Cold War Era Veterans

I was on duty in France when the Cuban missile crises happened. There were about 50 of us given emergency orders and we processed out all tools and cold weather dear needed to support a detachment of fighters and told to "stand by" which lasted about 4 days with all our stuff loaded on a C130 sitting on the runway. Didn't find out till later we would have gone to a small outpost base just outside Berlin as they thought something might happen there also. Very glad we never took off. I still have the zip hood wolf fur lined flight parka I got issued.
 
I've never been in the military, but I recall the impact of watching the Berlin Wall coming down on TV. I was at a buddy's place and he usually took little interest in the news or world affairs. I said to him, "You know you are watching history here, don't you".

"Yeah, I guess I am. Seems strange to watch history on live TV though".

I think you all get what he meant.
 
H Richard..I was a dependent in France at the time of the Cuban missile crisis. My Dad was stationed at Phalsburg and later Toul. We left when DeGaulle kicked us out!
 
charlie sherrill said:
It looks to me like Putin is gradually restarting the cold war. When is everybody going to realize that we have the same enemies?
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Though im not a Vet, I never believed the Cold War ever ended--especially with Vlad in office. All it did was change its face.
 
I had two good friends stationed in various parts of Germany between 69 and around 85 or so? One friend was in command of a Missile Battery and Radar Station--I cant remember where he said they were or what year? but he was also there when the wall came down-that time-on vacation.

The other friend whom I roomed with for several years till he passed away from Brain Cancer--was stationed in Germany for around 7 of his 15 years in the Army. In Germany--he was part of some unit who were and forgive me if im wrong on what they were called? First Responders. They were sent to some barrier river and when they got there-"Sarge Bill" said they faced at least 50 Russian T-series tanks. He had only 10 men with him till other help started to arrive in the name of German Paratroopers. Bill told me his hair stood on end (which had to be a tough thing because he was mostly bald since age of 20 :-)) but whatever incident that sparked that ordeal-ended soon and everything im guessing? went back to a more normal.

Anyway, forgive me if I can't prove times and dates and places--my memory is almost dead as it is.

PS, Sarge Bill was also stationed in Korea almost half his service time, and HAD the distinction of being on the DMZ the most of any American Soldier then stationed in Korea and was awarded the ArCom for it.

When Sarge Bill arrived in Germany as a Combat Medic during Vietnam--I remember he mentioned that the class he graduated with--75% were casualties in Nam. Anyway, ill not keep this off topic so will end with that two of Sarge Bills favorite memories were 1) When he first was sent to Germany-he snuck into East Berlin on some kind of tour. 2) He is in Korea also during the Tree Incident--and about that time, he was also known for burying a load of Whiskey across the border in North Korea.
 
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If you were from West Germany when it happened you might not be to happy. Many that came from the east were basically Russians. Many think they were owed something. Socialist.

Kinda like the Euro. The hard working lost so the non-working could get their share.

W.Germans are hard workers. They've bounced back thus far. How much more can they carry?

Don't get me wrong. The threat on the other side was realized and was a relief. Hitler got them into this mess with Russia and the rest of Europe and the wall tells us which side of Berlin was lucky to get beat by whom.

I'm just pointing out things I heard from people that lived there during the cold war. Germany's Baby Boomers if you will.
 
the ringo kid said:
Though im not a Vet, I never believed the Cold War ever ended--especially with Vlad in office. All it did was change its face.
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I recently read a book by Masha (not "Marsha") Gessen, a reporter and editor with both Russian and U.S. citizenship. It's called The Man Without A Face: The Unlikely Rise Of Vladimir Putin. Very informative and chilling.

You might want to give it a look.
 
shouldazagged said:
I recently read a book by Masha (not "Marsha") Gessen, a reporter and editor with both Russian and U.S. citizenship. It's called The Man Without A Face: The Unlikely Rise Of Vladimir Putin. Very informative and chilling.

