It is funny, that something simple clicks in your mind and all of a sudden a memory springs back into your conscious mind and you have a flashback that like time travel you fly back over the years to when both you and the world were much younger. I had just closed my home office door, as I do many times a day and headed to the fridge to put more ice in my ice-water cup. I glanced to my left and one of my prize possessions which I have mounted on the hallway immediately caught my eye as never before and I was instantly swept back to October of 1961. A time that was called THE MISSILES OF OCTOBER. On a simple sheet of 8 1/2 X 11 plane paper in simple nondescript type now beginning to fade with time is a letter of commendation that is still classified TOP SCRIPT as pertaining to duties performed contents and disclosing just an extremely small portion of which has been downgraded. It is from THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF forwarded through to BENNETT, WILLIAM PAUL, (my military service number) CT2, USN. It goes like this. CS30:ST:ki 1600 16 JAN 1963 From: Commanding Officer To: BENNETT, William Paul (service number.....) CT2, USN. SUBJ: Letter of Commendation Ref: (a) DIRNAVSECGRULANT MSG 292131Z November 1962 (b) DIRNAVSECGRUEUR MSG 051207Z December 1962 1. It gives me great pleasure to commend you for your outstanding performance of duty with the Naval Security Group Department during 22 October 1962 through November 16 1962. 2. During the above period, the Naval Security Group, and associated agencies, provided support to the operating forces engaged in implementing the Naval quarantine and blockade imposed during the Cuban crisis. The significant contribution of personnel of the Security Group Department to the overall effort was the subject of special praise and commendation from COMMANDER-In-CHIEF ATLANTIC, and earned a WELL DONE from the Director Naval Security Group, and from DIRNAVSECGRULANT and DIRNAVSECGRUEUR as expressed in classified references (a) and (b). 3. As stated in reference (b) by the Director, Naval Security Group in numerous instances individual contributions resulted in personal hardships. However,regardless of the extent of individual contribution, success was made possible only through the combined efforts of all personnel involved. In this team effort you displayed a devotion to duty and a degree of technical competence beyond that which could normally be expected. Your personal accomplishments contributed significantly to meeting the national objectives and reflect credit on yourself and thereby on the Naval Establishment. I take great pleasure, therefore, in hereby commending you for a job well done. 4. I hereby order a copy of this letter, or a suitable notation thereof, be made a part of your official records. John F. Kennedy, President of The United States. Commander-in-Chief. R.S. DOWNES. This took me back 51 years and 10 months previously when I was involved in top secret activities concern the missiles which were being installed in Cuba and bringing us closer to World War III than any other time in our history. Not many really know that with the 6 Russian (USSR) nuclear submarines I was responsible for monitoring, just one minor error in code interception and all hell would have broken loose. At that time I was at The Naval Security Group Activity, SIDI YAHIA, MOROCCO and 20 years old. Fortunately I was very accurate and am here today to remember old times YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG youtube/watch?v=1BAieNYq5Qs
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 23:37:23 +0000
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