Box 3, Folder 1, Document 24

Dublin Core

Title

Box 3, Folder 1, Document 24

Text Item Type Metadata

Text

NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES For Immediate Release
17 August 1968

.

BLUE WATER SAFARI

For Navy League Cadets

A group of Atlanta boys, age 12-13, will have an eppottunity to satisfy Youth's
natural interest in the ways of the Sea. They are to spend several days on board the
Navy's newest Mine countermeasures ship the USS OZARK )MCS-2). (photograph
enclosed), The Ozark has just returned from its arduous task of searching for the
nuclear submarine Scorpian. The Commanding Officer of the Ozark is Captain

William B. Hooffstetter. (photograph enclosed).

Navy League Cadets are recruited from all walks of life. Membership is entirely
voluntary. Cadets assume no military service obligation. Cadets may resign at any
time ot they may complete an entire 5 year program by advancing to the Sea Cadet
Corps at age 14, If the Cadet wishes, at age 17, provided his scholastic standing in

high school is satisfactory, he will be eligible to take advantage of the Navy's many

educational opportunities at the college of his choice, including Anapolis. This
could mean the equivalent of a $15,000. scholarship. All Cadet Officers are well
known Atlanta citizens, These men are experienced in working with boys and they

enjoy it. They are capable instructors. They serve without pay.

The Commanding Officer of this group of Atlanta boys is Lieutenant Commander Del-

bert D. Sprague. Mr. Sprague served with the Navy for more than 24 years. 16 of
which were at sea. He is a submariner by choice and is a much decorated officer.
Since Mr. Sprague is a wivisay engineer, one of his assignments was on board the
Savannah, Currently he is with the firm of Robert & Company Associates of Atlanta,
Georgia.

Although any boy age 12-13 may join the Navy League Cadet Corps they must first

pass the Navy's standard AQT test and physical examination, These tests and
For immediate release (17 Aug '68) Page 2

examinations are given each applicant Sahn cost or obligation to the applicant.
Every boy age 12-13, and his parents, is entitled to know something about that boys
mental and physical apptitudes. Standard Navy tests and examinations such as
those given to Cadet applicants sometimes reveal unknown talents. Navy League
Cadets are required to have very high ratings. After review of the results of
these tests and examinations by an impartial Board, the applicant is notified as to
whether he should come is for counciling, should repeat the tests, or has success-

fully passed the requirements.

If the applicant then wishes to take advantage of Cadet training, a deposit of $35.
is required to cover the cost of insurance and administrative expenses for one
year and the replacement cost of uniforms and personal equipment. Uniforms
and equipment issued to Cadets by their Officers are the property of the Navy
League of the United States and are loaned to the Cadets during their training per-
iods. Should a Cadet leave the Corps for any reason he is required to turn in all
uniforms and equipment issued to him and he will be refunded $10. when all uni-

forms and equipment are returned to the Navy League.

All Cadets train at drill and in classrooms in the Naval Training Center on the
Georgia Tech Campus. Drill and Classroom periods are two hours each week,
currently from 7:00 PMto 9:00 PM every Friday. Here they learn basic seaman-
ship, first aid, and safety. They are provided with mental, moral and physical
training thru the medium of Naval and other instructions. They have an oppor-
tunity to qualify. swimming and marksmanship. They develope principals of

patriotism, good character, and good citizenship. They become instilled with a
For immediate release (17 Aug '68) Page 3

sense of duty and discipline, self-respect and respect for others, Should later in
life a Cadet decide to enter the military forces he will, by virtue of having com-
pleted Sea Cadet Training, be eligible to enlist in the United States Naval Reserve

as a Seaman, two pay grades above the normal enlistee.

All practical tictawa training of Cadets is not necessarily on Naval Ships, or at
Naval Stations and Installations. Last June their survival training took them to
remote areas in the mountains of Tennessee. Here they learned about backpack-
ing and trail recognition. They constructed shelters, learned how to build fires,
and to cook their own meals from dehydrated ingredients. They were shown how
to snare trout in the trouts native habitat. They saw a part of the forrest which
never had been inhabited by man and where no trees had ever been cut or any
forrest fires had burned. This is the primeval forrest just as it was when the
first white man set foot on American soil. The forrest floor is carpeted with
moss, There is no underbrush except near the streams. And sunlight is broken

into shafts as it streaks thru trees as tall as highrise buildings.

At Sea on board the Ozark there will be an entirely different life. The Cadets will
be mixed with the regular crew and will perform the same duties and stand the
same watches, They will be billeted with the crew and will eat with the crew.
Each Cadet will have a personal instructor to show and demonstrate the myriads
of chores needed to keep a man-of-war on active duty. He will have an opportun-

ity to put to use the contents of the Blue Jackets Manual which he has been study-

ing.

Accompanying the Cadets on this cruise will be the Navy Leagues Sixth Naval
For immediate release (17 Aug '68) Page 4

District National Director of Youth Programs, Mr. Thomas T. Tucker. He is
the son of Mrs. Cornelia Tucker of 21 Lamboll Street in Charleston. His wife,
Wava Dell, is an Officer in the Navy League Cadet Corps. While the men are on
"Blue Water'' she and their daughter Deveney Tucker will be staying in Charleston
at 21 Lamboll Street, Their son, John Hyrne Tucker, is one of the Cadets who
will be on board the Ozark during its sea maneuvers. Another son, Roger St.
George Tucker, is a Sea Cadet and is in ''Boot Camp!'' training at the Naval Air
Facility, Orlando, Florida. Being a native Charlestonian Mr. Tucker is at home
on the seas. His listing in 'Who's Who" reads like a story book and shows that
he has always breathed life into Youth Programs. When he was President of the
Atlanta Council of the Navy League he established the Sea Cadet Program. This
program is designed especially for boys from ages 14 thru age 17. He was Chair-

man of the special council committee which started training the age 12-13 Cadets.

These Cadet Progiars are the United States Navy Leagues national answer to
training teenagers for a useful life in our society. Each Cadet must demonstrate
that he is trustworthy and of good character. He must prove that he is physically
able to perform the duties of a Cadet. He must show that he has sufficient edu-
cational background to absorb the training offered to him, Cadet training stresses
the Naval virtue of personal hygiene, neatness, courtesy, obedience, dependabil-

ity, a sense of responsibility for developing good character, and a motivation of self

dicipline.

Comments

Document Viewer