VOLUME II, Number 37
17 September 1962
TELSTAR JOINS OVERSEAS NAV1MAN WITH STATESIDE FAMILY
LONDON, ENGLAND — (NAVNENS) —"A Navyman was the first person to make a "semi
personal" transatlantic telephohe call via Telstar, the communications satellite
which is orbiting the earth. He is Donald L0 Weedhman, Construction Mechanic
Third Class, presently stationed at the Naval Facility, West Mailing, Kent,
Englando
Weedman, 4,000 miles' from his home in Springfield, 111,, exchanged greetings
for 16 minutes with his parents, brother, two sisters and several hometown
neighbors0 The Weedman family appeared on television in Illinois as the spoke
to Donald,- but only Donald's voice came from England, The conversations were
also heard over‘the public address system at the Illinois State Fair,
The event was arranged, by Illinois Bell Telephone Company at the request of
the State Fair officials as a demonstration of Telstar's capability for inter
national telephone communications, Weedman made his call from the home of a
British General Post Office executive, Mr. E« F. H. Gould, who is primarily
responsible for overseas telephone - service in Britain.
Mr, Gould was asked to arrange for someone to speak from England. He contacted
the nearby Naval Facility, which is about 20 miles from London, and learned
that there was a man from Springfield there. He passed the information back to
the States, and the Illinois authorities then arranged for Weedmanrs family to
be present.
"This is one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had," said Weedman
who was recently transferred to West Mailing from Holy Loch, Scotland. "My mom
thought it was all a hoax at first, but she believes it now that she has talked
to me."