I watched a PBS show last night on the Cuban Missile Crisis and although I was just a lad in grade school I remember it and the duck and cover drills, like that was going to help. We lived 50 miles from SAC and just knew we were going to get it.

I saw that was on last night but I had to flip it over to Oklahoma to watch OKC:AtoZ which I had missed the night before.

My Dad was in the Navy and we were living in Key West. I remember that time very well. A scary time for everyone back then.

I was in high school and lived 14 miles from a SAC base. If the wind was blowing in the right direction, we could hear B-52s take off. Airmen that we knew said that if everything went bad, every B-52 on the base would take off, one after another and we would be able to hear them no matter what direction the wind was blowing. Very scary time.

I was in the Navy, stationed on Guam at the time and several of my buddies that were close to discharge had their enlistments extended for six months. Sad to say, I was too young to give darn at the time (I had just turned 18). And the televised/radio news wasn't very good at that time so it was a little hard to keep up with since we got everything second hand.
C. T.

I was in the Navy, stationed on Guam at the time and several of my buddies that were close to discharge had their enlistments extended for six months. Sad to say, I was too young to give darn at the time (I had just turned 18). And the televised/radio news wasn't very good at that time so it was a little hard to keep up with since we got everything second hand.
C. T.

It was before my time but I understand it was a very scary time. I was in Cuba (legally) about 18 months ago and it is a very beautiful country and felt much safer there than I do many US cities. The economy for years had been supported by the Soviet Union. When it broke up, they pulled all of there interests out of Cuba and their economy and people really suffered. With Raul in charge, they have allowed Cuban citizens to open up private businesses like restaurants, etc. It really is time to drop the sanctions and open up travel and economic opportunities for Americans there. It will be interesting to see what happens after Raul dies as most of the young people I met were very much in favor of capiltalism and opportunities.

...Although a number of people there still pine for its days as a Soviet protectorate (http://gulfnews.com/life-style/food/features/havana-s-new-restaurant-celebrates-soviet-colonial-era-1.1379238)...

RE the missile crisis: my dad was in the AF and word came down that they were shipping out next day. He and everyone in his barracks had bags packed and were standing by to depart when word came that the Russians had stood down. Fortunately that is the closest he came to seeing action in the military. By the time Vietnam heated up, he was behind the counter at a lumberyard in Wichita.