Geon
Donor
Even though it's late and I need to head for bed I wanted to take a moment to thank @Dalriadan Archangel 21 and @eldandythedoubter for nominating and seconding this TL for a Turtledove. It does really mean a lot to me! Thanks!
Something Serious Has Happened on Air Force One (a Tl/story by Geon)
- Thread starter Geon
- Start date
Geon
Donor
First off, thanks to everyone who nominated, seconded and voted for this TL. I am slowly but surely healing and hope to return to this later. I am also thinking of two other projects. One is another addendum to my old Voices of Doomsday TL and the other is a work on the Writer's Forum involving the Robin Hood legend with a twist or two.
You are more than welcome. This is the first TL I have ever felt motivated to nominate, it is that good.
Hope you are taking care of yourself and doing what you are told by your doctors!
Hope everything's going well - This crazy timeline's been a treat to watch, take care and come back soon!
Chapter Forty Eight: The Cam Rahm Bay Incident Part One
Geon
Donor
Well, I"m back, although I have to warn everyone that updates may be a little bit slower at least for a while. Again, thank you for all your well wishes. One thing I should note the destroyer's name I used was from World War II. I don't know if the name would be reassigned given that the destroyer in question was sunk at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. In any case I hope everyone enjoys this.
In the main dining room of the White House the President was holding a formal dinner for the visiting President of Mexico.
For President McCormack, even though this was supposed to be a formal diplomatic affair, he found he was finally able to relax after several stressful weeks. The riots in the Deep South had finally petered out. The trial of the so-called Dallas 5 was now under way.
Most welcome however was the news that Governor Wallace had bowed out of the presidential race before the first caucuses in Iowa. With Wallace out of the race hopefully we can get a moderate nominated come November, thought McCormack.
However, at that moment a presidential aide hurriedly walked in and going up to President McCormack whispered something. The President rose and after some apologetic remarks to the Mexican president and that he would be back in a few minutes hurriedly left the room.
The aide hurriedly escorted the President to the Situation Room. General Maxwell D. Taylor was waiting there looking at a map of Cam Rahm Bay.
“What happened?” The President asked.
“Mister President, we received word that approximately one and a half hours ago a Soviet submarine and a U.S. destroyer collided.” The General then gave a list of coordinates pointing to the map.
At the moment we have no details except that it appears both the submarine and the U.S. destroyer, named the Samuel Roberts were both damaged. At least six sailors on the Roberts are missing. As to the Soviet submarine, we have few details, but preliminary reports, and I emphasize these are early reports, seem to indicate the submarine may have sunk with all hands.”
After muttering an expletive President McCormack said, “Any evidence that this was deliberate?” General Taylor replied with the exasperated voice of someone who wished he knew more than what he did, “Sir, we just don’t know. Everything I’ve told you at this point is exactly what I was told by the Admiral barely an hour ago.”
Shaking his head, the President turned to his aide. “’Invite’ the Soviet ambassador to come to the White House. I’ll expect him at 9:30 this evening. Let’s see if he and his government know more about what has happened here. And get as much information about this incident as you can General, I’ll expect a full briefing by midnight tonight.”
General Taylor assured the President he would have more information by then – hopefully. The President then returned to the dining room to offer his apologies to the Mexican President that their dinner would have to be cut short owing to some “important matters.”
President McCormack returned to the dining room with a growing feeling of dread and the thought. Please don’t let the Press find out about this until at least tomorrow.
Chapter 48: The Cam Rahm Bay Incident (Part One)
Washington, D.C.: February 17, 1964, 7:48 p.m. E.S.T.:In the main dining room of the White House the President was holding a formal dinner for the visiting President of Mexico.
For President McCormack, even though this was supposed to be a formal diplomatic affair, he found he was finally able to relax after several stressful weeks. The riots in the Deep South had finally petered out. The trial of the so-called Dallas 5 was now under way.
Most welcome however was the news that Governor Wallace had bowed out of the presidential race before the first caucuses in Iowa. With Wallace out of the race hopefully we can get a moderate nominated come November, thought McCormack.
However, at that moment a presidential aide hurriedly walked in and going up to President McCormack whispered something. The President rose and after some apologetic remarks to the Mexican president and that he would be back in a few minutes hurriedly left the room.
