Credit Where Credit Is Due.
Protect and Survive. Macragge1's epic of the 1984 War that might have been in the UK.
Gen's Patton's look at the '84 War in the US.
Noi non ci saremo Mario Rossi's look at the '84 War in Italy.
If you haven't read these yet, you betta ask somebody and check these out. Poignant, shocking, even some moments to smile through darkness....For me, they brought back memories of what it was like to grow up in the times that were, while delving into what could have been. Thankfully, we never got to see that.
I was 12 in 1983. I was into sports, music, videogames, bumping my head into that transition from child to teen...and I was worried that I wouldn't see age 13 or 14 or 15....because of "two inplacable enemies standing in gasoline. One has 9,000 matches. One has 7,000 matches.". What compounded the fear was were I grew up, a place rather high on the Soviet Nuclear Rocket Forces hit list.
That worry led me to protest, even at age 12. Had I been born in the UK, I would have been a member of the CND. Nebraskans For A Nuclear Freeze would have to do.
A few of the characters we will meet here will be surrounding this youngster. The lad I might have been in the 1984 War.
But before '84, there was '83.
Omaha, Nebraska 1983
Population (est): 320,000
Priority Economic assets: Telecommunications (headquarters for Northwestern Bell. Regional hub facility for Western Electric). Rail (headquarters for Union Pacific Railroad), Agriculture (headquarters for ConAgra and a number of major meatpacking firms)
Priority Military Strategic Asset: Offutt Air Force Base/HQ of U.S. Strategic Air Command. 15 miles south of Downtown Omaha.
1. DEFCON 5 Omaha Monday August 29, 1983
"They're going to pass on third and one....Intercepted! On the way is Mike Knox!...Touchdown Nebraska!!! Mike Knox picked it off in the flat and scored.Nebraska well out in front "
It was a scene repeated from Omaha to Scottsbluff. A group of Nebraska football fans huddled around a tv watching the obsession of an entire state. Right in the middle is Chip, a smallish but fiesty 12-year-old. Excited to see his team strongly out front 27-0. Watching the game with his Dad, his Mom cousins and friends."
"Go big red!" he shrieked. "I hope my team starts like this Saturday. I wish you could be there 'All-World'
"I wish I could, but your moms will film the game for me," 'All-World answered back. Inside he wished he could have stayed a few more day. Tony (a.k.a "All-World") was a star in three sports at Omaha Tech High School. After High School, he followed the footsteps of his own father, enlisting in the Army. He is a role model/big brother to young Chip, and tomorrow morning he heads to a new assignment overseas.
"Well the film even get to you way over....Where at again?"
"Germany, Chip...Heidelberg.. It should. It's a large base over there."
"What will you be doing there?" Chip's dad asked.
"My next step sir," All-World said. "I'll get a chance to learn everything about the new tank. The M1 they call it. Do well in that game Saturday 'Lil Man. I'll send you back a 2nd Armored T-Shirt"
"Just don't send back another shirt like that T-Shirt you got him in England," Chip's mom said. "He'd wear it everyday if I let him,"
"Mom," Chip rolled his eyes. "You mean the 'peace' T-shirt," his role model laughed. "Well, you know better than anybody that Chip's always been a lil' different."
"No kidding," Chip's dad said. "He was born in the wrong decade LOL. How many 12-year-olds regularly use the word 'Disarmament'.
"Just not on the football field," Chip said.
"Oh really," Dad said. "Whacha gonna do Saturday?"
"Imma knock some people's dick in the dirt."
Mom rolled her eyes. She had a crazy man and a crazy son in her life.
2. DEFCON 5 Omaha Tuesday August 30, 1983
"Good Morning, Omaha It's 6am...at the top of the news #1 Nebraska puts up an impressive 44-6 victory over #4 Penn State at last night's Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium outside New York City."
Chip smiled as he heard those words. It was a big win. To celebrate, Chip would pick out his favorite Nebraska t-shirt to go with some blue jeans. He could hear his mom and dad also getting ready to head off to work.
"Look at national and world headlines...NATO ministers are meeting in Brussels today to discuss a contentious U.S. plan to place intermediate range missiles and cruise missiles in Europe. U.S. Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger says the move is an important step toward continuing what he called "Needed upgrades in Western Defense." French and German officials have been especially critical in the light of an extensive build-up of American forces in Western Europe over the past year.
Chip listened to news report. Checking out the pictures of troops, tanks and planes deployed in far-off Germany. He thought about Tony for a quick second. This morning, he'd be heading there....He then grabbed his book bag, his walkman and headed to catch the school bus...
Walking toward the stop on the next block over, he saw Tony piling his bag into his mom's car. "Hey Tony," Chip said. "You heading out already?" "Yeah Lil Man, flying down to Texas to meet my new unit, then off to Germany."
Chip was a little sad. "Wish you could at least be at the game Saturday." " "You'll be fine Lil' Man, just remember what I always told you. You are all-world, kid. Remember that.
"When you gonna be back."
"They said, I'll be there for about a year"
"A year? I may not get to see you at all, with what they are talking about? More troops and missiles going in."
"You worry too much, kid. Nothing much is going to happen over there. That's why I'll be there, to make sure of that."
"Take care of yourself over there, man."
"You just be ready to play ball Saturday, Lil Man. I'll be alright."
Chip gave Tony a quick hug and then headed to toward the bus stop. The school bus was approaching.
Two dozen other dirty lovers
Must be a sucker for it
Cry, Cry, but I don't need my mother
Just Hold My hand while I come
To a decision on it
Sooner or later
Your legs give way, you hit the ground
Save it for later
Don't run away and let me down
Sooner or later
You hit the deck, you get found out
Save it for later
Don't run away and let me down
You let me down
to be continued..
