Old folks tales

[coonz]

I've just returned from a visit to my elderly uncle in the beautiful county of Dorset in England. He's had a fascinating life, and I enjoy hearing about it. He recounted the events of 1963 to me, when he was a civilian technical specialist, working with the US military on the 'DEW Line' in Canada. For the youngsters here, the DEW (Distance Early Warning) line was the US first warning of a Soviet nuclear attack. No satellites in those days of course, detection was by microwave.
I was aware that he'd worked with the US military, and laughed at his tail of a wolf, snatching a sandwich clean out of his hand. What I didn't know, was that he saw the build up, to the boiling point of the Cuban Missile crisis. He was used to seeing B52s, as there were constant sorties. You'll remember Kennedy's unlimatum to Khrushchev. In essence, deploy nuclear weapons on Cuba and the US will bomb the Soviet Union. My uncle recalls seeing 'dozens' of B52 hard hats (hard hats as they were known were armed with nuclear weapons), on their way to deploy, only for armageddon to be averted at the last moments, as Khrushchev backed down. The abort signal was given to the hard hats, and they returned to their bases, nuclear war averted.

[3.0L]

I only got shot at in Vietnam.

But at least I can say we shot back. With gusto. And I called the shots.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by coonz

I've just returned from a visit to my elderly uncle in the beautiful county of Dorset

This looks like the beach in Beer, Devon.

[coonz]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

This looks like the beach in Beer, Devon.

Bullseye! You've been?

[Tommy-G]

I wish I had more interest in war stories. My grandfather had always wanted to tell them but I rather him watch me jump my bike off curbs and over garbage cans etc....
Ill be driving home from work and want to call him & grandma forgetting they passed many many years ago.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by coonz

Bullseye! You've been?

When I lived in Germany, my parents came over on vacation to attend a RAF-RCAF reunion. We toured the coast and stayed in Beer overnight. That was in 2007. My Mum had an old pic. I remember the steep entrance to the beach.

[Mandi90TT]

Sorry, my getting shot at time was Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Much more recent than nam.