Evening star., 1963-02-05

But at military bases across
the land, there were the muffledI
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Third in q Series
noises Of preparation for war
Ahead, many commanders be-
lieved, lay a possible all-out
assault on Cuba, perhaps even
war with Russia.
At Fort Monroe, Va, where
the old red brick buildings over
look Hampton Roads, the slim
planning staff of Gen. Herbert
B., Powell. United States Con-
ttnental Army commander, had
jumped overnight to 218 Of
ficers.
Already Gen. Powell .wasI
showing Army supplies south toI
Florida by truck, rail and
plane - anti = aircraft rockets,
blood banks, Signal Corps units.
He even sent a mobile COM
outer to Florida by highway
van.
Tension mounted at Fort
Monroe. No man knew whether
war would erupt. One ranking
officer sent his family home to-
Kansas.
In all, five Army divisions
were alerted for possible in
Wsion Of Cuba - the l01st and
32d Airborne Division, at Fort
Bragg, N. c. had been alerted
fcr a parachute leap over
Cuba since Friday night, when
4 staff duty officer relayed the
hot line" alert from Strategic
army Command headquarters
TO Mai. Gen. j. L. Throck-
norton, division commander.
Parachutists Volunteer
sBasic ammunition had been
Issued to 82d jumpers at 8 pm.
Friday and through that night,
vehicles, artillery pieces and
other gear were rigged for
heavy drop. Over the week end,
il the 503d Infantry. Col. Ed
win M. Sayre, a World War II
combat parachutist, felt pride
as. 20 of his 80 men due for
discharge that week end ap-
piled for extended enlistment
until they had jumped in battle
or the crisis was over.
Shortly after 2 pm. that
Sunday, 1t. Col. Walter Red
mond, commander Of a Marine
Hercules transport squadron,
was watching a Redskins
Eagles football game on tele-
vision at his quarters at
Cherry Point, N. c. The opera
tions officer called: Opera
tions Plan x is in effect" Four
hours later. a pot bellied /
Hercules transport took off. its
red canvas bucket seats loaded |
with Marines in full battle dress.
The big C-130s droned out
at regular intervals during the
night, each carrying 80 men of
an alert battalion of the I'd
Marine Division from nearby
Camp Lejeune. The Hercules
planes unloaded Marines at the
Guantanamo Naval base in
Cuba and flew back with eva
cuated dependents; children,
babies in diapers, even pregnant
mothers.
Shortly after dawn that
Sunday, Marine Skyhawks
from Cherry Point flew ESQ
miles southeast and settled
aboard the carrier Enterprise
as she steamed south. At Le-
jeune, a newly commissioned
Marine second lieutanant re-
ported to his battalion, leaving
his wife waiting In a parking
lot. She heard no more of him
for days and the new officer
slept that night on the
ground at Guantanamo.
Rob the Ships in DrydOck'
At Norfolk. Rear Admiral
Harold Bowen. jr., briefed de-
stroyer shippers of his flotilla
command. Comdr. Claude L.
Tyler, skipper of the destroyer |
Keith. promptly phoned his
duty officer aboard ship: MAKE
all preparations for getting
under way as soon as possible "
The order surprised the men
of the Keith. The destroyer was
in Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,
stripping for two months of ex-
tensive overhaul. The ship was
bare Of ammunition, had few
provisions aboard. The men
began scrounging stores from
nearby ships.
Admiral Alfred Ward, I'd
Fleet commander passed the
permissive word to COM
manders about to put to sea in
a hurry: IF you have TO. rob
the ships in drydock.
That Sunday. 1t. Col. John
T. Mentzer. commander Of
the Sd Battalion Of the lst
Marine Division. was aboard an
assault amphibious ship. ready
10 lead his 1900 men ashore on |
the island Of Vieques near
Puerto Rico for exercise Phil
briglex 81. He was awakened
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