The White Falcon - 25.11.1944, Blaðsíða 2

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THE WHITE FALCON
OUR FORCES — ALWAYS ALERT
Published by and for the American Forces in Iceland, under
the supervision of Special Service Section, Iceland Base Com-
mand. All photographs are by the U.S. Array Signal Corps un-
less otherwise credited. THE WHITE FALCON receives material
supplied by Camp Newspaper Service, War Dept.
TbU paper has been passed by the censor and may be mailed
home for one-and-one-half cents.
THE WHITE FALCON is written and edited by enlisted-man
personnel.
IBC Special Service Officer..Lt. Col. Lee F. Gilstrap.
Supervising Officer ..........Lt. David Zinkoff.
Managing Editor ..............Sgt. John Moran
Associate Editor .............Sgt. J. Gordon Farrell
Troop News Editor ............Cpl. Robert Hill
Staff Reporter ...............Pvt. E. C. Gray
Multilith Operator ...........S/Sgt. N. H. Heppel
Sole Surviving Sons
Get Non-Combat Duty
Both the War and Navy-
Departments have appro-
ved a policy of releas-
ing from combat duty
all men who are the
sole surviving sons of
parents who have lost
two or more sons in ba-
ttle.
In dost such cases
the surviving son will
be returned to the U.S.
for duty or for disch-
arge.
(P
»tmmcaa
-ABROAD IN ICELAND-
The Catholic
Cathedral in
The Catholic Church
in Iceland has had a
long ana stormy his-
tory.
Established here in
the year 1000 by a sm-
all group of Viking
laymen, it was the fi-
rst and only Christian
religion of the coun-
try until 1500. At
that time Lutheranism
was introduced under
pressure of the Danish
crown and Catholicism
quickly fell into dis-
card--the head of the
church was beheaded
and all Catholics were
forbidden to worship
their faith. A pen-
alty was placed upon
all persons found gu-
ilty of harboring any
member of the Catholic
clergy.
Thus the religion
and church was quickly
annihilated. It re-
mained so until 1876.
A sms11 group of Fre-
nch fishermen then
succeeded in obtaining
permission to worship
their faith while in
during their
Spring fishing
long the coast.
Iceland
annual
hauls along
Consequently, a small
Catholic church was
again established.
However, it was re-
ally not until the be-
ginning of the present
century that the chu-
rch flourished again.
In 1895 two Danish pr-
iests established a
small wooden church on
the present property,
which continued to
serve the small con-
gregation.
In 1899 a small ‘pri-
vate school was opened
which is still being
used. In 1902 a wood-
en hospital was erect-
ed which was enlarged
into a modern 150-bed
hospital in 1936. As
the church again grew,
it became necessary
for a larger place of
worship and in 1929
the present cathedral
was. completed.
The original church
is now used as a gym-
nasium in connection
OOTNOTES
By
' PvT. C. Jack. &v*y
with the school which
now has an enrollment
of 210 pupils. It is
a private school
rather than ' a paro-
chial one for relig-
ious indoctrination is
not taught, being con-
ducted for both Pro-
testants and Catho
lies. Classes are con
ducted by both nuns
and Icelandic tea-
chers .
The Catholic Church
in Iceland is headed
by the Most Reverend
Johannes Gunnarsson.
He has the distinction
of being the first na-
tive Bishop in the
history of the church
since 1550.
The only other Cath-
olic church in Iceland
is at Hafnarfj ordur,
where a hospital and
school are also main-
tained. There too, a
cloister for nuns is
being constructed wh-
ich will be used after
the war.
NEXT REEK: The Ice-
landic Library.
Skiing over the week-end was fair, the snow
being a bit slow in most places. But it was
fast enough for me. It is interesting to see
some of the native skiers, many of whom are ex-
perts. Never a proficient skier nyself, I fo-
und it very disconcerting to be rolling down an
incline in a tangled mess of skiis, poles, legs
and arms only to look up and see an eight or
nine year old youngster come swooping by in an
effortless, nonchalant streak. The technique of
many of the older Icelanders is superb. Some
seen to emulate fine ballet dancers. Most of
the GIs there were frank beginners, eager to
learn and doing a good job of it.
* * *
Dinner at the Ski Hotel (at 1200 hours, Sun-
day) is reoonunended....for the Smorgasbord
alone if nothing else...As you may or may not
know, that is a buffet tahle arrangement of
various assortments of appetizers...cold meats,
cheeses, fish, aspics and pickled delicacies...
In addition there is the hot dinner and dessert
all for, believe it or not, ten kronur.
* * *
At a dinner party in New York recently J. R.
Frazer, who just recently purchased control of
the Graham-Paige Motor Company, told his guests
that after the war he planned to bring out a
new car of plastics and light metals. E. J.
Beinecke, a bank director, promptly ordered one
then and there, sight, unseen. Upon learning
that they would sell for under $1000,00 he ch-
anged his order to five. H. C. Von Elm, an-
other banker, also ordered three. Which should
show something or other.
* * *
As. you were eating your turkey dinner Thurs-
day, did you think of the poor turkeyless civi-
lians back home?,..Supplies there were re-
ported to be less than ten-percent of normal...
so many a roast, chop and chicken had to substi-
tute... Signs of the times back home: Mrs. F.
D. Roosevelt doing her usual early Christmas
shopping (but not many following suit)....There
is a scarcity of sugar non...customers being
limited to one and two pounds at a time...The
sweet madness that Frank Sinatra personifies to
many a chick, still obsesses them...Long lines
of schoolgirls form early each morning, chirp-
ing brightly in the cool dawn, waiting for Par-
amount's doors to open.

"Well, Higgins, what's on your mind?'
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