"Bill Kambic" wrote:
I am reading a book entitled "October Fury"
by CAPT Peter A. Huchthausen,
USN (Ret.). In October, 1962 he was a JO stationed
aboard USS BLANDY
(DD-943), part of Task Group Alpha built around
USS RANDOLPH (CVS-15). He
participated, up close and personal, in the
Cuban Missle Crisis. He later
went on to be an analyst and specialist in Soviet
naval issues.

While CAPT H. is a skimmer, he gives a good
account, so far, of the actions
of NAVAIR units (mostly P2, P3, and Hunter-Killer
Group assests) during the
Crisis.

Particularly interesting is his interviewing
of many former Soviet naval
officers and men who manned diesel boats deployed
in support of Soviet
operations. He gives a graphic illustration
of life on a Soviet sub. They
really did fear our airborne ASW forces (particularly
the P3, due to its
long range and high endurance).

One of the REALLY scary things that most folks
don't know is that the
Soviets deployed in excess of 100 tactical nukes
to Cuba and the Soviet
commander had authority to use them to oppose
any U.S. landing operations
WITHOUT the specific authority of Moscow. Soviet
submarines deployed with
nuclear tipped torpedos also had authority to
use them if specific tactical
conditions were met.

I'm about 1/3 through, but even at this early
juncture I would commend it to
anyone with an interest in naval operations
(air and surface) during that
period. When I finish I will report further!
;-)

Bill Kambic

Mangalarga Marchador: Uma raça, uma paixão



I've read the book; it's excellent. One thing about the tac nukes in Cuba:
According to then-Col. Anatoly Gribkov, who was in Cuba as a General Staff
observer, a message was sent from Moscow to Soviet Forces Cuba REVOKING the
authority to use the tactical nukes on October 22, just before JFK gave his
speech announcing the presence of the missiles and the blockade. The order
was reemphasized on October 27th and in both cases the Soviet Command in
Cuba had to adknowledge the messages. If the invasion did go in, the weapons
were to be rendered inoperative. No launch without permission from Moscow
(read: Khruschev).

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