Proclamation 3403—National Maritime Day, 1961

Whereas the American Merchant Marine is a major factor in maintaining the economy of the Nation through serving the peacetime commerce of the United States; and

Whereas American-flag shipping is essential to the defense of this and other nations of the free world and to the cause of freedom on every continent; and

Whereas American merchant ships and the men who sail them implement our national policy of providing food and supplies to the famished and stricken of the world when the need arises; and

Whereas the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 20, 1933 (48 Stat. 73), designated May 22 as National Maritime Day, in commemoration of the departure from Savannah, Georgia, on May 22, 1819, of the S.S. Savannah on the first transoceanic voyage by any steamship, and requested the President to issue a proclamation annually calling for the observance of that day; and

Whereas the world's first nuclear-powered merchant ship, named the N.S. Savannah in honor of the first Savannah, will put to sea this year, demonstrating for all peoples the intention of this Nation to use atomic power for peaceful purposes:

Now, Therefore, I, John F. Kennedy, President of the United States of America, do hereby urge the people of the United States to honor our Merchant Marine on Monday, May 22, 1961, by displaying the flag of the United States at their homes or other suitable places; and I direct the appropriate officials of the Government to arrange for the display of the flag on all Government buildings on that day.

I also request that all ships sailing under the American flag dress ship on the twenty-second day of May in tribute to the American Merchant Marine.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this fifth day of April in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and eighty-fifth.

JOHN F. KENNEDY

By the President:

DEAN RUSK,

Secretary of State.