President Kennedy learned of the first aerial-surveillance photographs revealing Soviet missile buildup in Cuba on Oct. 16, 1962. Thus the countdown began. He quickly convened the ExCom to deal with the crisis.
Even though Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko assured the president that the Soviet aid to Cuba had been only for defensive measures, the ExCom was not convinced. With good reason. A U-2 flight the next day, Oct. 17, discovered intermediate range (IRBMs) SS-5 nuclear missiles. The stakes suddenly became higher.
In spite of the enormity of the job or perhaps because of it, the SAC U-2 activities at McCoy AFB became almost routine for Anderson and fellow pilots assigned to overfly Cuba. His day began soon after midnight. He awoke, ate and picked up his preflight briefing, based on information received the evening before.
He was briefed on navigation, intelligence and weather. Two hours before takeoff, he had a medical check and pulled on his pressure suit. One hour before takeoff, he began breathing 100 percent oxygen. His mission would last from two to five hours, but the impact of his mission would be immeasurable.
By Oct. 21, President Kennedy decided on a blockade or "defensive quarantine" of Cuba, ruling out an air strike for the time being. But another U-2 flight that day revealed rapid assembly of bombers, MiGs and cruise missile sites on Cuba's northern shore.
On Oct. 22, the seventh day of the crisis, war loomed large. The entire U.S. military went on alert. The president met with Congress. Then he addressed the American people, by television, with news of the missile sites in Cuba. In his message, he called on Khrushchev to halt the threat to world peace by withdrawing the offensive weapons from Cuba.
Suddenly the whole world was watching. But the buildup in Cuba continued as did the U-2 missions. Anderson and fellow pilots kept flying in the face of Soviet missiles to document the buildup.
On Oct. 23, U.S. ships took up position along a quarantine line 500 miles from Cuba. Over the next three days, the U.S. military stayed on highest alert while Khrushchev sent conflicting messages, the ExCom negotiated, the U-2 pilots flew, and the nation held its breath.
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