Photos The Cold War

[BravoZulu]

Special Forces Berlin Detachment A, 1956-1984, was a clandestine unit of about 90 Green Berets based in West Germany, were involved in some of the most sensitive operations of the Cold War. They wore civilian clothes, spoke fluent German and stayed on high alert 24 hours a day.

https://www.detachment-a.org/

 

[Flagg]

DET-A put a few guys on the ground for a close target recce in Tehran during the hostage crisis in the lead up for Eagle Claw.

 

[BravoZulu]

US tank crewmen of the Berlin Brigade sit on their M48 Patton tank while eating lunch at Checkpoint Charlie. What isn't shown in the photo is the fact that less that a 100 meters away from them is a column of Soviet T-55 tanks all pointing their guns at them; West Berlin, October 27th 1961

This photo was taken at the beginning of what was to become a 16 hour standoff between the US Army forces stationed in West Berlin and the armored elements of the so called "Group of Soviet Forces in East Germany".

By the order of the East German (DDR) government on 13th of August 1961 all movements in and out of western controlled West Berlin was to be halted completely and a physical barrier was to be erected under the supervision of the East German National Peoples Army (NVA) and Soviet Forces in East Germany, effectively separating the city into two half's. The decision was made in part due to the large number of East German citizens emigrating into West Berlin because of a loophole in the immigration system.

The sudden decision to close off the western half of Berlin caused a city wide panic. The tensity in the air would eventually culminate in a standoff between the US Army and Soviet Forces that began on October 22nd. It started as a dispute over whether East German border guards were authorized to examine the travel documents of a US diplomat based in West Berlin named Allan Lightner heading to East Berlin to watch an opera show there, since according to the agreement between all four Allied powers occupying Germany, there was to be free movement for Allied forces in Berlin and that no German military forces from either West Germany or East Germany were to be based in the city, and moreover the USA did not (initially) recognize the East German state and its right to remain in its self-declared capital of East Berlin. Instead, the Americans only recognized the authority of the Soviets over East Berlin rather than their East German allies. By 27 October, ten Soviet and an equal number of American tanks stood about 90 meters apart on either side of the checkpoint. This stand-off ended peacefully on 28 October following a US-Soviet understanding to withdraw tanks and reduce tensions.

The photo was taken by Kurt Strumpf of the Associated Press.

Source: https://flashbak.com/berlin-wall-1961-1962-24115/

 

[BravoZulu]

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) seen through the periscope of USSR Project 671/Victor class SSN in 1974.

 

[Flagg]

Has this BRIXMIS vide been posted before?

If not, it’s a really unique part of Cold War history.

BRIXMIS/MLM had some of the closest to James Bond/Jason Bourne slices of the Cold War, especially in terms of crazy vehicle chases and trying to pinch Soviet/Warsaw Pact intelligence.

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Some cool 80’s music playing in the wagon. Quite a surreal 45 minutes.

 

[BravoZulu]

USS Tunny (SSG-282) with crew inspecting a Regulus missile, off Point Mugu, CA, Sept 3, 1953.

USN Carrier Strike Group in Mediterranean 1958-59.

 

[BravoZulu]

USSR:
Kashin Class Destroyer 01/03/1982

Project 1134A (NATO Kresta II) “Berkut A” Admiral Yumashev 1st May 1982

Project 58 “Grozny” (NATO Kynda) class guided missile cruiser Admiral Golovko September 18th 1990

 

[BravoZulu]

USSR:
Project 68bis cruiser Zhdanov. Launched in 1950, this ship was converted into a command ship in 1971, resulting in the removal of her X turret, addition of a mizzen-mast and several new electronics systems. She was scrapped in 1991.

 

[droopy]

Special Forces Berlin Detachment A, 1956-1984, was a clandestine unit of about 90 Green Berets based in West Germany, were involved in some of the most sensitive operations of the Cold War. They wore civilian clothes, spoke fluent German and stayed on high alert 24 hours a day.

https://www.detachment-a.org/

Pat McNamara mentioned this unit. I forgot about it, i think he said he was part of it. But i can't remember which podcast it was.

 

[IDF_TANKER]

Special Forces Berlin Detachment A, 1956-1984, was a clandestine unit of about 90 Green Berets based in West Germany, were involved in some of the most sensitive operations of the Cold War. They wore civilian clothes, spoke fluent German and stayed on high alert 24 hours a day.

https://www.detachment-a.org/

Pat McNamara mentioned this unit. I forgot about it, i think he said he was part of it. But i can't remember which podcast it was.

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Apparently Pat McNamara BTDT.

[Edit]
The way he says "I've got recruited by some DUDE..!?" just kills me every time, as he himself is still being surprised by that fact to this very day.

 

[Talibanhunter]

U.S. Cadet (Douglas V. Johnson II) and W. German Cadet on a field training problem, W.Germany Date: 1960

where is the US soldier , i only see 2 Germans with FN G1 Rifle ( issued from 1956 - 1959)

 

[guest0001]

Special Forces Berlin Detachment A, 1956-1984, was a clandestine unit of about 90 Green Berets based in West Germany, were involved in some of the most sensitive operations of the Cold War. They wore civilian clothes, spoke fluent German and stayed on high alert 24 hours a day.

https://www.detachment-a.org/

Life waits for nobody.........I collected quite a few DET A pics over the last few months, but you beat me to it with this one!

 

[guest0001]

DET-A put a few guys on the ground for a close target recce in Tehran during the hostage crisis in the lead up for Eagle Claw.

There is a good book, written byJames Stejskal, about DET A, "Special Forces Berlin"
I really loved that one.

 

[BravoZulu]

where is the US soldier , i only see 2 Germans with FN G1 Rifle ( issued from 1956 - 1959)

Bugger! Thanks for the pickup @Talibanhunter , I should be checking the photo's more closely

 

[morris]

Cuban missile crisis.

 

[BravoZulu]

Finnish soldiers during a nuclear strike exercise, 1961.

 

[guest0001]

Europe. 1982. M60A1 tanks from the 2nd Marine Division move across a beach as NATO exercise Operation Northern Wedding 82 gets underway.

 

[guest0001]

A US Army Military Policeman is caught on camera for Time Magazine in 1961 at the Helmstadt Border Crossing checkpoint between West & East Germany.

 

[guest0001]

West Germany
April 1963. A border patrol of Charlie Troop, 1/14 ACR makes stop near the trace.
Life Magazine Photo

 

[guest0001]

Fort Mommouth 1957 the Signal Corps had created a new TV camera used for field testing and evaluation.