he Cuban Missile Crisis, October 18-29, 1962
U.S. Navy helicopter hovers Russian submarine
October 28, 1962
As crewmembers of the LST 1156 well know, the ship played a key role, as a part of the battle group during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
That crises, was probably the closest the nation came to World War III and its potential nuclear showdown.
What is not readily known however, is that based on Russian archives available after the end of the Cold War, is that Soviet Premier Khrushchev ordered four submarines from the Northern Fleet into the Caribbean. Each one carrying a single nuclear armed torpedo, to seek out and destroy U.S. Navy ships that were a part of the blockade.
Only one of the four submarines even got close to the battle group, and the skipper of that sub decided not to attempt to follow Khrushchev’s orders. The so-called “Nuclear Taboo” supposedly worked with that captain, who was soon brought to heel by the Soviet military chiefs, and subsequently deposed.
Have a great Navy day!