Excerpts
From
Sampson
News
24
December, 1943
Merry Christmas
Commandant
Extends Xmas Greetings To Naval And Civilian Personnel
OFFICE OF
THE COMMANDANT
To
all officers, enlisted men and women, and civilian employees of
Sampson, I extend my heartiest greetings for a Merry Christ-
mas and a
Victorious New Year.
For more than a year we have been working together for a common goal.
We shall achieve this goal and may you reap the rewards of peace in
the victory to come.
H.
A. BADT
Captain,
U. S. Navy
Commandant
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Post
Office Crew Handled 3,000,000 Item During Christmas Rush
The
Sampson Post Office has taken the double load of holiday mail in
stride, working overtime to distribute three million letters and
packages which have been received at the station in the last two
weeks. In addition, a million and a half pieces of mail have been sent
from the station.
Lieut. James N. Towns, USNR, Postal Officer, said that the peak was
reached on Wednesday. He said the post office staff has been working
evenings on parcel post, and that the whole staff worked last Sunday.
The
normal complement of 115 mail specialists has been augmented by
seventy student from the Postal School, who have pitched in the handle
the load.
An
indication of the burden placed on the staff, Lieut. Towns pointed out
that during a normal week less that 1,500,000 pieces of mail, both
incoming and outgoing, are handled, whereas during the week of 20
December, over 2,400,000 pieces passed through the building.
Midnight
Services, Recruit Parties To Usher In Christmas
Thousands of Sampson men will pause to usher in Christmas to- night
with the singing of Yuletide carols and attendance at midnight
services throughout the station.
The
Christmas festivities will begin with Open House parties at 1800
tonight in the Ship's Service buildings in all recruit units. At 1945
the WAVES will go through Y area caroling and they will hold a party
at the Hostess House at 2030.
Only
Holiday of Year
Since
tomorrow is the only holiday which the Navy observes in wartime, taps
will not sound tonight. Protestant services, starting at 2330, will be
conducted in Royce Chapel and in C, F and H Units. Mass will be
celebrated at midnight in Chidwick Chapel and in D, E and G drill
halls.
The
service in Royce Chapel will be broadcast over stations WSAY,
Rochester, and WENY, Elmira. Station WHAM, Rochester, will carry the
mass which will be celebrated in E Unit.
Other
Church Services
Additional Christmas ceremonies will be held tomorrow morning
throughout the station as follows:
Protestant--- Services at 0830 in Units C, D, E, F, G and H and at
0900 in Royce Chapel.
Catholic--- Masses at 0715 in Units C, D, E, F, G and 0930 in Chidwick
Chapel.
Then
the decks will be cleared for a gala Christmas dinner complete from
turkey to mince pie and ice cream.
Tomorrow afternoon recruits will be permitted to receive visitors
during regular visiting hours. In addition, recruits who have been
here 21 days, and who live within a radius of 30 miles, will be
permitted to return home for Christmas dinner if their families
arrange for their transportation to and from the station.
Arrangements have also been made for the wives and children of
enlisted personnel on the station to have their Christmas dinner in B
Ship's Service. Civilian employees who will be on the station Christ-
mas day also have been invited to dine there and dinner will be served
from 1130 to 1700.
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Co. 183
Recruit, Father Of Ten, Has No Family Income Worries
When
David M. Lewis, AS, 36, of Scranton, Pa., came to Sampson last Friday
to start recruit training with Co. 183, he didn't have to worry about
financial support for his family---- and it's a large one, too.
The
Sampson recruit is the father of ten children---six girls and four
boys--and his allotment to his wife, coupled with the government's
benefits to a wife and dependent children, will establish a monthly
income of $260.
Tried
To Enlist Twice
Nine of the
Lewis children, the oldest of which is 15 years and the youngest 11
months, were born before the United States entered the war.
The
father was a truck driver and until recently was employed on a
Scranton war plant project.
While
Lewis will be able to furnish his family with $260 a month now, the
amount will be increased by 10 per cent of his base pay if he is
assigned to duty with the fleet.
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W. U.
