written by Todd DePastino Inspiring VBC Magazine’s focus on the 1983 War Scare this issue was our 40th anniversary conversation with former Intelligence Officer and author Brian J. Morra on VBC Happy Hour back on October 30. We talked with Morra about his experiences that year and his book, The Able Archers. The Able
written by Todd DePastino Stanislav Petrov, ca., 1983 Just past midnight on September 26, 1983—25 days after the downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007—Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov of the Soviet Air Defense Forces may have saved the world through his inaction. Petrov had just come on duty as commander of the
written by Todd DePastinoHistory often happens when we’re not paying attention.That was the case in the early 1980s, when even those serving in the US military were largely unaware of how close we came to nuclear exchange and World War III with the Soviet Union. Even the President of the United States didn’t recognize the
written by Bob Von Bargen Robert McNamara meeting with Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson in the White House (LBJ Library photo by Yoichi Okamoto) My experience with the US Air Force Strategic Air Command, or SAC, began in January 1960 when I reported for duty in the 509th Air Refueling Squadron at Pease
written by Todd DePastino In November and December, 21 of us—including five veterans who had served in-country during the war—traveled to Vietnam, from Hanoi and Halong Bay in the North to Saigon and the Mekong Delta in the South. Vietnam is a beautiful and often bewildering place, ancient in history and now yoked to
written by Johnny Lang Last June, we had the immense pleasure of hosting a VBC Happy Hour with the inimitable Johnny Lang, an Army veteran who served with Elvis Presley and seemed to channel Elvis's extraordinary energy. Johnny’s new book, My Army Days with Elvis: Friendship, Football & Follies, tells of hijinks and warm
