Growing Up During The Nuclear Threat Era

Living Through The Soviet Threat

Until the later part of the 1940s, the United States was the only super power to possess the atomic bomb, but that was about to change.  The Soviets detonated their first atomic bomb on August 29, 1949. Fearful as that was, the United States felt that they could deter any Soviet threat through the use of its military.  This all changed though when the Soviets altered the course of human events on October 4, 1957 when they launched Sputnik, the first spacecraft ever into space.  Our military was horrified at this event since they knew that it was only a short time before the Soviets would be able to launch their nuclear weapons into space, and drop them on the United States or for that matter, anywhere in the world.  And with this threat, fear would lead both countries to the brink of nuclear war.  

Could things get worse?  The world would soon discover that indeed they could.  The Communist threat was spreading extremely quickly in the world, toppling many existing governments.  Because of the Communist domino belief, (one government falls to communism, causing many others to soon follow) led many people in  democratic nations around the world to think that there was a Communist around every corner in their country, all trying to topple their government.  Along with this, every military event seemed to have millions of Americans and many others in the world glued to a new form of media called, television.  These events would finally lead us to the brink of nuclear war on October 1962.  Millions of Americans watched their televisions as President Kennedy began telling them that nuclear missiles were seen on the Island of Cuba not far from the United States’ coastline.  Our president followed by giving the Soviet leader, (Nikita Khrushchev), an ultimatum to get his missiles off Cuba or face a major military confrontation. It finally came to the breaking point when a major sea battle was about to take place.  

The U.S. and Soviet navies were facing a head on collision that would soon bring the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation.  Near the coastline of the U.S. in the Caribbean Sea, both navies would meet for the first time.  American ships were first to spot a Soviet submarine near Cuba, and were given orders to use non-lethal depth charges to force the Soviet submarine to the surface.  As the sub was being depth-charged, the Soviet officers and crew aboard their ship thought war had in fact finally broke out.  Knowing that their sub had been discovered by the U.S. Navy, the Soviet crew realized that it would be just a matter of minutes until their sub would be crushed by the depth charges falling on them.  Unknown to the Soviet submarine crew, the U.S. Navy sent messages to the sub informing them that the charges were non-lethal, but for some unknown reason, the Soviets never got their message.  Meanwhile, the captain of the Soviet sub was preparing to fire his nuclear torpedo against an American carrier. But first, according naval protocol, 3 officers on board the Soviet sub had to all agree to fire their nuclear torpedo, and it was down to one man, a Soviet submarine officer named, Vasili Arkhipov.  Out of the three officers needed for the firing of the torpedo, Arkhipov was the only officer that would not agree to fire it.  If they had indeed fired upon the Americans, the radiation would have been felt by many on the southern coastline of the United States, which in turn would most likely have led to a nuclear response by the U. S. It was this one man who saved the world from nuclear annihilation.  And so, it came to this moment of history that I write this story of how a little boy was going to save his family while the world was heading towards nuclear doom.  

In the 1950s, our elementary school was having nuclear fallout drills on a regular basis.  Our techniques would not go down as inspirational, or for that matter, repeatable for future generations.  It wasn’t a complicated process to learn, when we heard the bells ringing, we would hide under our desks until told that the drill was not real.  That was the scary part, not knowing if it was a drill or not.  Sometimes during these exercises, when I was trying to look unafraid, I would glimpse over at the girls in my classroom, and I could see that they too were terrified over the idea of being bombed. During those frightening moments, I thought if it really did happen, I knew which girl I would protect first. Though she didn’t know I even existed, or even breathed the same air as her, I was determined to protect her with all my heart, that is, if the bombing did in fact start.  I just knew at that moment I could be her hero and she would think of me as her prince in shining armor coming to protect her from all the devastation caused by the nuclear blast.  

In looking back at those times, we as children were in fact constantly frightened over the possibility of a nuclear war and the devastation that would ensue.  In my own way, I wanted to protect my family from such calamity, so one day I acted in a bold move to keep them safe.  Sitting in the moonlight of my yard, I came up with my most daring plan yet.  I was going to build a cave for my family.  The next day when carrying out my gallant plan, I first had to scale a cliff overlooking the Des Moines River, right next to a 60 foot

drop off and it was straight down.  My thoughts were that if we were bombed by the Soviets and overrun by their armies, we would have my cave to protect them from the blast, and hide them from their advancing armies. As I was digging my tunnel, I kept thinking, “This has to be better than my school desk!”  So I dug and I dug, day after day without telling anyone.  