The aide hurriedly escorted the President to the Situation Room. General Maxwell D. Taylor was waiting there looking at a map of Cam Rahm Bay.
“What happened?” The President asked.
“Mister President, we received word that approximately one and a half hours ago a Soviet submarine and a U.S. destroyer collided.” The General then gave a list of coordinates pointing to the map.
At the moment we have no details except that it appears both the submarine and the U.S. destroyer, named the Samuel Roberts were both damaged. At least six sailors on the Roberts are missing. As to the Soviet submarine, we have few details, but preliminary reports, and I emphasize these are early reports, seem to indicate the submarine may have sunk with all hands.”
After muttering an expletive President McCormack said, “Any evidence that this was deliberate?” General Taylor replied with the exasperated voice of someone who wished he knew more than what he did, “Sir, we just don’t know. Everything I’ve told you at this point is exactly what I was told by the Admiral barely an hour ago.”
Shaking his head, the President turned to his aide. “’Invite’ the Soviet ambassador to come to the White House. I’ll expect him at 9:30 this evening. Let’s see if he and his government know more about what has happened here. And get as much information about this incident as you can General, I’ll expect a full briefing by midnight tonight.”
General Taylor assured the President he would have more information by then – hopefully. The President then returned to the dining room to offer his apologies to the Mexican President that their dinner would have to be cut short owing to some “important matters.”
President McCormack returned to the dining room with a growing feeling of dread and the thought. Please don’t let the Press find out about this until at least tomorrow.
Yup, I am really happy!
Except...
I do not remember most of the details, which means I had to reread it again.
I was rereading Cinco de Mayo, so I guess I will reread this first, as finishing Cinco de Mayo in its entirety will resume in two weeks.
I think the warmonger in the Soviet Navy several chapters ago just made his move.
That guy wasn’t a warmonger. He was just a drunk who was put in that position as a result of somebody, owing him a favor. Not to mention there is the fact that after extremely stupid statements to the US ambassador, Khrushchev said that he was going to be sent to the most remote and isolated naval base in the Soviet union to keep him from causing any more problems.
Not as far as I know in the UK (I was only ten but a few years later i can recall the last news bulletin being 9pm (BBC) and 10pm (ITV)) . Radio might be different.
Both the U.S. and the USSR going to be blamed each other even if this was an accident. The South China Sea at this period was the U.S. Navy's lake since they could launch both ship and ASW patrols from nearby Subic in the Philippines.
Regarding the Samuel B. Roberts:
en.m.wikipedia.org
While in OTL she was in the Atlantic at this time, not being reasigned to operations in that area until 1965-66, IIRC, it has been many months since the POD.
USS Samuel B. Roberts (DD-823) - Wikipedia
Last edited:
Chapter 49: A Musical Interlude
Geon
Donor
This is a little hastily done. But the idea came to me a few nights ago. Someone had asked earlier on this site what the result of the upheavals here would be to culture. This may partially answer your question.
New York, The Ed Sullivan Theater, Sunday February 12th, 9:00 p.m.:
The sound of excited screams was deafening as Ed Sullivan introduced the Fab Four on his show that Sunday night. Ed had never seen the like of this in all his years hosting the show.
The Beatles had been scheduled to appear on February 5th. However, Paul had caught a head cold and it was decided the performance would be postponed for a week to allow him to recover. Those who had tickets for the Beatles performance on the 5th were told their tickets would still be honored on the 12th, thus a large contingent of teenagers was kept extremely happy.
But Paul didn’t have a head cold. Rather he and John were working on a new song and needed time to finish it as John was bound and determined the song would be sung on their American TV debut.
For John Lennon the last two months had been a religious experience both literally and figuratively. He, like many in Europe had watched in shock the events unfolding in the Deep South of the United States. As he said later in an interview, “Our band had spent so long playing this ‘bubble-gum music’ that I felt we were deaf and blind to what was going on in the world around us. As I watched what was happening during the riots here; the homes burning, people being shot in the streets, I asked myself what we had to offer here. As it says in the Bible, ‘am I my brother’s keeper?’”
