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Monday, October 28, 2019

RAY McGOVERN: Thanks to a Soviet Navy Captain — We Survived 1962

Captain Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov spared humanity from extinction on what has been called “the most dangerous moment in human history.”

Just think, none of us would have been here today if it wasn't for one man.

When I was 17 years old I was exploring all the local pubs and clubs having the time of my life without a care in the world, when it all could have been so different.


Communications links with naval headquarters were down, and Arkhipov’s colleagues were convinced WWIII had already begun. After hours of battering by depth charges from U.S. warships, the captain of B-59, Valentin Grigorievich Savitsky, screamed, “We’re going to blast them now! We will die, but we will sink them all — we will not disgrace our Navy!”  But Captain Arkipov’s permission was also required.  He countermanded Savitsky and B-59 came to the surface.


Consortium News

RAY McGOVERN: Thanks to a Soviet Navy Captain — We Survived 1962

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