After about a week I had the cave done and I was very proud of myself.  The next part of the plan was to tell my brothers, and then with much pride, my dad and mom.  But, before that, I needed to show (Mike and Ken), my brothers my cave and see what they thought of my engineering feat.  The next day I led my them to the cave, but first we had to dare the cliff with much reservation, and after many near falls, we made it to the area close to the cave entrance.  As we neared the cave, I could almost feel my shirt buttons bursting from my monumental accomplishment.  Next, I  turned around and faced my brothers with my back to the opening of the cave, and with much pomp and ceremony I addressed them by pontificating in as serious a tone as possible, “I can hide at least 7 people in this cave.“ There faces by now were

glazed over in amazement, at the same time bobbing their heads on either side of me in an attempt to see my masterpiece. With a somewhat cocky attitude, I turned around to face my greatest magnum opus.  But, what I saw next was not what I had hoped to see; the whole cave was not there.  Spinning around looking at my brothers, I said, “It’s gone, someone found my secret spot and caved it in!”  They looked at me and then at each other with stunned looks.  At that moment, recognition dawned on our collective faces and we knew that no one had collapsed my cave; it came down all on its own. In our slow retreat home, and after escaping the death-defying cliff, I found myself totally deflated, but somehow trying to save my dignity as we walked back home.  Following my two brothers I made one last effort in salvaging my pride by telling them, “You know guys, that was our best hope in hiding our family if the Soviets decided to drop a bomb on us, or for that matter, come for us.” As I trailed behind them, I looked intently at their collective reactions to my last statement.  Silence was their only response as we walked along through the woods.  I knew in my heart though that they were making every effort to keep from snickering as I saw their clinched jaws tightening.  

As I trailed further and further behind my brothers I began to think, "Walking can help one think!"  It then came to me as I went past a badger entrance, “I could have been in there when my cave had collapsed.”  As small as it was, I had accomplished that, saving myself!

The Allure of Fame

The Allure of Fame

In looking back at those whimsical years of my youth, I realized that some of my best ideas came to me when sitting on the steps of my parent’s sidewalk.  These thoughts just flooded over me while watching the beautiful moonrise over Jackson’s Des Moines River Valley. On one particular evening of deep contemplation, I had a major flash of inspiration, something that I had never thought of before.  “Why do I need all these expensive lures and test lines to get the big prize fish that always seemed to elude my grasp?”  This thought came to me like I imagine it did for people like Henry Ford with the automobile, or Thomas Edison with the light bulb; I had in that moment the idea of the century, “I should throw away my fishing equipment and keep the process of catching fish as simple as possible.  All I needed was to use my dad’s garden rake to catch fish!”  When heading back to the garage for my tool of enlightenment (dad’s rake), floods of uncertainty came over me.  Honesty of mind followed me with each step that I took, all the while pricking my conscious as I recalled some of my past ideas that needed more work in the developmental phase. 

 But I had to be honest, some of my dreams worked wonderfully, while others would not go down in recorded history as being confused with Professor Einstein’s, shall we say.

Not daunted by my past near successes, I thought this new idea was going to be my best one yet.  Spear fishing the big anglers with the garden rake was going to be revolutionary, and perhaps many others would use this method in the future.  After all, it was easier than using a fishing line that might very well get snagged under some boulder, or sunken tree branch as happened to me and others so many times in the past.  

So with much excitement, I rose early the next morning, and as I neared the dam, I could see the early morning mist rising from the water as it went over the 10-foot drop to the foaming froth below.  The river was now at the perfect level to see giant pike swimming between the rocks.  I knew at that very moment, it was the day for my premier path to success.  Realizing that these monsters of the deep would swim away if I made too much noise, I crept down to the water’s edge with all the stealth I could invoke, all the while l softly tip toed over the slippery boulders to the spot where the water was churning the least.  As I watched the spotted monsters leisurely making their way between the rocks, I could tell that my plan was going to work out perfectly.  I knew that just as a big game hunter pauses to get the most opportune shot, I too raised my rake very slowly, and just at the right moment, I would swing down to my target below and success would be mine.  But my fortunes were about to change. Without warning, my opportunity was stolen from my grasp.  At that dreadful moment, my foot flew out from underneath me.  As my world was turning upside down, literally, I could see as if in slow motion, the slimy green moss covered bolder beneath where my feet once were. In that disastrous point in time of divine comedy, I saw my life flash before my eyes as I flipped upside down.  I landed on my side with a great thud, At that moment, I began feel cold icy water rushing into my pants and underwear, and I knew at that precise moment in time that,  “This is why I hadn’t seen the “Old Timers” doing this very thing.”  As the icy waters flooded over my body, I knew that I needed to find a dry rock in order to regain my mobility, but more importantly, my dignity.  But first, I quickly looked around to see if anyone was watching me.  I was safe, but the cold water did not help take away the pain on my bruised ribs that I felt at that moment.  I limped to the shore holding my side, and began tending to my wounds.  As I sat there looking at my battered and bruised body, I looked up only to see several huge Pike and Walleyes slipping from my grasp in waters right before me.  All the while, they seemed to smile at my misfortune, but all I could do was to respond by wincing in pain.  

After about an hour of warming in the rising sun, my wilted spirits were beginning to be rejuvenated.  I now felt that I was ready for another round of spearing with my new invention.  This time I watched each rock and boulder as I stepped cautiously making sure that I didn’t repeat my prior miscalculations.  Just before reaching my previous point of defeat, I first got a firm footing and then stood perfectly still not wanting to ruin my one chance at success. As I stood their waiting, my thoughts wondered to my prospect at glory.  I could just see all the “Old Timers” licking their collective lips as I hauled in the giant that they could only dream about. 

