THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 1, 1996 TAG: 9601300124
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
THE AREA'S latest crop of eagles landed aboard the carrier Enterprise recently at the Norfolk Naval Station for a ceremony rich in the pomp and tradition of the U.S. Navy and the Boy Scouts of America.
The occasion was the 39th annual Eagle Scout Recognition Dinner, honoring the 84 Scouts in the Tidewater Council who advanced to Eagle during 1995. The council, according to retired Navy Capt. Donald W. ``Si'' Simons, a member of its executive board and banquet committee, includes 13,000 Scouts in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, and another 1,000 in Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties in North Carolina.
Seven of the Eagles in the class of 1995 hailed from Norfolk, 17 from Chesapeake, 39 from Virginia Beach, five from Portsmouth and 16 from North Carolina.
The Scouts who attended, their sponsors, leaders and guests numbered about 120. Upon arriving on board, they were treated to a tour of the ship, the Navy's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, before posing for a group picture on the hangar deck against a backdrop featuring paintings of some of the eight ships that previously carried the name Enterprise.
During dinner on the hangar deck, a slide show featuring the ship, her aircraft and naval aviation was projected onto one of the bulkheads. An enormous American flag was hung behind the head table.
Tim Southerland, 17, of Virginia Beach, made Eagle Scout in November. He has been a Scout for eight years.
``I enjoyed learning about the ship,'' Southerland said. ``It was an interesting tour. Seeing the rest of the Eagle Scouts and participating gave me a feeling and sense of accomplishment.''
The members of the class of 1995 were introduced after introductory remarks by retired Vice Adm. J.R. Sanderson - Tidewater Council executive board member, Eagle Recognition Dinner chairman and himself a distinguished Eagle Scout.
Each sponsor rose in turn, with his Eagle Scout, and presented a brief summary of the young man's accomplishments and goals.
``The most inspiring part for me,'' Simons said, ``is listening to the sponsors introducing the young Eagles.''
Virginia Beach City Councilman Robert Dean, one of the sponsors, introduced Christopher J. Walker, also of Virginia Beach.
Judge Hal Bonney, representing the Grand Lodge of Virginia, spoke on behalf of the Masons, who issue a certificate of recognition to each of the Eagles.
Others speaking during the evening included Vice Adm. Richard C. Allen, commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Rear Adm. Edward K. Kristensen, commander Combat Logistics Group Two, who was the featured speaker, and Boy Scout Council president D.R. ``Doc'' Thrush.
Simons closed the meeting with the Scout Benediction, refusing to be thwarted by a suddenly balky public address system. Stepping away from the microphone, his booming voice could be heard throughout the hangar deck as he intoned, ``May the Great Master of all Scouts be with us till we meet again.''
Each Scout had been presented with a certificate to mark the occasion before the dinner. As they left the hangar deck, they were each given an 8-by-10 color print of the group picture taken earlier. Capt. R.J. Naughton, Enterprise's commanding officer, stood by the quarterdeck and personally said farewell as each filed off the ship.
The recognition dinners, according to Simons, originally were held in the old Officers Club at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Later, they moved to the club at Breezy Point and to the Diamond Club at Met Park. The Navy has hosted them since 1983, aboard carriers, amphibious assault ships, a battleship and at Oceana Naval Air Station. This was the Enterprise's first time as host. ILLUSTRATION: Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy
The Scouts, sponsors, leaders and guests posed for a picture on the
hangar deck against a backdrop featuring paintings of ships that
previously carried the name Enterprise.
Graphic
NORFOLK EAGLES
These Norfolk residents earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1995:
Mark James Baker, John Taylor Cherry, Daniel James Collins,
Matthew Cory English, Jeffrey Matthew Graham, Thomas Helm Jones IV,
Douglas Boyd Winslow.
by CNB