Protect and Survive. Macragge1's epic of the 1984 War that might have been in the UK.
Gen's Patton's look at the '84 War in the US.
Noi non ci saremo Mario Rossi's look at the '84 War in Italy.
If you haven't read these yet, you betta ask somebody and check these out. Poignant, shocking, even some moments to smile through darkness....For me, they brought back memories of what it was like to grow up in the times that were, while delving into what could have been. Thankfully, we never got to see that.
I was 12 in 1983. I was into sports, music, videogames, bumping my head into that transition from child to teen...and I was worried that I wouldn't see age 13 or 14 or 15....because of "two inplacable enemies standing in gasoline. One has 9,000 matches. One has 7,000 matches.". What compounded the fear was were I grew up, a place rather high on the Soviet Nuclear Rocket Forces hit list.
That worry led me to protest, even at age 12. Had I been born in the UK, I would have been a member of the CND. Nebraskans For A Nuclear Freeze would have to do.
A few of the characters we will meet here will be surrounding this youngster. The lad I might have been in the 1984 War.
But before '84, there was '83.
Omaha, Nebraska 1983
Population (est): 320,000
Priority Economic assets: Telecommunications (headquarters for Northwestern Bell. Regional hub facility for Western Electric). Rail (headquarters for Union Pacific Railroad), Agriculture (headquarters for ConAgra and a number of major meatpacking firms)
Priority Military Strategic Asset: Offutt Air Force Base/HQ of U.S. Strategic Air Command. 15 miles south of Downtown Omaha.
1. DEFCON 5 Omaha Monday August 29, 1983
"They're going to pass on third and one....Intercepted! On the way is Mike Knox!...Touchdown Nebraska!!! Mike Knox picked it off in the flat and scored.Nebraska well out in front "
It was a scene repeated from Omaha to Scottsbluff. A group of Nebraska football fans huddled around a tv watching the obsession of an entire state. Right in the middle is Chip, a smallish but fiesty 12-year-old. Excited to see his team strongly out front 27-0. Watching the game with his Dad, his Mom cousins and friends."
"Go big red!" he shrieked. "I hope my team starts like this Saturday. I wish you could be there 'All-World'
"I wish I could, but your moms will film the game for me," 'All-World answered back. Inside he wished he could have stayed a few more day. Tony (a.k.a "All-World") was a star in three sports at Omaha Tech High School. After High School, he followed the footsteps of his own father, enlisting in the Army. He is a role model/big brother to young Chip, and tomorrow morning he heads to a new assignment overseas.
"Well the film even get to you way over....Where at again?"
"Germany, Chip...Heidelberg.. It should. It's a large base over there."
"What will you be doing there?" Chip's dad asked.
"My next step sir," All-World said. "I'll get a chance to learn everything about the new tank. The M1 they call it. Do well in that game Saturday 'Lil Man. I'll send you back a 2nd Armored T-Shirt"
"Just don't send back another shirt like that T-Shirt you got him in England," Chip's mom said. "He'd wear it everyday if I let him,"
"Mom," Chip rolled his eyes. "You mean the 'peace' T-shirt," his role model laughed. "Well, you know better than anybody that Chip's always been a lil' different."
"No kidding," Chip's dad said. "He was born in the wrong decade LOL. How many 12-year-olds regularly use the word 'Disarmament'.
"Just not on the football field," Chip said.
"Oh really," Dad said. "Whacha gonna do Saturday?"
"Imma knock some people's dick in the dirt."
Mom rolled her eyes. She had a crazy man and a crazy son in her life.
2. DEFCON 5 Omaha Tuesday August 30, 1983
"Good Morning, Omaha It's 6am...at the top of the news #1 Nebraska puts up an impressive 44-6 victory over #4 Penn State at last night's Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium outside New York City."
Chip smiled as he heard those words. It was a big win. To celebrate, Chip would pick out his favorite Nebraska t-shirt to go with some blue jeans. He could hear his mom and dad also getting ready to head off to work.
"Look at national and world headlines...NATO ministers are meeting in Brussels today to discuss a contentious U.S. plan to place intermediate range missiles and cruise missiles in Europe. U.S. Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger says the move is an important step toward continuing what he called "Needed upgrades in Western Defense." French and German officials have been especially critical in the light of an extensive build-up of American forces in Western Europe over the past year.
Chip listened to news report. Checking out the pictures of troops, tanks and planes deployed in far-off Germany. He thought about Tony for a quick second. This morning, he'd be heading there....He then grabbed his book bag, his walkman and headed to catch the school bus...
Walking toward the stop on the next block over, he saw Tony piling his bag into his mom's car. "Hey Tony," Chip said. "You heading out already?" "Yeah Lil Man, flying down to Texas to meet my new unit, then off to Germany."
Chip was a little sad. "Wish you could at least be at the game Saturday." " "You'll be fine Lil' Man, just remember what I always told you. You are all-world, kid. Remember that.
"When you gonna be back."
"They said, I'll be there for about a year"
"A year? I may not get to see you at all, with what they are talking about? More troops and missiles going in."
"You worry too much, kid. Nothing much is going to happen over there. That's why I'll be there, to make sure of that."
"Take care of yourself over there, man."
"You just be ready to play ball Saturday, Lil Man. I'll be alright."
Chip gave Tony a quick hug and then headed to toward the bus stop. The school bus was approaching.
Two dozen other dirty lovers
Must be a sucker for it
Cry, Cry, but I don't need my mother
Just Hold My hand while I come
To a decision on it
Sooner or later
Your legs give way, you hit the ground
Save it for later
Don't run away and let me down
Sooner or later
You hit the deck, you get found out
Save it for later
Don't run away and let me down
You let me down
to be continued..
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