 1963. Admiral Smith has
had a distinguished career as a
Naval officer. He has been Chief
of Staff and Aide to the Supreme
Allied Commander Atlantic, Nor-
folk; Chief of Naval Personnel
and Deputy Chief of Naval Opera-
tions, Navy Department, and Com-
mander-In-Chief, U. S. Naval
Forces, Europe.
t ICELAND
LUXEMBURG
NETHERLANDS
NORWAY
PORTUGAL
TURKEY
UNITED KINGDOM
till; ■
NEPTUNES READY—Three of VP-56’s SP-2H Nep-
tunes stand readied on the airstrip at Hangar 831.
Working Together
To Preserve Peace
On April 4, 1949 the United States, Iceland and ten other nations
signed an alliance ‘to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and
civilization of their peoples founded on the principles of democracy,
individual liberty, and the rule of law.”
Sixteen years later, with three more new members—Greece, Turkey
and the Federal Republic of Germany—the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) celebrates its anniversary.
Although the NATO Treaty is one of the shortest and clearest of
international documents, it still stands today as a bulwark of defense
against aggressor nations.
The agreement is far more than a defensive military document—
under which the allies come to each other’s assistance in the event
of an armed attack against one or more of them. The alliance nations
have also pledged mutual assistance and cooperation in political,
economic, scientific and cultural fields.
These factors are an indivisible part of the way of life that the
NATO nations have banded together to maintain peace. In its double
aspect, with emphasis on social, cultural, economic and political pro-
gress as well as security, the treaty stresses the necessity of these
elements for a civilized society.
The Icelandic Government in May of 1951 signed an agreement
with the United States Government to provide for the defense of
Iceland.
For this reason, United States personnel are in Iceland in keeping
IDF COMMANDER—RAdm Ralph
Weymouth, became Commander of
the Iceland Defense Force, Barrier
Force Atlantic, and 20 NATO-sup-
porting units at Keflavik Interna-
tional Airport Jan. 16, 1965. Ad-
miral Weymouth’s previous duties
included staff duty with the Com-
mander, Air Force Pacific; Fighter
Aircraft Design Branch in the
Bureau of Naval Weapons; and
duty as Commanding Officer of the
USS Duxbury Bay and USS Lake
Champlain.

AGREED AREA—Looking at an aerial view of U.S.
Naval Station, Keflavik, which by its existence forms
a connecting link in the NATO defense chain and the
VP-56, Detachment 13, relieved VP-23, Det. 13, March with obligations under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to Western Hemisphere’s early warning system
22 which both countries belong.
The geographic importance of this land of “frost ’n’ fire”
It is on the direct great circle air route between Arne;
obvious.

HI ' ' !' ” and Europe.
, *' '' ' In May 11
Defense For.

1951, the U.S. Navy Department established an Iceland
Force (IDF) under the direct control of the Commander-
In-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANT). IDF and its headquarters
were instituted as a unified NATO Command staffed by members
of the three major service branches.
The U.S. Air Force was the host military service in Iceland until
July 1, 1961, when reorganization for more modern tactical defense
concepts in NATO caused IDF to become a U.S. Naval Station.
As part of NATO’s Supreme Allied Command Atlantic
(SACLANT), the Iceland Defense Force must be ready for any
emergency from an aggressor nation by land, sea or air.
On land, Marines, Air Force and Navymen form Iceland’s Ground
Defense Force (GDF) to protect the base and Iceland itself from
L. Allen, first platoon
man, gives instructions to an Air Force man in the
proper procedures for firing a BAR.
READY ON THE RIGHT—Ready on the Left
Ready on the Firing Line. Lined up in position on any Would-be attackers. The men practice maneuvers regularly in
the firing range, personnel in the Ground Defense preparation for any contingency.
Force (GDF) prepare to qualify in the firing of Meanwhile, the Aircraft Early Warning’s (AEW) EC-121 J air-
numerous small hand weapons. A man lies down to craft known around Keflavik as the “Willie-Victors,” keep an around-
fire from the prone position while a safety man the-clock surveillance of the air space between Greenland, Iceland and
stands at his side to prevent a gunner from uncon- the United Kingdom. The “Willie Victors,” scheduled to be phased
sciously doing something that may injure himself out jn September 1965, search for aerial intruders and carry out
or another person. rescue missions.
Also keeping the skies clear are Air Forces Iceland’s (AFI)
^ , | supersonic delta-winged F-102 “Delta Daggers’ of the 57th Fighter
iterceptor Squadron. The planes are always on the alert and can
' scoot out of their hangars and into the air in a matter of seconds.
Protecting the seas in and around Iceland are the patrol squadron
planes of VP-56. These six SP-2H Neptunes perform a two-fold
„ ; purpose. First, the Neptunes conduct aerial surveillance operations
" ., / to gather intelligence about shipping and unidentified submarine
"' <V X < activities. The various types of electronic equipment carried by the
SP-2H’s enable them to detect submarines and, if need be, destroy
BARRIER PATROL—An EC-121J “Willie Victor” flies them. The second mission of the VP-56 Squadron is aerial mining. AERIAL MIGHT—Two F-102 “Delta Daggers” streak
the barrier over Iceland to provide aircraft early With the help of these defenses against aggression, Iceland, the across Icelandic skies, poised for unfriendly intruders,
warning to unidentifiable planes. Although still flying United States and other NATO members are keeping themselves de- These supersonic aircraft are part of Air Force Ice-
the barriers, the planes of VW-11 are scheduled to fensively strong in today’s “cold war” to keep the world from being land’s 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, stationed
be phased out by the end of this year. involved in a “hot war.” at Keflavik.