Guests of honor at the recent 76th Anniversary Dinner (shown above) of the Navy League of the United States, New York Council, were Gen. Alexander M. Haig Jr. (since nominated by President-elect Reagan to be Secretary of State in the coming Administration), and Adm. Thomas B. Hayward, Chief of Naval Operations.
General Haig cited his concern over a "growing presence" of Soviet Bloc ships in Western European ports. He said he felt a priority of the Reagan Administration will be to modernize America's merchant fleet. General Haig told the large audience at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel that the recent election results were, among other things, a mandate from the American people who are aware of America's declining defense policy.
Sharing the guest of honor spotlight, Admiral Hayward spoke of the strain placed on the U.S. Naval Fleet—unable to maintain a presence on all the world's oceans and operating at half its capacity since the Vietnam War. "Competition, endurance, and resilience" have become the bywords of today's Navy, he said. As an example of endurance, Admiral Hayward noted that the 5,600 sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower returned for Christmas leave in the U.S. after 264 days on patrol in the Indian Ocean.