The White Falcon - 16.07.1965, Síða 1

Maj. Fite Gains Rank;
Leaves Kef As Lt.Col.
Maj. Richard A. Fite, USA, Iceland Defense Force (IDF)
plans officer, was promoted to lieutenant colonel in cere-
monies held Tuesday morning at the BarForLant office,
Hangar 831.
RAdm Ralph Weymouth, IDF commander, congratulated
Colonel Fite upon his promotion. Then, both the admiral
and Lt. Col. Gordon T. Fearson, assistant chief of staff
for Logistics, IDF, pinned the'^
silver oak leaves on the colonel.
Colonel Fite left Iceland Wed-
nesday night for duty with the
Career Management Division, Of-
fice of Personnel Operations, De-
partment of the Army, in Wash-
ington.
Multi-Faceted Career
Prior to reporting aboard U. S.
Naval Station, Keflavik, he at-
tended the Army Command and
General Staff College in Ft. Leav-
enworth, Kan.
Colonel Fite was a familiar
sight around the Naval Station
in both work, sports and play.
His red Austin-Healey Sprite was
familiar too. It has appeared at
a car wash, in the newspaper and
even in a BOQ poolroom.
One of the highlights during
his one-year tour of Iceland was
his first jet fighter ride in the
57th Fighter-Interceptor Squad-
ron’s TF-102 plane. The army
colonel, a paratrooper who has
completed over 300 jumps, took
the ride early last March.
Sport Enthusiast
He served in the Korean Con-
flict while with the 187th Air-
borne Regimental Combat Team
during 1951, ’52 and ’53. In 1951
he attained the rank of first
lieutenant.
Attached To Airborne LTnits
During the next several years
Colonel Fite was stationed with
the 11th Airborne Division, Ft.
Campbell, Ky. and was promoted
to the rank of captain in 1954.
From 1959 to 1963 Captain
Fite was attached to the U. S.
Army Airborne School, Ft. Ben-
ning, Ga., where he attended for
a year the Career Information
Course.
In 1964 the captain received the
rank of major.
Among the medals he has re-
ceived are the Purple Heart, the
Master Parachutist Medal, the
Combat Infantry Badge and the
Distinguished Unit Citation.
Colonel Fite is replaced in his
duties by Maj. Robert P. Lott.
LEGION OF MERIT — Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, USN, Com-
mander in Chief Atlantic, pins the Legion of Merit on the former
commander of the Iceland Defense Force, Rear Admiral Paul D.
Buie, USN.
Buie Earns
Merit Awazd
RAdm Paul D. Buie received the
Legion of Merit award June 25,
1965 from Adm Thomas H.
Moorer, USN, Commander in
Chief Atlantic, at Atlantic Com-
mand Headquarters.
The award, presented on behalf
of the Secretary of the Navy,
cited Admiral Buie for his per-
formance as commander of the
Iceland Defense Force and Bar-
rier Defense Force from April
1963 to January 1965.
Admiral Buie was also cited
for promoting good relations be-
tween Department of Defense
personnel stationed in Iceland and
the Icelandic people.
The citation pointed out Ad-
miral Buie’s outstanding qualities
of “diplomacy and leadership” in
both his national and NATO roles.
Rear Admiral Buie is now
serving as Commander of the U.S.
Naval Aviation Safety Center at
the Naval Air Station, Norfolk.
AFWL’s Eighth Ranked Sea Service Newspaper - 1964
THE WHITE
U.S. NAVAL STATION, KEFLAVIK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ICELAND
Volume IV, Number 27________ Friday, July 16, 1965
During that same month, Co-
lonel Fite and his partner, Colonel
Fearson, won the Naval Station’s
Badminton Doubles Tourney and
received the first-place trophy.
On April 3, 1965 he took part
in a Search And Rescue Exer-
cise held in Iceland which com-
bined the efforts of the Navy,
Air Force, Marines and the Ice-
land Ground Rescue Force.
In a recent golf tournament
held in Akureyri, June 27, the
colonel was team captain of the
Defense Force Team that played
the Akureyri Golf Team.
Once Enlisted Man
A native of Oklahoma City,
Okla., Colonel Fite enlisted in the
U. S. Army in 1945 spending basic
training at Camp Livingston, La.
