On This Day: October 22

[10thzodiac]

1962 - During the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy announced an air and naval blockade of Cuba, following the discovery of Soviet Union missile bases on the island. Over the next six days, the crisis escalated to the brink of nuclear war.

Cuban Missile Crisis in Review
Sequence of Events:

On September 13, 1962 President Kennedy issued a statement to Congress concerning the possible missile threat to the U.S. and the increase of a Soviet buildup in Cuba. On 15 September, the first group of Soviet missiles arrived in Cuba. A couple of days later, a U-2 overflight of the island discovered 6 canvas objects measuring some 60 feet long - resembling Soviet missiles - the next day President Kennedy was told of the discovery.

On September 16, 1962, President Kennedy was told that medium range ballistic missiles were in Cuba. He was also informed that 40,000 Soviet troops in full battle dress were already on the island to repel any attempt by the United States to invade the island and rid it of the Soviet missiles. If the invasion by US forces had taken place, Soviet ground commanders had permission to launch tactical nuclear missiles at the invading US forces. As a result the US would has suffered 90-95 percent causalities, and most likely would have begun World War III. Three decades later, it was noted that 12 short range tactical nuclear missiles had been positioned along the shoreline in those places that could have supported a amphibious landing by US forces. Also, it was noted that 36 Medium Range Ballistic Missiles, each having a one megaton warhead had been placed on the island and could have been readied to be fired at the United States - reaching a path of destruction of 1000 Nautical Miles.

Exert From Wikipedia: However, U.S. intelligence was flawed: they believed Soviet and Cuban troop numbers on Cuba to be around 10,000 and 100,000, when they were in fact around 43,000 and 270,000 respectively [3]. Also, they were unaware that 12 kiloton-range nuclear warheads had already been delivered to the island and mounted on FROG-3 "Luna" short-range artillery rockets, which could be launched on the authority of the Soviet commander on the island, General Pliyev [4], in the event of an invasion. Though they posed no threat to the continental U.S., an invasion would probably have precipitated a nuclear strike against the invading force, with catastrophic results. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis

At the beginning of October 1962, the Atlantic Command was in its normal peacetime configuration.

On October 20, 1962, President Kennedy ordered a quarantine around Cuba and told US forces to prepare for a possible invasion into Cuba - again not knowing of the ground tactical nuclear missiles.

On the evening of October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy, speaking to the Nation on radio and television, described a concerned buildup of Russian missiles in Cuba. The President announced the establishment of a naval quarantine to be effective as of 0900 EST, on the 24th of October. The choosing of the word quarantine verse a blockage implied military action against the Cubans and since the Russians were Cuba's main sponsor, the United States did not want to start hostilities with both countries. The quarantine was to prevent additional shipments of additional arms into Cuba. If necessary, the United States was prepared to take additional action.

While the immediate background of the crisis was one of steadily deteriorating Cuban - U.S. relations, the President made it very clear that this was most then a Cuban - U.S. crisis. It was in fact a direct confrontation between the security of the United States and the challenge posed by the Soviet Union. The President dramatized this fact by asserting that any missiles fired from Cuba against a country within the Western Hemisphere would be considered a direct attack by the Soviet Union and the appropriate response would be countered.

For the public, the President's address was the first alarm bell of danger. But for many days the Commander-in-Chief Atlantic (CINCLANT) had been preparing to counter this newest aspect of the Russian buildup in Cuba.

On October 18th, the prepositioning of forces to reduce reaction time in the event of action against Cuba continued. A reinforced infantry battalion, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines and Bravo Battery, 11th Marines from the Pacific Command's 5th MEB was ordered transferred to the operational control of CINCLANT and a light antiaircraft-missile battalion (Hawk) was ordered to Guantanamoto augment forces there.

On October 22, 1962, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines and Bravo Battery, 11th Marines arrived in Cuba by MATS, Boeing 707 Jets, to establish a defensive zone for a possible Cuban assault into the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, all U.S. dependents evacuated. Within the next couple of days additional Marine forces landed on both the windward and leeward sides of the base.

We were dug in behind Main-side Guantanamo by the beach, on the hill top to our right front about 2 O' Clock from the business end of Bravos 105MM Howitzers the Army had two Nike's. I do not know if they were Nike-Ajax for anti-aircraft or Nike-Hercules (below) that had nuclear war heads! ~ Go figure...




Semper Fidelis to all my brothers of the ground element core of the 5th MEB the reinforced 5th Marine regiment from Camp Pendleton


Corporal Richard J. Schlau, 5th MEB, Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division, FMF (Rein), 1st Lieutenant Skordis Commanding

[TwoBravo]

Thanks for your info. I was at Pendelton waiting for 1/7 to return from that trip. We had just finished Boot and AIT. Sure glad it turned out ok.

Semper Fi

[10thzodiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoBravo Thanks for your info. I was at Pendelton waiting for 1/7 to return from that trip. We had just finished Boot and AIT. Sure glad it turned out ok. Semper Fi

TwoBravo, just like when they sent me and you to Vietnam in the beginning, August 1964, we didn't know where we were going then either. They put you and me on USS Maggofin and we didn't know where were going or where we were until our Destroyers chased those North Vietnamese torpedo boats away from our 9MEB convoy, then they told us where we were.

Same thing when they put us on the MATS jets at EL Toro October, 1962, we were taxing down the the run way, when an Air Force Sergeant came out of the cockpit saying, "It is 7 1/2 hours flight time to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba", I could see my CO from where I was sitting and he was surprised too. My Platoon Sergeant wasn't too happy hearing that, soon as we got there he hurt his leg and started using crutches.

At 19 years old, I had no idea how bad the missile crisis was, and everyday I'm finding out it was worse than what I knew the day before.

Oh, the Platoon Sergeant's Leg got remarkably better after the crisis , must of been the stress or he knew how bad the missile crisis was ~ go figure

SF, your brother

10thzodiac

[FistFu68]

I CAN REMEMBER GETTING UNDER OUR DESK'S,AND PRACTICE HOW TO KISS OUR A$$-GOODBYE!!! MY PAPA ALREADY HAD 13 IN. ACTIVE,WEARING SUNGLASSES IN EAST-GERMANY, FORMER OSS~UNITED STATES ARMY! THEN THE GREEN BEENIE;I MISS YOU PAPA,IT WILL BE A GRAND REUION SOMEDAY;YOU'R LOVING SON. JACK~OOHRAH!!!