Southern Flank D+24 (2 August, 1987) Part II

0500-1230 Zulu- As the tactical nuclear exchange in Europe and its aftermath gripped world attention through the rest of the morning and early afternoon and the fate of the entire world seemed to hang in the balance, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was motoring obliviously towards final dissolution.  Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina had already declared …

Southern Flank D+24 (2 August, 1987) Part I

0004 Zulu- The commencement of chemical and nuclear warfare in Central Europe at the tail end of D+23 and the start of D+24 brought AFSOUTH to an even higher state of readiness. Units increased their nuclear and chemical preparations. Minutes passed by with no new information coming from Brussels other than an order for all …

The Southern Flank D+22 (31 July, 1987) Part II

On the morning of D+22 one of the very few remaining Soviet submarines in the Mediterranean struck gold. A Kilo class diesel-powered attack sub came across a US Navy auxiliary ship southwest of Crete. The ship was the USS Butte, a Kilauea class ammunition ship returning to Naples. During an underway replenishment of the Saratoga …

The Southern Flank D+22 (31 July, 1987) Part I

D+22 on the Southern Flank is most accurately remembered as a day of transitions for many of the theater’s supporting characters. As the main combatants reluctantly probed and prepared their next moves, nations like Egypt, Israel and Syria were looking ahead to the post-war era and hedging their bets. The eventual outcome of the war, …

The Southern Flank D+21 (30 July, 1987)

AFSOUTH planning for offensive operations accelerated when word was received from Brussels that the NATO counterattack in Northern German was underway. Debate raged in Naples over what shape NATO’s counterblow on the Southern Flank would take. Sixth Fleet was pressing for a campaign against Soviet ports and airbases on the Black Sea coastline while officers …

The Southern Flank D+20 (29 July, 1987)

Rescue and recovery operations in Madrid and the surrounding affected areas increased in scope and size with every passing hour. The Spanish government was pulling itself together as expeditiously as conditions allowed. It was clear by this time what senior government positions were empty and needed to be filled in order to make certain there …

The Southern Flank D+19 (28 July, 1987)

Rescue operations in Madrid were well underway on D+19. AFSOUTH continued to direct rescue and relief assets into the area. Torrejon, the US airbase situated just east of the Spanish capital received considerable damage. Air operations were impossible for the time being. Madrid–Barajas Airport, the international airport that serviced the city, was in no better …

The Southern Flank D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part III

When he arrived in the TVR studios at 1930 hours, Nicolae Ceausescu remained ignorant to the signs foretelling of a coming storm. And with good reason. In the final days of peace in early July, 1987 there had been no signs of  fomenting internal dissent visible in Romania. The Romanian Communist Party, along with practically …

The Southern Flank D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part II

The timetable for the KGB-backed operation to remove Romanian strongman Nicolae Ceaușescu from power and replace him with somebody more agreeable to the Kremlin, had endured considerable delays. By early in the morning of D+17, roughly eighteen hours after action had been scheduled to take place, the manufactured change of leadership was prepared to commence. …

The Southern Flank D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part I

From the NATO perspective, conditions on the Southern Flank were leaning in favor of the alliance. The successful attacks by US carrier aircraft on the Soviet amphibious group off the coast of Bulgaria had removed the threat of a Pact landing at the Bosphorus from the board. Meanwhile, the Pact offensive into Thrace was making …