After two years of active duty
he was discharged from the ser-
vice and entered the University
of Oklahoma in 1946. While in
college he attended the Army
ROTC program and reentered the
Army in 1950 as second lieutenant.
Foreign Language School
Available For Dependents
Dependent wives slated to live in a foreign country may
study that country’s language at various stateside military
installations, if proposed legislation backed by the De-
partment of Defense becomes law.
The bill would authorize training at DOD facilities in-
cluding the Defense Language Institute’s west coast branch
at Monterey, Calif., and other
DOD education centers. Currently,
this training is limited to the
Foreign Services Institute in
Washington.
All Services Included
As proposed, training would be
authorized Army, Navy, Air
Force and Marine Corps depend-
ents in anticipation of their spon-
sor’s foreign assignment.
DOD’s present intention would
limit application to wives for
MOON STUDY — The first contingent of astronauts to arrive in
Iceland to study areas resembling as nearly as possible that of the
moon are these five high flyers. (From left) Maj. Donn F. Eisele,
USAF; Lt Roger B. Chaffe, USN; Mr. Russell L. Schweickart, civilian
and former Air Force pilot; LCdr Alan L. Bean, USN; and Capt.
William A. Anders, USAF. — (Photo by Schmieg, JOSN)
training in the United States in
existing regular courses suitable
for them and their husbands.
Courses Expanded
At a later date, when shorter
full-time and part-time courses be-
come available for personnel over-
seas, authority would be used to
permit enrollment of wives in
these courses.
Priority would be accorded to
wives of attaches, military assi-
stance advisory group and mission
personnel, and personnel of inter-
national headquarters.
Dependents Are Ambassadors
Dependents perform an impor-
tant role in projecting a true
image of the United States
abroad, said Lt. Col. James
L. Greekman, Jr., U. S.
Army Deputy Director, Defense
Language Institute.
“Their ability to speak the
language of the country concern-
ed increases the effectiveness of
their military sponsors and gene-
rates inestimable good will for
the United States,” he said
Keep Copy Coming In
Attention base personnel! —
Next week’s issue of this paper
will be a mimeographed edi-
tion. Even with the temporary
change in printing procedures,
your articles are still most
appreciated. Look forward in
two weeks for another four-
page regular edition.
WESTERN DECOR — Inside the newly opened casual bar at the
Officers’ Club one can se(e bourbcti barreil—designed tables
and chairs in the foreground. Also notice the new ceiling in an egg
crate pattern augmented by gas-type candlelights in the top center
of picture. — (Photo by Schmieg, JOSN)
Capt Pierre Officially Opens
60’ Club’s New Western Bar
Ribbon cutting ceremonies took place Saturday after-
noon at the opening of a new Officer’s Club lounge as
officers, their wives and guests witnessed the event.
Capt. Emile E. Pierre, Jr., Naval Station commanding of-
ficer, Cdr Richard C. James, executive officer of the Naval
Station, and Lt Nick Potts, liaison officer of the Officers’
Club, officially opened the remo-1
deled lounge.
Set in a Western-type atmos-
phere, this new addition was once
the Terrace Lounge, until renova-
tion began last January.
Unique Atmosphere
The new room has a unique
tang in the air. Its 60 upholstered
chairs and 12 tables are hewn
from empty bourbon barrels from
a Kentucky distillery. The furni-
ture was manufactured in Akron,
Ohio.
The lounge, not yet named as
of July 13, also boasts new light-
ing, a dim lantern and gaslight
effect, a low-level, egg crate ceil-
ing, wooden wall paneling and new
rugs.
Texas Longhorns
Lieutenant Potts said that he
plans to have a pair of Texas
Longhorns hung on the walls.
The spa is designed to be a
casual bar where just drinks will
be served.
A cost of $8,000 was spent for
materials, building and manpower.
Many thanks go out to Public
Works, who did most of the job,
and also to the officers, wives
and employees of the club for
their help.
Base Help
The Officers’ Club saved $8,000
by having the room remodeled and
outfitted by personnel on base
than with a private concern from
the States.
The Western lounge’s hours are
from 5 p.m. to 12 p.m. on week-
days and from 1 p.m. to 12 p.m.
on weekends.