Someone up to political mischief had their cake and ate it too, The Canberra Times reported 51 years ago today on the front page.
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The report read: "A sinister note intruded yesterday on the friendly relations between Australia and our great and powerful ally, America.
"The note read, 'The Phantom strikes again. Ha, ha!'.
"It was quite a shock for [Prime Minister John Gorton]'s staff, who thought they were engaged on the harmless task of uncrating a 701-pound (300-kilogram) butter cake gift to the Prime Minister from the officers and men of the American nuclear carrier USS Coral Sea, serving off Vietnam.
"Instead they found only about 50 pounds (22 kilograms) of cake left and the note.
"The rest had been 'noshed' by person or persons unknown, a crime which is now undoubtedly being investigated by the combined resources of ASIO and the CIA.
"The Ambassador of America, Mr W. Crook, collected the cake during his recent visit to Vietnam and the USS Coral Sea.
"It was meant to be a gesture of thanks for the hospitality American servicemen have received on R and R leave in Australia."
A cake presentation ceremony was hastily converted into a damage inspection effort, but Mr Crook thought there was still enough left to sweeten relations between the two countries.
