RECENT ACHIEVED NTS OF THE NAVY
NAVY MAY FREEZE SHIP INTO ARCTIC ICE PACK, BuShips is conducting a st dy to deter
mine the feasibility of freezing a ship into the ..retie Ocean ice pack for a three
year scientific research program# Such a vessel would drift with the ice pack but
would have .a standby propulsion sytem to take advantage of cracks or "leads" in the
ice to maneuver when necessary into a more favorable position#
For a number .of years, the Navy has considered the possibility of locking an Am
erican «research ship into the ice pack. Due to the absence of any large land masses
in the Arctic region, the establishment of Antarctic-type base stations there is
impossible#
The ship would have several advantages over stations now established on natural
floating ice islands. > Many physical hazards such as the problem of ice disintegr
ation would be eliminated. In addition, the larger and more sensitive laboratory
facilities-would permit completion of a greater variety of studies, and the gath
ering of more comprehensive information, who knows maybe some lucky? person on Adak
will be ordered to such a vessel in the future®
FULL SIZE HYDROFOIL HEARS CONSTRUCTION, A contract, has been awarded by the Navy
for construction of a hydrofoil research ship which is expected to be about 200
feet long and displace about 300 tons. The purpose of this ship is to evaluate the
design principles of hydrofoils and to demonstrate and evaluated tactical capability
especially in anti-submarine warfare*
The vessel is expected to have speeds up to 50 knots initially and ultimately
obtain speeds as high as 75-85 knots when fitted with supercavitating hydrofoils
still under development*
HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD The Navy has traditionally answered
distress calls on the high seas and in any part of the world where diaster strikes
and naval forces are within range to give assistance.
On 12 September 1961, hurricane CARLA struck the Texas coast. The Navy org
anized Task Force 135, composed of USS SHANGRI LA (CVA-38), USS ANT1STAM (CVS-36 )
USS FRANCIS MARION (APA-249), USS COMPTON (DD-705), USS GAINARD (DD-706 ), USS
PAPAGO (ATF-160), USS SALINAN (ATF-161) and Marine helicopters and crews for New
River, N„C. Marine Air Facility. This task force proceeded to Galveston, Texas,
where Navy and Marine Corps personnel conducted mercy, rescue, patrol and clean
up operations from 14 to 20 September. In addition to helicopter rescue miss
ions, emergency equipment such as blankets and cots, food and medical supplies
were made available to disaster victims.
The oiler USS PLATTE (AO-24) aided victims of Typhoon NANCY in Kobe, Japan
by their presentation of five cartons of blankets and six cartons of clothing
donated by the crew*
School children of Bulan, Philippine Islands thronged into the street to wel
come the men of the Seventh Fleet minesweepers USS ENHANCE (MS0-437) and USS
LUCID (MSO-458) when they arrived for a two-day good will visit. The two ships
reciprocated by bringing the school children many hours of helpful learning in
the form of 24 cases of text books which were donated by school children in the
United States.
While serving a three-week tour as station ship in the British Crown Colony
of Hong Kong, crewmembers of USS McMORRIS (DE-1036) distributed over 4,000 pounds
of clothing and other material to eight needy welfare societies in that area* The
majority of this donation had bden collected by the girl scout unit which is
sponsored by the ship in Riverside, California.