Evening star., 1962-09-07
SHIP CHRISTENEc
AdnniruI's S
Wife
Officiotes
By EVELYN M. DENT
Contributing Writer

SpOCllBnb IN yeSLefoayS 8 nauJl-
cal picture, while her hus-
band. Vice Admiral Gano,
commander Of the Military
Sea Transportation Service,
and 800 invited guests looked
on.
Mrs. Gano christened the
IS American Courier, in q
brief but colorful ceremony
at Bethlehem Steel Co.'S
Quincy shipyard. With q pre-
cision even the most doughty
admiral would be bound to
admit was perfect, she smart
ly smashed the traditional
bottle Of champagne against
the vessels bow.
Mrs. Gano, attended by her
daughter, Mrs. John ]. Steele
Of Lincoln Park. N. j., stood
on a platform overlooking
Fore River, and as the bottle
crashed against the bow in
this "float-out" christening,
six hydrants opened and
water poured into the ships
basin. The ship will be
floated today and towed to
an outfitting pier.
Red, White and Blue
Excited comment greeted
the flow of water, for the
streams were colored-red,
white and blue. These are
the official colors Of the
United States Lines, for
whom the vessel was con-
structed.
Following the ceremony
Mr.. Samuel Wakeman, gen.
eral manager Of the yard,
gave a delightful al fresco
buffet luncheon at the Neigh
borhood Club Of Quincy. The
setting and the weather was
New England at its best.
A gay red-and-white-
striped marquee covered the
lawn Of the club, and tables
for 10 were set beneath the
triple canopy. FluoreScent
lights of red, white and blue,
covered the stanchions and
main posts. A backdrop Of the
flags Of the MSTS, the Us
Lines, the Coast Guard and
the Maritime Commission,
made the whole an eye
catching sight.
Mr.. Wakeman toasted the
honor guest, and Mrs. Gano
made q plea in return for a
stronger maritime force.
Maritime Administrator Dom
aid w. Alexander then spoke,
as did the president of the
Us Lines, William B. Rand.
Other speakers included
Coast Guard Rear Admiral
Chester L. Harding, Mr.. Alex
: ander Purdon and Admiral
Gano. Each Of the partici-
[, pants in the program received
a small steel model Of the
freighter. In addition, Mrs.
Gano was given q copper
plate tray with the Bethle-
hem Steel invitation to the
christening engraved on it.
On Charter Flight
Guests from Washington
went yesterday morning to
Quincy on Q United Air Lines
charter plane and returned
the same way last evening.
On the return trip, they were
Joined by Admiral and Mrs.
Gano and their son James.
The Ganos went to Boston
on Wednesday.
Others included Rear Ad-
miral and Mrs. Frank john
son, Rear Admiral Hallert
Shepheard, Mr.. Charles F.
Kraft, MSTS chief surgeon,
Capt. william S. Lawler and
Mrs. Lawler, Capt. Harry
Cross. Col. Robert Looper,
Mr.. and Mrs. william Shea,
Mr.. Hoyt s. Haddock, Mr..
Alvin Shapiro and Mr.. David
Cianelli.
From New York came the
heads Of large export COM
panies and their wives, and
US Lines officials, including
Mr.. and Mrs. C. David Glib
bons, Mr.. and Mrs. Robert B.
Murphy. Mr.. Leonard F.
Nichols and Mr.. Donald F.
Wierda.
Rear Admiral Joseph N.
Wellings, commandant Of the
1st Naval District at Bos-
ton, and Mrs. Wellings came,
as did Capt. Raymond E.
Peet, skipper" Of the USS
Rainbridge. the new nuclear-
powered destroyer leader. The
Bainbridge, which had Just
returned from q two-day
trial run, using 5 ounces Of
uranium, was berthed along
side the American Courier.
It was the object Of much
interest.
Capt. and Mrs. Peet are
well known in Washington.
The former was Admiral Ar
leigh Burke's aide, when Ad-
miral Burke was Chief Of
Naval Operations.
AS the home port for the
Bainbridge is to be Charles
ton, s. c., Mrs. Peet and their
son Gary have already left
for Charleston, so that
Gary might enter school.
Capt. Peet expects to join
them in october.