The White Falcon


The White Falcon - 24.11.1976, Síða 1

The White Falcon - 24.11.1976, Síða 1
White Falcon Volume XXXII Number 47 Kellavik. Iceland November 24, 1976 The Thanksgiving controversy The feathers are flying — and they're not turkey feathers—in the long-standing controversy between the Commonwealths of Virginia and Massa- chusetts over the origin of the first U*S. Thanksgiving. To complicate the picture, New Jersey and North Caro- Sja, among other States, have also erted a claim to that "first." The first Thanksgiving, everyone admits, was held closer to the Sep- tember-October harvest time than its present fourth-Thursday-in-November date. The passage of time, the lapse of memories and controversy over the day have led to the discrepancy. Plymouth's Thanksgiving Day this year will open, as will Thanksgiving Day all over the Nation, with church services. The 1621 Plymouth Thanks- giving was a harvest feast and gath- ering of family and friends. The best eyewitness account of the fes- tivities is contained in a letter from Edward Winslow, one of the lead- ers of the community, to a friend in England: "At which time, amongst other rec- reations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit with some 90 men, whom for three days were entertained and feasted." Just over a decade ago Virginians asserted their claim to the first Thanksgiving and began holding a cel- ebration alongside the James River, not far from Colonial Williamsburg. There, each year they reenact their version of the Nation's first Thanks- giving which included a band of 39 Englishmen from the Maraget, a 47-ton ship that had sailed from Bristol, England and arrived two-and-one-half months before the Mayflower. This "first" group had come to claim an 8,000-acre tract of land granted to the proprietors of the Berkeley Com- pany by King James I. Virginia's Thanksgivings were probably repeated in 1620 and 1621, but an Indian mas- sacre in 1622 put a halt to the ob- servances and they were not revived until recently. President John F. Kennedy in his Thanksgiving Proclamation for 1962 unwittingly helped reestablish the Berkeley observances when he an- nnced, "Over three centuries ago in •mouth on Massachusetts Bay, the Tgrims established the custom of gathering together each year to ex- press their gratitude to God for the preservation of their community and for the harvests their labors brought forth in the new land." This was the ultimate provocation for the Virginians, who wrote to the White House pointing out that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated at Berkeley Plantation more than a year before the Pilgrims had set foot upon Plymouth Rock. President Kennedy in the year fol- lowing redeemed himself by proclaim- ing, "Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and Massachu- setts, far from home in a lonely wilderness, set aside a time for Thanksgiving." That was the first time that Vir- ginia had been mentioned in a Presi- ntial Thanksgiving Proclamation Abraham Lincoln included the t^te after a visit to Berkeley Plan- tation during the Civil War. The first national Thanksgiving was proclaimed by George Washington in 1789, but it did not become a reg- ular national holiday at that time because of resistance to the idea from a number of southern States. Thomas Jefferson branded the idea as a "monarchial practice." It was cel- ebrated, however, in a number of New England communities for many decades (see controversy on page 2) 4 feu Sailor receives medal for saving 2 children For his life-saving action at a Kef- lavik pier Aug. 15, Ocean Systems Tech- nician Seaman David Beauchemin was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal yesterday at the Naval Facility. Rear Admiral Karl J. Bernstein, Com- mander Iceland Defense Force, made the presentation. Seaman Beauchemin and his wife, Beverly, were fishing in Keflavik when they saw some children, who had been playing near them, fall over the side of the pier. Immediately, Seamen Beauchemin shed his coat and dove 10 feet into the 46- degree water. For 10 minutes, he stayed afloat with two struggling, young Icelanders. His wife sought help: two Danish fisherman from a ship in the area pulled the threesome from the water, using a long pole. One child received mouth-to-mouth resuscitation at the scene. All were treated for exposure and released from the hospital. In part, the citation reads ..."This award is presented to you for your act of heroism...of complete disregard for your own life to save the lives of two children...." Seaman Beauchemin, who has been as- signed to NAVFAC for one year, will transfer in December to