 At that point, my thoughts went wild, I saw myself in the paper with my giant Pike in hand, smiling at the camera, chest puffed out and people from near and far asking me what my secret was in catching such a large trophy fish.  I would then be the envy of old and young anglers alike.  Maybe even someone from the Minneapolis Star would come down from the Twin Cities to interview me and ask me what I did to catch this giant fish.  In looking back now after many years have gone by, I still remember that day so very well.  It will be forever ingrained in my memory as the day that went down in the books.

Recalling that decisive turning point, out on the rocks, I knew at that moment, I should not make a move or a sound.  So, in order to remain as still as possible, I held my breath until I felt my head started getting light from the lack of oxygen, but I didn’t want to lose my chance at glory, it was here in front of me, I just knew it!  Then it happened, the largest Northern Pike I had ever seen was sliding through the rocks before my very eyes.  It was here, my chance at being famous.  I waited until I could stand it no more, I let out my breath and at the same time I came down hard with my garden rake, and it indeed met its mark.  Time stood still; nothing seemed to move during that epoch moment.  After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, there appeared to be no movement from my trophy fish.  I somehow knew that it was dead by the deep thrust of my rake into its back.  I then began to relax my hold on this colossus from the underworld.  But then, all of a sudden the giant pike decided to move and move it did.  I grabbed hold of my rake, and I then realized that it was moving up stream very quickly, and I unwillingly began traveling with it.  Looking down at my feet at that moment, I quickly understood that if I took one more step, I would be standing on the green slime that nearly ended my life just a few minutes before.  I jerked back with all my might and I could feel the monster starting to give up in its effort to move upstream.  Slowly, with much excruciating effort, I agonizingly pulled the giant towards the shore.  Every muscle in my body ached as I slowly hauled my prize away from my own potential doom.  As I was slowly dragging the giant inch by inch to the shoreline, I felt my strength slowly ebbing from my body, and I knew that I didn’t have the fortitude to make it to the shoreline.  I realized that I needed to tap an unknown source of strength from somewhere in my being, and just like Edison, a flash of light came to me.  I remembered the story of an old man who fished for a giant whale from my grade school reading class. I couldn’t remember the story’s title; it might have been “Mautly Dick” or something like that.  I do though remember the fisherman’s name, it was “Ahab”.  He too had to fight with his white giant of the depths.  As I tried to remember more of the story, my mind began fogging over.  I soon started to feel weaker and weaker as my thoughts began escaping me as soon as they entered my brain.  Somehow I had to remember how it turned out for Ahab.  This is what would give me the will and strength to go on.  Nothing seemed to come to mind though, so at that critical moment in time; I decided to write my own conclusion to the story.  This is how it would end, “Ahab would be successful in catching his fish, and so I too was going to do the same.”  He didn’t give up, and neither would I. I strained with all my might giving one last great heave; I now felt my legs having renewed strength as I neared the shore. With my one last ounce of effort, I heaved the giant that I now called “Mautly,” to the shoreline.  I knew that I was now going to be famous and admired by the world, just like Ahab was.  

As I lay there gazing down at my prize of a lifetime, I imagined myself on the front page of many different newspapers with my giant pike hanging behind my equally giant smile.  But, as with many great successes, there can be great failures as well.  As I was smiling at my trophy fish, I noticed my brother Ken approaching from downstream.  He arrived I noticed carrying his fishing pole and all his many lures in hand.  Looking at all his expensive gear, I thought to myself, “I will not have to spend another dime in the future to catch lesser prizes.”  Refocusing my eyes to my brother once again, I looked up to see him gazing thoughtfully at my prize, not saying a word.  I now expected him to be in somewhat awe over being the brother of a famous person to be, but that is not was happened.  Instead of gleefully congratulating me, he instead, took all the wind out of my sails by saying, “You know brother, I think that it is illegal to fish with a garden rake.”  Then, at that very moment in hearing my brother's words, my future glories came crashing down on my head.  Instead of joy, guilt swept over me and I could only get mad at myself for not checking out the laws on this first.  I remember seeing in the rulebook a picture of a spear, but no image of a garden rake.  Since I didn’t know for sure at the time, it definitely was too late to find out now.  I had already caught the fish and I use the term “caught” rather loosely.  Ken then patted me on the shoulder with a look of consolation.  He then started home.  As he climbed the riverbank, I noticed something hanging from his stringer.  It was two very large Northern Pike that he was trying to hang onto.  I could see that he was struggling with their weight, so I called to Ken and said that I would help with his catch.  

As I was walking with Ken in silence, we both were lost in thought.  For myself, my reach for glory was not to be.  With some far reaching desire for consolation, my thoughts went to Edison, (my childhood hero) once more, being a positive person that he was, I remember reading about him being asked by a rather negative reporter about his 1000 attempts at finding the right filament for his light bulb, “How did it feel to fail 1000 times?”  By which Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1000 times.  The bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.” So with the same conviction, I reevaluated my recent endeavors in a positive outlook as an attempt in finding the easier way to a rather hard task of fishing. Upon further reflection as we walked up our driveway, I wondered, “Did Ahab have to let go of his fish that he speared?”