Evening star., 1949-10-02
Gun Factory Program
Witnessed by Truman;
Night Pageant Is Held
fSee sports section for results OF
Naval Gun Factory boat rdcesJ


(See sports section for results of
Naval Gun Factory boat racesJ
The Naval Gun Factory reached
the high point of a week-long
150th birthday party with a pro-
gram witnessed by President Tru-
man yesterday and a colorful night
pageant.
The President, accorded mill
tary honors on his arrival at the
installation at 12:40 pm. and his
party, after viewing the event.
filled afternoon program, left on
the Presidential yacht Williams
burg for an overnight cruise down
the Potomac. He was due back in
Washington this afternoon.
Observances, which began last
Monday marking the founding of
the gun factory $50 years ago.
close today with a band concert,
a 312-hour outboard speedboat
regatta and a reception for re-
gatta participants and city off,
cials at the Officers Mess.
A highlight of the show last
night was the crowning of the
gun factory queen. Miss Mary
Margaret Long, 4917 Kansas ave-
nue. NV, by Rear Admiral Frank
G. Fahrion. superintendent of the
Navy installation.
The President was greeted on
his arrival by Navy Secretary
Matthews. Admiral Louis Denfeld.
chief of naval operations; Rear
Admiral Glenn B. Davis, COM
mandant of the Potomac River
Naval Command, and Admiral
Fahrion.
Truman Congratulates Marine
After receiving q 21-gun salute,
Mr.. Truman inspected guard OF
honor composed of Marines and
sailors. He stopped to congratu-
late Marine Sergt. Harold Thomas,
"a, of Baltimore on his battle
stars. Further along. the Presi-
dent spoke briefly and shook the
hand of Pfc. Wayne Maberry, %.
of st. Louis, Mo.
The President and his military
and naval aides then boarded the
Williamsburg for lunch and later
the President came on deck to
. watch the various displays.
The show opened with canoe
and shell races. Then, for nearly
an hour some IS boats of all de-
scriptions, ranging from little
runabout to the Navy patrol craft
No. 1853 on board which the
Navy Band played. cruised slowly
by the reviewing stand.
Leading the f1ag-bedecked no
tilla was the cruiser Bookaneer
with Mai. Robert ]. Barrett, Dis
trict Superintendent of police
aboard.
Next came an admirral's barge
with Rear Admiral A. S. Wother-
sponn U. S. N. (retired), aboard
as grand marshal of the parade.
Included in the party was Fred
erick P. H. Siddons, president of
the Washington Board Of Trade. |
Yacht, Wins Prize.
A special board of judges after
wards declared the 47-foot yacht
Marianne II owned by Floyde E.
Davis of Washington as the best
decorated yacht in the afternoon
parade. Runnerup honors went to
Sea Scout Ship No. IS, which en-
tered a model of pirate ship, and
Sea Scout Ship O'Bannon, model
of Morse ship of Viking days.
Two of the Navy's newest and
fastest jet fighters. the Banshee
and the Phantom, then roared by
at an estimated 500 miles an hour.
Marine flyers from Cherry Point,
N. c., staged demonstration in
the Phantoms, followed by an air
parade of the Anacostia unit of
the Naval Air Reserve and a dem
onstration of IL fighters from the
District Nation Guard.
One of the biggest thrills of the
day came when teams of the
Navy's underwater demolition |
units sped by in fast boats, their
bows painted to resemble opened
mouths of sharks, and dropped de-
layed action charges that sent
huge geysers of >Anacostia River
water high into the air.
On the return trip, swimmers
clad in rubber ''frogman" suits
and fins were dropped overheard
At a given smoke signal the frog
men swan to the center of the
river where they were scooped up
by their shipmates aboard the
SHARK" craft. One swimmer re-
manned behind to demonstrate
the Marines use of helicopter to
LOST.
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