You might want to give it a look.
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Thanks for the tip, I sure will look for a copy. Ive always been interested to know more-especially on someone who looks funny when not wearing a shirt and riding a Horse :D
putin-horse-31.jpg

Somehow, he doesnt look natural riding a Horse :-))
 
am München steht ein Hofbräuhaus

Spent about twelve years over three tours as a Cold Warrior looking across the Fulda gap at the Russians looking at me. I remember sacrificing for my country. Spent many a night with nothing between me and the cold hard ground but a thin German girl.

The first picture is a view of the Fulda gap.

The second picture is of my tank, during one of many trips to Grafenwöhr, at the ammo pad on Range 42. Tank Table VIII, Tank Crew Qualification


"Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier, Drum trinken wir es hier."
 

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old tanker said:
Spent about twelve years over three tours as a Cold Warrior looking across the Fulda gap at the Russians looking at me. I remember sacrificing for my country. Spent many a night with nothing between me and the cold hard ground but a thin German girl.

The first picture is a view of the Fulda gap.

The second picture is of my tank, during one of many trips to Grafenwöhr, at the ammo pad on Range 42. Tank Table VIII, Tank Crew Qualification


"Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier, Drum trinken wir es hier."
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Great post. That to me was more scary than the wall.

Thanks,
 
I think the realization in Kremlin leaders started when Khrushchev went to a supermarket in Texas. He saw the meats, the vegetables kept fresh with mist and realized that this was available to all americans and in the USSR even the top leaders couldn't get it all the time.

To me, I was a teenager during the Cuban Missile crisis. I guess I wasn't paying close attention, I never realized how close the USA came to war until years later. I will say the Kremlin leaders had some signal they misinterpreted that they could place missiles in Cuba and get away with it. I never heard what that was, but thankfully Kennedy had the cojones to stand up to the Kremlin. I would say whomever in the USSr that decided to locate missile batteries in Cuba lost a lot of face over that.

The time I really realized the cold war was over was when the Berlin Wall came down. I will say the Germans did a wonderful job of reintegrating their country. I wish I had a piece of the wall. I have never been to Germany and never saw the wall.

Regarding Putin, he is an ex KGB thug. If you understand that then things make sense. I am sure he is not sympathetic to the wishes of the USA, but at the same time I don't believe he sees us as an enemy. He will be glad to see us get out tit in a wringer and may even help put it there. Still, I don't think he is crazy enough to sell Russian Nukes.

I believe our president genuinely believes he can sit down with foreign leaders and convince them to help us. Apparently he has had such an easy time in his political career. There are foreign leaders who operate on a criminal mentality. If you are known as badass and you are well armed they will act one way and if you want to sit down with them, share a latte and sing Kumbaya, they act much more aggressively. Also I believe folks who are not true believers in some religion do not understand that if your enemy's religion tells him he should kill or convert you, there is nothing you can offer him that will make him change his mind.
 
I joined the US Navy in 1962, and was assigned to the Destroyer USS Stormes DD-780 . First stop Cuba . It was HOT and I was sea Sick, scared and fired up to kick some Soviet Axx, we were so "gung ho" Thank God it never came to that.
 
This is just my take and I could be all wet (and frequently am), but I would rather have the USSR as my enemy with MAD then have fundamentalist Muslims that feel they either have to convert me or kill me (or die trying).

There are probably too many Muslims to kill them all (Note, I am not suggesting this) and it is hard to tell the dangerous ones from the ones who practice a more mainstream version of Islam. Their religion actually allows them to lie to non Muslims.
 
During the 80's , I spent many long hours in the back of a Navy P-3 Orion , hunting Soviet subs up and down the Atlantic. Even read Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October during some 8hr patrols.
 
the ringo kid said:
Though im not a Vet, I never believed the Cold War ever ended--especially with Vlad in office. All it did was change its face.
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Yes, it changed its face... the Cold War threats of communism and Marxism are running our own country now and most Americans don't even realize it. No nukes needed when a country is destroyed from within. Even Khrushchev knew this.
 
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