Preliminary plans for the observance
of Armed Forces Day in Alaska were com
pleted at a meeting of Army, Navy, Air
Force and Coast Guard project officers
held recently at Headquarters, Alaskan
Command,
Lt Gen. Frank A. Armstrong Jr., U3AF,
Commander-in-Chief, Alaska, has been
charged by the Secretary of Defense with
the Armed Forces Day responsibility for
the Alaskan Area, #
Lt Col, F. D, Wachtel, Jr,, Alaskan
Command, has been designated by General
Armstrong as Armed Forces Day coordina
tor.
ALCOMTs components, United States
Army, Alaska, Alaskan Sea Frontier and
Alaskan Air Command as well as the 17th
Coast Guard District will be responsible
for Armed Forces Day observances in four
designated geographical areas. #
Area project officers ares Maj H, G,
Ross, USA; Cdr J. F. White, USN; Lt Col.
C.B, Markel, USAF; and Capt H.U. Scholl,
USCG.
Components’ responsibilities for Arm
ed Forces Day observances ares USARAL -
Anchorage area, including Fort Richard
son, Elmendorf AFB, Wildwood Station and
Port of Whittier; ALSEAFRON,Southwestern
Alaska, including Kodiak and Adak NS;
AAC - Fairbanks area, including FORT
Greely, Eielson and Ladd AFBs, ■
• continued top of page .
Sitka and Petersburg, The Coast Guard
is being assisted by the Adjutant Genei^fc
ol, Alaska, and the Alaska Communication
System in its area.
185 DAYS OF DARKNESS •
Traditionally, at every ship and sta- :
tion throughout the world,evening colors :
mark the setting of the sun,
For the man wintering over in Antar- •
ctica the tradition is the same only the '
day is a little longer,,,six months Ion-:
ger. :
On March 21, the United States ensign •
was struck at the South Pole base, noifcL
to be raised again until sun-up on Sej^P
tember 21 following more than six months :
total darkness* The sunrise, making an-*
other Antarctic day, will be viewed with \
much anticipation, for it will mean more :
freedom of action, allowing vehicle par- :
ties away from the station and mail from :
home for personnel, the first since last j
January.
During the period of darkness, which :
is five days longer than daylight, per- :
sonnel at the South Pole will experience •
temperatures lower than have any other •
humans. Last year the low temperature ’
of that station was a minus 102 degrees, :
just a few days before sun-up, i
And we here at Adak are complaining!j
Why? ? ? ? ? i