D+18 1201-1600 Zulu 27 July, 1987 Part III

Aalborg Airbase, Denmark  1330 Zulu (1530 Local Time) Colonel Carsten climbed down from the cockpit of his F-16 Falcon slowly and unsteadily. The crew chief, waiting nearby, came over with a concerned look on his face. The pilot waved him off. “I’m alright, sergeant,” he said slowly. “You’re not injured are you, sir?” Carsten allowed …

D+18 1201-1600 Zulu 27 July, 1987 Part II

Greene, FRG 1240 Zulu (1440 Local Time) His presence on the western bank of the Leine was giving his security detail, as well as 2nd Brigade’s commander fits. 1st Cavalry Division’s commander Major General John Yeosock understood this but did not allow it to deter him from coming forward to personally observe operations. The river …

D+18 1201-1600 Zulu 27 July, 1987 Part I

Washington DC, 1205 Zulu (0805 Local Time)  The morning phone conversation between President Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was scheduled for 8 AM in the US capital. It was 1 PM in London and Thatcher had just returned from Parliament following a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Commons and other …

D+18 0801-1200 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 Part II

Bredebro, Denmark 0955 Zulu (1145 Local Time) The request for a meeting between the commander of Polish forces and his NATO counterpart at 1000 arrived at the Jutland Division’s forward headquarters a few minutes before 0800. The request was granted, arrangements were made, and the Polish general walked into the operations center of the Jutland …

D+18 0801-1200 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 Part I

Moscow, USSR  0830 Zulu 1130 Local The first Politburo meeting of the day concluded at 10 AM. Afterwards, the Defense Council reconvened immediately. Before this morning, the overall mood of the Politburo hinted at growing apprehension over the state of the war. The briefing given by CINC-West at the morning session confirmed that operations on …

D+18 0401-0800 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 Part III

Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska 0745 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 (0245 Local Time) SAC’s command post was located two hundred feet underneath the headquarters building of the Strategic Air Command. The facility was manned 24 hours a day. At the start of hostilities eighteen days earlier, the SAC command post schedules and shifts were modified to …

D+18 0401-0800 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 Part II

Freden, FRG 0420 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 (0620 local time) As dawn broke, the decision was made for Major General John Yeosock and his division. Lieutenant General Crosbie Saint exercised his prerogative as NORTHAG’s commanding general and ordered the 1st Cavalry Division to secure Alfeld and Brüggen as soon as possible. Saint clearly wanted to …

D+18 0000-0400 Zulu 27 July, 1987 Part III

Moscow, USSR 0300 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 (0600 local time) The Defense Council reconvened in the Kremlin promptly at 6 AM. Marshal Akhromeyev and General Snetkov were the last men to enter the room. The newly minted CINC-West was aware of the eyes on him, particularly those of the General Secretary. Romanov studied the army …

D+18 0401-0800 Zulu (27 July, 1987) Part I

North Atlantic Norfolk, Virginia, 0430 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 (0030 local time) As was the case with the majority of flag officers around the world in July of 1987, SACLANT was keeping strange hours. The ships and submarines he commanded were spread from the east coast of the US to the fringes of the Arctic …

D+18 0000-0400 Zulu 27 July, 1987 Part II

Central Front Freden, FRG, 0000 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 (0200 local time) 1st Brigade/1st Cavalry Division’s crossing of the Leine was underway in earnest by 0200 hours. At Freden and Greene, 2nd Brigade’s battalions had the bridgeheads secure and pushed out 8 kilometers east of the river to give 1st Brigade a buffer against potential …