An In-Depth History and Analysis of the Third World War
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 …
Continue reading "D+18 0401-0800 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 Part I"
D+18 entries will kick off on Thursday 16 September, 2021. The layout and presentation for this day will be distinctly different from those of the past. We have arrived at a point where minutes and hours count more than days. As a rule now, decisions and actions in one theater will now bring on consequences …
Good Morning, everyone! Well, my deadline is about 80 hours away right now and it appears I’ll make it with no problem. Suffice to say, this has been one heck of an experience. Writing under contract is an entirely different animal. Once your signature is attached to the document, you’re on the clock, and suddenly …
Late in the morning of D+17, a Soviet Victor II class attack submarine, one of the few remaining Soviet nuclear subs in the North Atlantic stumbled across a large formation of US Navy surface ships one hundred and seventy miles northwest of the Faroes. The formation was steaming north at thirteen knots. The captain of …
Continue reading "The North Atlantic D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part II"
COMSTRIKFLTLANT’s suspicions about the real purpose behind Moscow’s bluster and threats regarding continued US and NATO air attacks against Soviet military targets on the Kola turned out to be accurate. The Red Banner Northern Fleet and other air and sea components of the Northwestern TVD had taken advantage of the pause in Strike Fleet Atlantic’s …
Continue reading "The North Atlantic D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part I"
Back to reality in a manner of speaking. As I discussed earlier in the week, a primer for D+16 will help ease a lot of readers back into the world war raging in July, 1987. In some theaters the physical battles are winding down and the conflict is entering a political phase. Meanwhile in others, …
As the afternoon went on, Strike Fleet Atlantic remained on station in the northern Norwegian Sea. The three aircraft carriers and their attending battlegroups were still positioned in close proximity to one another, allowing a smoother and better-coordinated mutual defense. Given the new orders that were received earlier in the day, the strike fleet’s staff …
Continue reading "The North Atlantic D+15 (24 July, 1987) Part III"
Revised order sets were transmitted from Norfolk to Strike Fleet Atlantic and the affected NATO attack submarines operating in the Norwegian Sea and Barents. The effect on Allied naval operations in the north was immediate. On board the three US aircraft carriers in the area final preparations were underway for the first round of airstrikes …
Continue reading "The North Atlantic D+15 (24 July, 1987) Part II"
Political developments late in the evening of D+14 necessitated an abrupt halt to SACLANT’s planned operations for the following day. At 0100 on D+15, Admiral Lee Baggett Jr, USN took a phone call directly from President Reagan. The president summarized the hotline conversation he had recently completed with the Soviet general secretary. The situation at …
Continue reading "The North Atlantic D+15 (24 July, 1987) Part I"
USS. Scott 12 July, 1987 “All ahead two-thirds,” Hanily ordered. Smoke continued to linger in the southern sky off the starboard bow, even though source of the smoke had already slipped beneath the waves and was now sliding towards the bottom of the Atlantic. “Ahead two-thirds, aye,” the OOD responded crisply. In under thirty seconds, …
