Major Richard Heyser’s flight over Cuba on October 14, 1962, triggered the 13-day Cuban Missile Crisis. The photos he took of the newly built installations in Cuba alerted the United States of the Soviet Union’s intent to build missile sites in Cuba. The CIA identified launchers, missiles, and transport trucks. The missile sites were capable of striking targets throughout the United States. President John F. Kennedy met with his team of advisors on October 16th to discuss how to respond to the missile threat. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara presented three options: diplomacy with the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, and Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev; a naval quarantine of Cuba; or an air attack to destroy the missiles sites. President Kennedy chose the quarantine option. What follows is 13 days of negotiations between the Soviets and the United States. Castro sent a letter to Khrushchev on October 26th urging him to launch a nuclear first strike against the United States. Fortunately, Khrushchev disregarded the request. On October 27th, Major Rudolf Anderson was shot down and killed over Cuba and war appeared to be imminent. Finally, a compromise was agreed upon. The Soviets would dismantle the missile sites in Cuba and the United States would withdraw missiles from Turkey and promised not to attack Cuba.
This week we salute Joe Corley. Joe was born in Arizona. His father was a hard rock miner and they moved around. He attended elementary school in Utah, and high school in Nevada. Three years after graduating from high school, Joe joined the U.S. Army. He went to basic at Fort ORD, California, and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Rucker, Alabama. His military occupational specialty (MOS) was a fixed wing aircraft mechanic, and he was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas from 1961-1963. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, he was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma to upgrade helicopters for the possible invasion of Cuba. Joe was in the U.S. Army reserves from 1963 to 1969, leaving service as a Specialist 4 (SP4). He went on to get his bachelor’s degree from Oregon School of Technology. He has had a variety of jobs, including working in Colstrip on units 3 and 4 and then as a cowboy on the Lee Ranch. Furthermore, he is married to Pat Corley.
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Dr. Irene Dickerson has a doctorate in Business Administration and is a retired Army Colonel living her best life in Big Sky Country.
Ndege ya Richard Heiser iliruka juu ya Cuba mnamo Oktoba 14, 1962, na kusababisha mgogoro wa makombora ya Cuba. Picha alizochukua za vifaa vilivyojengwa hivi karibuni nchini Cuba ziliwaonya Marekani kuhusu nia ya Muungano wa Sovieti ya kujenga vituo vya makombora nchini Cuba. CIA ilitambua vifaa vya kutupa makombora, makombora, na malori ya usafirishaji. Maeneo hayo ya makombora yalikuwa na uwezo wa kushambulia malengo kotekote Marekani. Rais John F. Kennedy alikutana na timu yake ya washauri Oktoba 16 kujadili jinsi ya kukabiliana na tishio la makombora. Waziri wa Ulinzi wa Marekani Robert McNamara ametoa chaguzi tatu: kuwasiliana na kiongozi wa Cuba Fidel Castro na Waziri Mkuu wa Urusi Nikita Khrushchev, kuweka Cuba chini ya ulinzi wa jeshi la wanamaji, au kushambulia kwa ndege ili kuharibu vituo vya makombora. Rais Kennedy alichagua chaguo la kuwekwa karantini. Mjadala wa siku 13 kati ya Urusi na Marekani Castro alimtumia Khrushchev barua ya kuwakumbusha kuwa Marekani inapaswa kushambuliwa kwa silaha za nyuklia. Kwa bahati nzuri, Khrushchev alipuuza ombi hilo. Mnamo Oktoba 27, Maji Rudolf Anderson alipigwa risasi na kuuawa huko Cuba na vita vilionekana kuwa karibu. Hatimaye, makubaliano yalifikiwa. Urusi ilifunga vituo vya makombora nchini Cuba na Marekani iliondoa makombora yake nchini Uturuki na kuahidi kutoshambulia Cuba. Wiki hii tunamheshimu Joe Corley. Joe alizaliwa huko Arizona. Baba yake alikuwa mchimbaji wa madini ya mawe na walihama-hama. Alihudhuria shule ya msingi huko Utah, na shule ya sekondari huko Nevada. Miaka mitatu baada ya kuhitimu kutoka shule ya sekondari, Joe alijiunga na Jeshi la Marekani. Alipata mafunzo ya msingi huko Fort Ord, California, na mafunzo ya hali ya juu ya kibinafsi huko Fort Rucker, Alabama. Alipata mafunzo ya kijeshi katika uwanja wa ndege wa ndege wa ndege, na alitumikia katika Fort Bliss, Texas, kutoka 1961 hadi 1963. Wakati wa Mgogoro wa Makombora ya Cuba, alitumwa Fort Sill, Oklahoma kuboresha helikopta kwa ajili ya uvamizi wa uwezekano wa Cuba. Joe alikuwa katika Jeshi la Marekani hifadhi kutoka 1963 hadi 1969, kuacha huduma kama Mtaalamu 4 (SP4). Aliendelea kupata shahada yake ya kwanza kutoka Shule ya Teknolojia ya Oregon. Alifanya kazi mbalimbali, ikiwa ni pamoja na kufanya kazi katika Colstrip kwenye vitengo vya 3 na 4 na kisha kama cowboy katika Lee Ranch. Zaidi ya hayo, yeye ni ndoa na Pat Corley. Je, una hadithi ya kushiriki? "Kama unavyojua, ""Mwanamke wa kwanza"" ni Irene Dickerson, PhD katika Usimamizi wa Biashara na ni Kanali wa Jeshi aliyestaafu anayeishi maisha yake bora katika Nchi ya Big Sky."