News

The Secretary of Navy's War Bond Honor Flag will be presented to the station, probably late this month, as a result of participation by civilian employees in the Navy War Bond Program.

The Honor Flag and the War Bond Honor Certificate were awarded to the station in recognition of participation by over 93 per cent of the civi;ian workers for more that 16 per cent of the total payroll.

Announcement of the award was made in letter from Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox to Captain harry A. badt USN, Commndant.

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Secretary Knox also praised the participation of Sampson navy recruits in the bond allotment plan in the following words:

"Another and equally important phase of the Navy War Bond Pro- gram in the enrollment of recruits

and other military personnel on the allotment plan. It is gratifying to know that the number of allot- ments registered at Sampson is increasing each month. Please ex- tend to all those who have helped make this showing possible my congratulations for a job well done."

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Recruit Acts On Stationwide Show Tonight

Former Players In "Name" Bands To Entertain On Auditorium Programs At 1800 and 2000

Recruits will nave a big part in the station-wide Happy Hour scheduled tonight in Sullivan Auditorium.

Max Chamnitov, AS, Co. 468, of New York, former pianist with Ray Noble, will stage a two- piano act with Alex MacLoughlin, S2c, Catausauqua, Pa. George Aikers, AS, Co. 277, New York, formerly with Ben Yost's Vikings, will sing someof the late hits and Jack Bright, AS, Co. 257, former Vaudeville star, will act as master of ceremonies. Several other acts are on the program, which will be given at 1800 and 2000.

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Successful Competitors In Tryouts Now Underway Will Get Four-Day Trip To New York City

Auditions for the Major Bowes' amateur radio show were started on Wednesday with bluejackets and WAVES competing for the coveted opportunity to perform their specialties on a Columbia coast-to- coast network. Winners in the competition will get a four day trip to New York with all expenses paid, and in addition, a $50 bonus will be paid to those who appear on the program there.

Sevan addirional contestants who have gotten as far as the final auditions at Sampson will divide $75 among them.

Preliminary auditions will continue 20 january in the Ship's Service buildings at the various units. Semi-finals will be held on 21 January in the Hostess House, and the finals on 24 January in Sullivan Auditorium.

Sampson Men Given Com- mendations For Geneva Fire Action

Two Sampson men have received commendations from Captain Harry A. Badt, USN, Commandant, for "prompt and efficient action" in fighting a fire in Geneva. The commendation said the men saved a building from "very serious damage, if not total destruction."

The men commended were Charles A. Kahlstrom, SK3c, of New York City, and Edward M. Kilduff, SK3c, of Tuckahoe, re- cently detached. They were at 17 Genesee Park, Geneva, on 12 Dec- ember, when a fire broke out in a boiler room.

5th Regiment Recruit Surviver Of Morro Castle Disaster

Thomas A. Charles of Co. 440, has had no previous service in this war, but his 10 years with the Merchant Marine has brought him nearly as many experiences as some of the battles of the current conflict.

The 31-year-old resident of Bogota, N.J., has survived three ship disasters, one the Morro Castle, and went aground another time, but his desire for more sea duty hasn't lessened.

Ship Went Aground

Charles entered the marintime service as an ordinary seaman in 1929 and was attached to the liner Alaskan, which went aground the same year in the Carribbean.

He was later promoted to an able-bobied-seaman and joined the crew of the liner Morro Castle which burned and sank on 8 September, 1934, near the Segrit Lighthouse, eight miles off the coast of new Jersey, with a loss of 147 lives.

Served On Mohawk

In January, 1935, he was aboard the Ward Liner Havana that grounded on Mantanillo Shoals, 60 miles east of Fort Pierce, Fla. The ship was caught in a hurricane.

A monthe later fate was still following him and on 10 February the liner Mohawk, which he had since joined, was rammed by a Norwegian freighter six miles off the Jersey coast and sank in 22 minutes, with a loss of 47 lives, 10 of them passengers.

Charles was one of two out of 39 crew members to be rwscued from the near-freezing water.

Leaving the merchant Matine service in 1939, the Bogota resident took a job as a rigger for the Bethlehem Steel Company in New Jersey, which he left to enter the Navy.