Glacier To Be Named After Commander

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31128, 3 August 1966, Page 18

Glacier To Be Named After Commander

A glacier in the Antarctic will be named after the retiring commander of the United States Navy base at Christchurch airport (Commander W. H. Withrow). The naming of Withrow Glacier, in Victoria Land, is at present awaiting promulgation by the United States Secretary of the Interior.

This was announced yesterday at a formal change-of-com-land ceremony in a message from the commander of the United States Navy Antarctic Support Force (Rear-Admiral F. E. Bakutis) in Washington.

Admiral Bakutis said the naming was a testimony to Commander Withrow’s signal services rendered to Antarctic support. Commander Withrow told servicemen and guests that both he and Mrs Withrow were leaving with mixed emotions after three happy years in New Zealand. “I couldn’t ask for a better tour of duty with which to end my Navy career,” he said.

Commander Withrow told his men that after 26 years in the Navy it was hard to believe he was speaking officially as an active officer for the last time. After he had “read orders” he was piped off the parade area to the strains of “Anchors Aweigh.” The new commander of the base (Commander R. M. Johnson) expressed his pleasure at having been selected for as- : sigmnent to New Zealand. He said Commander Withrow had set a standard worthy of emulation. At a social function in the officers’ mess after the ceremony Commander Withrow was presented with a plaque from the men of the base to remind him of his last command.

“Preparing For Test”—A Pakistani Government Note claiming that India is preparing underground nuclear tests has been delivered to the United States and the Soviet Union, co-chairmen of the 17nation Geneva Disarmament Conference.—Geneva, August 2.