50 Years Ago – March, 1970

50 Years Ago – March, 1970     

1970

     Sp/4 Steven C. Pechie of Esmond was home for a twenty-day furlough before reporting for duty with the Strategic Air Command in Panama.

     1st Lieutenant Anthony J. Pascitelli of Greenville was serving with the United States Air Force.

     Air Force Sergeant Richard Johnson just completed a one-year tour of duty in Thailand.

     Army Private William Hession completed basic training at Fort Dix. 

     Staff Sergeant George Fitzpatrick of Esmond came home after serving four years in Vietnam.

     USMC Corporal Robert A. Gurney, Jr., of Greenville, was serving with the 1st Marines Air Wing in Vietnam. 

     Tec. Sergeant Kenneth W. Fuller was serving with the U. S. Air Force in Vietnam.

     Air Force Lieutenant Stephen S. Weyden of Esmond was home on leave before reporting for duty in Thailand. 

     Steve Boudreau, a 17-year-old junior at Smithfield High School, was working as a jockey.  On March 2nd  he won the second race at Narragansett while riding a horse named “I’m Sugar Pie”. 

     On March 6 The Beatles released their hit song, “Let It Be”.

     The movie “Airport” premiered in New York City.  The film had an all-star cast and was based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Arthur Hailey.  

     On March 7 there was a total eclipse of the sun, said to be the “eclipse of the century”.  Days before the eclipse, newspapers and magazines printed instructions for making a “sun box” for safely viewing the event.  This hi-tec device was basically a cardboard box with a pin hole in one end and a sheet of white paper at the other.     

     The Greenville Fire Department acquired a “Raysled”.  It was a small fiberglass boat with a square front designed for both ice and water rescues. 

     The Elks Lodge on Farnum Pike held a St. Patrick’s Day dinner dance that was well attended.

     Girl Scouts of the “Yankee Smithfield Neighborhood” celebrated National Girl Scout Week with their first father-daughter dance held at the Smithfield High School.  450 people attended, and it was hoped that the dance would become an annual event. 

     Mrs. Anthony Lancia was in charge of planning the event.

     At the dance, there was a brief ceremony during which Mrs. Thomas Hall was presented an award for her 35 years of service to the Girl Scouts.

     Jane Kaminski, Joanne Daigle, Charlene Winfield, and Deborah Vallee, served as the honor guard.  

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