Wales. A Thanksgiving message Thanksgiving Day has special signif- icance during 1976 when we are cele- brating our nation's beginnings. This oldest of American holidays is a time for expressing our gratitude for this country's enduring freedoms. America and the world have changed significantly since the first Thanksgiv- ing Day when those early colonists, far from home in a lonely wilderness, set aside a time to thank God for a bounti- ful harvest. The spirt of self-sacri- fice, however, still motivates Americans today, and is exemplified by the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who voluntarily serve at home and abroad to insure our national security and contri- bute to peace and stability in the world. On this Thanksgiving, I express my personal appreciation to our men and wo- men in uniform, to their families, and to all members of the Department of De- fense whose deep commitment to the De- fense of freedom deserves the thanks and admiration of the nation. Donald Rumsfeld Secretary of Defense FIRE CHIEF Sveinn R. Eiriksson accepts the Fire Prevention Group II first place award from Captain Jack T. Weir, Commanding Officer, Naval Station Keflavik/Com- mander Naval Forces Iceland. The Naval Station Fire Department took top honors in the 1975 Fire Prevention Contest sponsored by the National Fire Protection As- sociation. Joining him in the acceptance is Commander Donald E. Blish, Air Opera- tions officer. (photo by PH3 Len Wehrung) 57th FIS takes 3rd place in ’76 William Tell world series tourney 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron placed third in the 1976 William Tell competition at Tyndall AFB, FL, with 17,020 points. The 57th FIS William Tell team is scheduled to depart Tyndall AFB today. For top honors, the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing of Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, amassed a total of 18,700 points. In the runner-up position, the 43rd Tactical Fighter Squadron of the Alaskan Air Command counted 17,305 points. The 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron of Hahn AFB, Germany, took fourth place. The total point count was a corabina- 3-day performance slated tion of scores received by the aircrew, maintenance personnel and the weapons controllers. The competition was further divided into specific areas, with various scores awarded for each area. A totally coordinated effort among all entries, the 57th FIS participated in the competition, representing the Air Defense Command and the Iceland Defense Force. The aircrews will return about 1:30 p.m. today; maintenance personnel and weapons controllers should arrive on an Air Force C-141 "Starlifter" at approxi- mately 8 tonight. USO presents: Miss Black America The USO show "Miss Black America 1976/1977" will arrive on the NATO Base Dec. 1 for a scheduled three-day per- formance. The group consists of Miss Black America, Miss Black Texas and a seven-man band. They will be arriving from a performance tour in Germany, and past performances in Italy, Belgium, Great Britain and Holland. Members of the group are: Twanna E. Kilgore, Miss Black America; Denise Brooks, Miss Black Texas; Gary Brown, manager and drums; James J. Johnston, singer; Lewis Bell, guitar; Jerome Clawson, Saxophone and flute; Gregory Lee, trumpet and percussion; Lindel Hobson, base guitar; and Daryl Skil- lings , keyboards. Schedule of performances: Dec. 2 10:30 a.m.—Enlisted Dining Facility 9 p.m.—Andrews Theater Dec. 3 Hofn (H-3) Dec. 4 BREAKING OUT THE STORES for Thanksgiving, Mess Specialist First Class William A. Carver readies for the galley's Thanksgiving dinner. (photo by J01 Jim Miller) 2 p.m.—Grindavik 8 p.m.—Rockville The group is scheduled to depart Dec. 5. Cardinal Cooke to arrive His Eminence Terence Cardinal Cooke, Catholic Military Vicar and Archbishop of New York, is scheduled to arrive at Keflavik at 7 a.m. Friday. A special mass is slated at 5 p.m. Friday. The visit to the NATO Base is part of a tour by the Cardinal of military in- stallations in the North Atlantic. The Cardinal will depart Keflavik Sunday. Chapel sets special mass A special Thanksgiving Day Mass and First Communion will be held at the NATO Base Chapel at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. An ecumenical Thanksgiving Day ser- vice will also be hosted at the Naval Station Chapel at 11 a.m. tomorrow. Canned goods, which will be donated to the Salvation Army and the Carmelite Sisters' Convent, should be brought to the service, according to Chaplain (Cap- tain) P. H. Lionberger, Iceland Defense Force senior chaplain.

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