Feelslikefar
Senior Member
- Location
- Nashville, TN
Was it Really a War?
Being born in 1952 into a Military family, the 'Cold War' was in full swing.
Most say the 'War' started in 1947 and ended in 1991.
Because my Dad was a career Navy man, this directed all aspects of our lives.
Where we lived and how often I saw him, everything revolved around that War.
We lived in Panama City, Florida when the Cuban Missile crisis happen in 1962 and even being just 10 years old I knew it was a big deal.
My Dad was stationed in Scotland on a Nuke Sub at that time.
Back home we did our 'Duck and Cover' at school and tried to live like normal kids.
When I joined the USAF after high school, my direct contact with the 'Cold War' began.
I was just a support guy, nothing fancy or really exciting. First duty station was on Guam during Vietnam in Aircraft support.
Next was a complex on Shemya, Alaska designed as an early warning system against the Russian threat.
Next up was being stationed at SAC headquarters at Offutt AFB, the main US base in the battle of the Cold War.
( remember the Jimmy Stewart movie about the 'Strategic Air Command'? )
After that, stationed at a small Radar site run by SAC.
Switched over to a new career field and was stationed in the UK. When Deployed to Berlin in 1987, the 'Wall' was separating people.
An image I will never forget.
Saw deployments to Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort. Chemical Warfare instructor and maintained the field equipment.
Fast forward to my last duty station in California and time to decide about retirement.
Looking back now, I think that without the threat of the 'Cold War' things just weren't the same.
Probably time for this Old guy's 'Thinking' to go the way of the Dodo.
I can say that the Cold War shaped me from birth and that lasted for 40+ years till I retired in 1994.
I might be in the minority on this one, but it always FELT like a 'War' to me.
Being born in 1952 into a Military family, the 'Cold War' was in full swing.
Most say the 'War' started in 1947 and ended in 1991.
Because my Dad was a career Navy man, this directed all aspects of our lives.
Where we lived and how often I saw him, everything revolved around that War.
We lived in Panama City, Florida when the Cuban Missile crisis happen in 1962 and even being just 10 years old I knew it was a big deal.
My Dad was stationed in Scotland on a Nuke Sub at that time.
Back home we did our 'Duck and Cover' at school and tried to live like normal kids.
When I joined the USAF after high school, my direct contact with the 'Cold War' began.
I was just a support guy, nothing fancy or really exciting. First duty station was on Guam during Vietnam in Aircraft support.
Next was a complex on Shemya, Alaska designed as an early warning system against the Russian threat.
Next up was being stationed at SAC headquarters at Offutt AFB, the main US base in the battle of the Cold War.
( remember the Jimmy Stewart movie about the 'Strategic Air Command'? )
After that, stationed at a small Radar site run by SAC.
Switched over to a new career field and was stationed in the UK. When Deployed to Berlin in 1987, the 'Wall' was separating people.
An image I will never forget.
Saw deployments to Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort. Chemical Warfare instructor and maintained the field equipment.
Fast forward to my last duty station in California and time to decide about retirement.
Looking back now, I think that without the threat of the 'Cold War' things just weren't the same.
Probably time for this Old guy's 'Thinking' to go the way of the Dodo.
I can say that the Cold War shaped me from birth and that lasted for 40+ years till I retired in 1994.
I might be in the minority on this one, but it always FELT like a 'War' to me.