Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 20, 2022 16:49:48 GMT 12
U.S. captain silent on question of nuclear warheads
Straining at her anchors in what used to be the explosives and infectious diseases anchorage in Wellington Harbour, the United States nuclear visitor U.S.S. Truxtun is probably the most uncomfortable ship in the harbour.
“If you do this to your friends, you must be holy terrors to your enemies,” said a junior officer as small boats came alongside in the brisk southerly chop.
The commander of the Truxtun (Captain Billy F. Tally) seemed surprised at the commotion the arrival of his vessel caused in Wellington. But whether the Truxtun, the first nuclear-powered ship to visit New Zealand since 1964, carries nuclear arms remains a closely guarded secret, the Press Association reports.
The Truxtun, a 9000-ton cruiser which saw combat in the latter part of the Vietnam war, anchored in Wellington soon after 7 a m. yesterday after steaming past about 20 small boats whose crews had braved the heavy swell and winds gusting to 40 knots — to protest against her arrival.
On board the Truxtun yesterday, journalists pressed for information about the ship’s nuclear weaponry, but were told by Captain Tally that it was United States Navy policy that no such information could be revealed.
Ashore, there were signs that many people objected to the visit. About 40 demonstrators, carrying placards with slogans such as, “Nuclear Mushroom No Umbrella” were gathered outside the gates to the ferry terminal. A small car, bedecked with placards, blocked the only immediate entry to the wharf, a small side-gate, when journalists gathered for the rough trip in a police launch to the Truxtun.
The protesters at the gate were quiet. But when some members of the official party began arriving back at the wharf, the crowd gathered at the ferry terminal building began hooting loudly and using abusive language.
The first American sailors to come ashore took no notice of the protesters.
The sailors, all midshipmen en route to Auckland to return home to the United States, gathered in the shed at the inter-island wharf and were subjected to a barrage of jeers and whistles.
The midshipmen eventually turned their backs, then formed two circles and continued their conversations.
The Peace Squadron’s protest against the entry of the Truxtun was successful, said the group’s convener, Dr Ken Hulls.
The Truxtun will be in Wellington until Thursday. She will then be taking part in further exercises with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and H.M.N.Z.S. Canterbury before sailing to Melbourne where she is expected to arrive on September 7.
In Parliament yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Talboys) said that New Zealand had now received from the Americans similar assurances of responsibility for nuclear damage as had been given to Canada. These assurances would cover any nuclear warheads on board United States warships, whether the ships were nuclear powered or not. (The Canadians have a damages agreement which covers nuclear warheads as well as the reactors of nuclear-powered ships. New Zealand’s previous arrangement covered just reactors.)
The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon), Cabinet Ministers, and members of Parliament’s Defence Committee have been invited to a luncheon on board the cruiser on Tuesday.
Invitations have also been sent to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling), and all M.P.s from both sides of the House, asking them to a dinner and tour of the vessel on Wednesday evening.
The Mayor of Wellington (Mr Michael Fowler) and Wellington city councillors have been invited to morning tea aboard the Truxtun on Monday. A “dial-a-sailor” scheme has been established to provide hospitality for crew members of the Truxtun.
PRESS, 28 AUGUST 1976
Straining at her anchors in what used to be the explosives and infectious diseases anchorage in Wellington Harbour, the United States nuclear visitor U.S.S. Truxtun is probably the most uncomfortable ship in the harbour.
“If you do this to your friends, you must be holy terrors to your enemies,” said a junior officer as small boats came alongside in the brisk southerly chop.
The commander of the Truxtun (Captain Billy F. Tally) seemed surprised at the commotion the arrival of his vessel caused in Wellington. But whether the Truxtun, the first nuclear-powered ship to visit New Zealand since 1964, carries nuclear arms remains a closely guarded secret, the Press Association reports.
The Truxtun, a 9000-ton cruiser which saw combat in the latter part of the Vietnam war, anchored in Wellington soon after 7 a m. yesterday after steaming past about 20 small boats whose crews had braved the heavy swell and winds gusting to 40 knots — to protest against her arrival.
On board the Truxtun yesterday, journalists pressed for information about the ship’s nuclear weaponry, but were told by Captain Tally that it was United States Navy policy that no such information could be revealed.
Ashore, there were signs that many people objected to the visit. About 40 demonstrators, carrying placards with slogans such as, “Nuclear Mushroom No Umbrella” were gathered outside the gates to the ferry terminal. A small car, bedecked with placards, blocked the only immediate entry to the wharf, a small side-gate, when journalists gathered for the rough trip in a police launch to the Truxtun.
The protesters at the gate were quiet. But when some members of the official party began arriving back at the wharf, the crowd gathered at the ferry terminal building began hooting loudly and using abusive language.
The first American sailors to come ashore took no notice of the protesters.
The sailors, all midshipmen en route to Auckland to return home to the United States, gathered in the shed at the inter-island wharf and were subjected to a barrage of jeers and whistles.
The midshipmen eventually turned their backs, then formed two circles and continued their conversations.
The Peace Squadron’s protest against the entry of the Truxtun was successful, said the group’s convener, Dr Ken Hulls.
The Truxtun will be in Wellington until Thursday. She will then be taking part in further exercises with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and H.M.N.Z.S. Canterbury before sailing to Melbourne where she is expected to arrive on September 7.
In Parliament yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Talboys) said that New Zealand had now received from the Americans similar assurances of responsibility for nuclear damage as had been given to Canada. These assurances would cover any nuclear warheads on board United States warships, whether the ships were nuclear powered or not. (The Canadians have a damages agreement which covers nuclear warheads as well as the reactors of nuclear-powered ships. New Zealand’s previous arrangement covered just reactors.)
The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon), Cabinet Ministers, and members of Parliament’s Defence Committee have been invited to a luncheon on board the cruiser on Tuesday.
Invitations have also been sent to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling), and all M.P.s from both sides of the House, asking them to a dinner and tour of the vessel on Wednesday evening.
The Mayor of Wellington (Mr Michael Fowler) and Wellington city councillors have been invited to morning tea aboard the Truxtun on Monday. A “dial-a-sailor” scheme has been established to provide hospitality for crew members of the Truxtun.
PRESS, 28 AUGUST 1976