That question had haunted John for some time. On the flight to the U.S. John had on a whim purchased a Bible to read on the flight. He had joked with his fellow band members that he wanted something that would put him to sleep quickly. But he had read through a good bit of it by the time they touched down in the U.S.
It was the beginning of John’s conversion to Christianity. As a young man he had dismissed the Anglicanism he was raised on. Now, as he would admit later, in his autobiography, he began to reembrace the truths of his childhood faith.
On landing in New York John had begun writing a new song he felt was sorely needed at this time. He had begged, threatened, and harassed the Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein until he had agreed to persuade Ed Sullivan to delay the appearance of the Beatles by one week.
The Beatles’ performance began with two of their hits, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” and “She Loves You.” After the second song, with the crowd screaming hysterically John stepped forward raised both hands and asked for quiet. After a minute or two the crowd quieted and John spoke, between intermittent squeals from the audience. “We’ve been working on a special song the last few weeks that I’d like to have us sing for you tonight. I hope you’ll enjoy it and think on it.” Amidst another outburst of screams from the audience John and the band prepared for their newest number. This time, however, there was no percussion as Ringo moved to join George where he was standing. The tune was softer and different from what most had come to expect from the Beatles. The refrain of the song, Can You Hear Your Brother Crying in the Night would be on the lips of millions of Americans by morning.
Can you hear your brother crying in the night?
Will you turn your back and walk away as his hopes all die in flame?
Or would you wipe away his tears so he could see the morning light?
I promise you that both of you will never be the same.
(Refrain from Can You Hear Your Brother Crying in the Night?)
Chapter 49: An Interlude of Hope
New York, The Ed Sullivan Theater, Sunday February 12th, 9:00 p.m.:
The sound of excited screams was deafening as Ed Sullivan introduced the Fab Four on his show that Sunday night. Ed had never seen the like of this in all his years hosting the show.
The Beatles had been scheduled to appear on February 5th. However, Paul had caught a head cold and it was decided the performance would be postponed for a week to allow him to recover. Those who had tickets for the Beatles performance on the 5th were told their tickets would still be honored on the 12th, thus a large contingent of teenagers was kept extremely happy.
But Paul didn’t have a head cold. Rather he and John were working on a new song and needed time to finish it as John was bound and determined the song would be sung on their American TV debut.
For John Lennon the last two months had been a religious experience both literally and figuratively. He, like many in Europe had watched in shock the events unfolding in the Deep South of the United States. As he said later in an interview, “Our band had spent so long playing this ‘bubble-gum music’ that I felt we were deaf and blind to what was going on in the world around us. As I watched what was happening during the riots here; the homes burning, people being shot in the streets, I asked myself what we had to offer here. As it says in the Bible, ‘am I my brother’s keeper?’”
That question had haunted John for some time. On the flight to the U.S. John had on a whim purchased a Bible to read on the flight. He had joked with his fellow band members that he wanted something that would put him to sleep quickly. But he had read through a good bit of it by the time they touched down in the U.S.
It was the beginning of John’s conversion to Christianity. As a young man he had dismissed the Anglicanism he was raised on. Now, as he would admit later, in his autobiography, he began to reembrace the truths of his childhood faith.
On landing in New York John had begun writing a new song he felt was sorely needed at this time. He had begged, threatened, and harassed the Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein until he had agreed to persuade Ed Sullivan to delay the appearance of the Beatles by one week.
The Beatles’ performance began with two of their hits, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” and “She Loves You.” After the second song, with the crowd screaming hysterically John stepped forward raised both hands and asked for quiet. After a minute or two the crowd quieted and John spoke, between intermittent squeals from the audience. “We’ve been working on a special song the last few weeks that I’d like to have us sing for you tonight. I hope you’ll enjoy it and think on it.” Amidst another outburst of screams from the audience John and the band prepared for their newest number. This time, however, there was no percussion as Ringo moved to join George where he was standing. The tune was softer and different from what most had come to expect from the Beatles. The refrain of the song, Can You Hear Your Brother Crying in the Night would be on the lips of millions of Americans by morning.
Can you hear your brother crying in the night?
Will you turn your back and walk away as his hopes all die in flame?
Or would you wipe away his tears so he could see the morning light?
I promise you that both of you will never be the same.
(Refrain from Can You Hear Your Brother Crying in the Night?)