Must Refuse Greeting Telegrams
A
Federal Communications order prohibits the sending of greetings by
telegram. navy men are requested to refrain from submitting messages
of this type at the Western Union Office in the main Administration
Building on Christmas Day or phoning them to the Geneva office.
The
station W. U. office will be open from 0900 to 1400 Christmas.
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Xmas Menu
Consommé
Celery Pickles
Roast
Turkey With Giblet Gravy
Apple and
Celery Dressing
Whipped
Potatoes - Mashed Turnips
String
Beans Cranberry Sauce
Hearts of
Lettuce French Dressing
Parkerhouse
Rolls Apple Butter
Mince
Pie Nesslerode Pudding
Apples
Tangerines
Milk
Coffee
Cigarettes
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Men Of
Jewish Faith To Observe Festival
The
festival of Lights (Hanukah) celebrated this week by men of the Jewish
faith, will be observed Sunday, 26 December at 2015 in Sullivan
Auditorium.
A
happy hour program has been arranged and will include some of the best
talent on the station. Gifts will be distributed.
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Rooster
Companies
First
Regiment, Co. 175, CSp Lawlor, and Co. 167, CSp Kegal; Second
Regiment, Co. 250, Sp(A)1c
Rohan;
Third Regiment, Co. 327, CSp Brody and Co. 330, Csp Nadeau;
Forth
Regiment, Co. 425, CSp McManus and Co. 426, Csp Sides; Fifth Regiment,
Co. 569, CSp Boyle and Co. 562, CSp Struck
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Regimental
News
First
Regiment-----
Robert Knowles, Co. 166, New England Intercollegiate one-mile champ
while at Springfield College, competed against Gunder Haegg, widely
known Swedish runner, in Harvard Stadium on 24 July...... Bill
Sandeman, Co. 152, Pawtucket, R. I., one of Unit C's Golden Glovers,
had 47 kayos as an amateur light heavyweight..... Kenyon A. Jones,
Rumford, R. I., also of Co. 152, was an illustrator and commercial
artist in New York City, after graduating from Pratt Institute.
Second
Regiment----- Bill
Colello, Co. 247, of New Britain, Conn., will meet George Bussiere,
Co. 256, of Elizabeth, N. J., in a featured lightweight event on next
Tuesday's Unit D smoker...... Lawrence M. McElroy, Co. 238, of
Brooklyn, collected 12 points to help "D" basketeers nose
out Unit F cagers, 35-31, last Friday...... Baton-twirling Frank Farnsworth,
Co. 245, of Norwood, and tap dancer Joseph Petito, Co.263, of
Rochester, were enthusiastically received on Tuesday's Happy Hour.
Third
Regiment----- Walter
M. Kresge, Co. 325, of Bethlehem, Pa., who has led Unit E's varsity
basketball team in scoring in its victories this week over
"C" and "G," played three years at Bethlehem (Pa)
High School, a season at Scarsboro Prep School and semi-pro ball at
New Britain, Conn..... Edward O'Toole, 18, Co. 335 expects to sign a
contract for after the war with the St. Louis Cards when he goes home
to Clifton, N. J., on recruit leave next month.
Forth
Regiment----- Boston
recruits at Sampson may have heard Vincent Ventivegne, Co. 430, sing
pop- ular songs as an entertainer at the Ort's Club in Boston, before
he entered he Navy..... Max Chamiter, Co. 440, of New York City, was
featured pianist with Ray Noble's orchestra..... Impersonations of
well known trumpeters is the spacialty and hobby of William Lockwood,
Co. 418, of Ithaca, who will entertain at a Yule program tonight in
"F" recreation building.
Fifth
Regiment----- John
C. Miller, 17, Co. 560, Chestertown, Md., is the third member of his
family to enlist in the armed services. Two of his brothers, one a
Navy Ensign, have been killed in the present war.... First Battalion
companies have been first in Unit G to win a number of vents, among
them being Co. 552, seabag relay; Co. 551, rooster; 556, basketball
title and first 100 per cent swimming banner in six months; Co. 554
the second swim banner.