I was stationed at GTMO in the early sixties and served with the Naval Security Group up on the HILL. NOTE:The following info has been declassified after 20 years. I was at first a Manual Morse Intercept Operator (CTR) intercepting the Cuban Military Air Force manual morse communications and later when the Russians brought MIG15s and MIG17s to the island I was able to obtain viable information on the Cuban pilots expertise. Also, my compadres (fellow CTTs) were monitoring the emanations from the SAM sites on the island. I eventually was able to be designated as a "Spanish Linguist" (CTI) because I am a fluid Spanish speaker since the language of my ancestors was Spanish. Then I listened to the Cuban pilots communicating with the control tower and each other in clear voice, recorded the conversations on mag tape and then transcribed and translated the Spanish into English which I forwarded to our HQ at Fort Meade, Maryland. Besides, my job when my family joined me on the island we spent a lot happy times together. After six months without my family I was so happy to see them that shortly my precious spouse became pregnant. Anyway, after nine months my spouse gave birth to my youngest daughter who was born on the island.
Sorry, if I took too much of your time to relate my time at GTMO
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Glad to hear from a shipmate. Thank you for your service. My nephew was also at GTMO for a shakedown cruise on a DD later in 1966 and we were able to get together. Anyway, I guess I missed all the excitement you all went through and we caught the aftermath. I was never able to determine what kind of vessels the Russians were using at that time to transport the SAMs to the island. Anyway, you guys were instrumental at that time and all I and my fellow CTs did was to continue to monitor the SAM sites and the Cuban Airfields where the Russian 15s and 17s fighters were based.
Hi Randolfo, I was down there at beautiful GITMO.in September of '62 for six weeks shake-down cruise,and finally completed the cruise,and was relieved by another destroyer squadron,and proceeded to Norfolk,our home port.We made it all the way north from Gitmo on our way home,to just off the coast of Cape Hatteres,North Carolina when J F K ordered us right back down there...so we did a 1 8 0 ,and returned to Gitmo.By the time we got back down there,there were old Russian rust bucket freighters clearly carrying their missiles right out in the open,on the main deck.They denied this,of course,but my squadron of destroyers were assigned to escort each one of the rust buckets back out to the open sea,which we did.Luckily,we didn't have to fire a shot at them.Tensions were very high and I assure you there was no unneccessary bravo-sierra being generated.A sister squadron had a boarding party to confirm the presense of the weapons.The world could breathe a sigh of relief,finally.There were American Carrier based aircraft all over the place,and many other us navy ships were there as well.I can never forget those very tense days.By the way sir,thank you for your service to America!