First is my greatest hero of all times - my Dad. I don't suppose I always felt that way; most teenaged girls don't especially get along with their dads for a while. But the older I got, it seemed the wiser he got. I'm not sure how that happened! LOL But it did happen and I'm sure that both of my sisters will agree with me now too.
Secondly, is a man I've always admired starting when I was 7 years old as told in the journaling on this layout. There were many other reasons to admire this man as I grew older and learned more about him. He truly was a great American.
Since you really can't read the journaling on this view of the layout, let me add it here:
Top portion:
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War among the Government of the United States, the Government of the Soviet Union, and the Government of Cuba.
The crisis began on October 14, 1962 when U.S. reconnaissance imagery revealing installations on the island were shown to U.S. President John F. Kennedy and ended days later on October 28, 1962, when Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev announced that the installations would be dismantled. The Crisis is often regarded as the moment when the Cold War came closest to escalating into a nuclear war.
Bottom portion:
In the fall of 1962, I had just turned 7 and was in the second grade. My daddy was in Air Force National Guard and worked at the airport on airplanes. I remember seeing President Kennedy on TV one afternoon after school and things changed at our house after that. I didn't know just exactly what was going on because I was so young. But I know now that the Cuban Missile Crisis had begun and my Dad had been put on alert for active duty. His unit had been activated and was preparing to go to war with Cuba!
I was so scared to think of my Daddy going to a war. He had to pack his clothes in his "Air Force bag" and keep it with him at work and put it under the table when he was at home. We couldn't go anywhere and had to stay by the phone. We watched President Kennedy on TV and prayed that there wouldn't be a war. When Dad would go to work in the morning, we didn't know if he would come home that day! It was a terrible and scary time for a little girl!
Finally, it was over! It had only been a few days but it sure seemed longer to me! Ever after that time, President Kennedy was my hero because Dad said it was his doings that prevented a terrible war that could have been the end of the world! Now I realize how close we came at that time to a nuclear war. I still consider President Kennedy one of my biggest heroes because he saved my daddy from going to a war.
Do any of you remember this dark time in our Nation's history?? How did it effect you and your family?? Do any of you have any heroes you are remembering this weekend? I'd love to hear your stories!
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!
God Bless America!
Vicki aka LisasMom
Nice layout.
ReplyDeleteVicki, you asked if anyone else had memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis. We were finishing the installation of an Atlas Missile near Roswell, NM at the time. I was down in the silo when a klaxon horn went off, and they announced we were to have the missile in an EWO (Emergency War Order)status within 24 hours. By the next day we had made it fully operational and installed a nuclear warhead. I accompanied an Air Force officer while he installed the targeting information on board. That was when the full realization of the crisis hit me, that the Atlas was programmed to hit a certain target many miles away. I didn't know where as that was a closely guarded secret. I spent days in an adjoining quonset listening to the news, hoping and praying we wouldn't have to launch as I knew that would create a nuclear halocost with no real winners. In the meantime my wife sat at home alone, worrying and listening to news urging her to stock canned food and water, be prepared for fallout. That was a joke..how do you hide from it's effects? I've always been glad that president Kennedy stood his ground, made some hard decisions.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! Your story is so much scarier than mine! I was just a little girl afraid for my own dad - that's it! You actually KNEW what could happen! I don't know how soldiers and military personnel can handle that kind of stress. It is such a sad, sad state of affairs that our world is in this kind of tourmoil!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing such a touching story with us. And thank you ever so much for your service to our country and the civilians you protected!
God Bless You!!
Vicki aka LisasMom
I was beginning my college experience at the that time. We all listened to the radio and TV just for any news of us going to war. My Dad's retirement from the Air Force was put on hold. I know he spend quite a few long days in the "hole" at Offutt AF Base, Nebraska. He wasn't able to retire until many months later.
ReplyDeleteGod bless all our service men and women!!
Bryan