My father, Ray Magill, was an air force pilot in the Cold War during the 1980's. He was a pilot assigned to the 101 Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Otis Air Force base on Cape Cod.
The Cold War developed in the 1950's. It was the threat from the Soviet Union (USSR) after World War Two. It wasn't a declared war, but an arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both countries would try to build more nuclear weapons and warheads than the other. This Cold War continued until the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990's. Both countries targeted each other with these weapons, but they were never deployed. There was a major fear that at any time, the Soviet Union could hit the United States with a nuclear bomb. This is how my dad was involved. He was a member of the North American Air Defense, or NORAD. He would fly up and down the coastline whenever a Russian bomber, or Bear, was sighted. His story follows.
Lauren Magill
The defense fighters I flew were to intercept the Soviet bombers, which were a perceived threat, and escort them along the coast. The Russians were basically looking for weak spots along the coast, more of a cat and mouse game.
Pilots would have to fly three to four hundred miles from the coast to escort the Bears. The planes we flew were F-106's and F-15's, which were good sized fighters. We did this on a regular basis after a few years.
This was an arms race, so there was a good deal of money spent to build this machinery. Russia was usually behind the United States because we could spend more money than them. Russia's economy collapsed because of the government's spending on weapons.
During the 1950's, bomb shelters were built in this country, proving the reality of the threat. Russia was almost overthrown by the Nazis during World War Two, and they were determined not to let any unauthorized countries (invade their air space). They developed their deterrence with nuclear bombs.
The United States was afraid that the Soviets, who were communists, would try to take over the world. Although we never used them, both countries had enough nuclear materials to destroy the entire world. Unlike Russia, our economy didn't crash.
The Russian (Bears) were looking for weak spots. There were some, but not weak enough to take advantage of. The pilots only came in visual contact. There was no communication. What we did was strictly defensive.
There were three strategies used in defending the coast. One was (used by) the Navy which could launch missiles from submarines under water. Another were the missiles in silos. The third was manned bombers. The Russians had the same strategies, so it was equal force against each other. The threat of nuclear war was very much on people's minds. There were nuclear raid drills in schools to prepare people for the worst.
Since the Soviet Union's collapse, the threat isn't what it used to be. Both countries still have weapons pointed at each other, but we have become closer and Russia is in no position to get into a war. As to the feelings of the Americans, I think the people were glad to know we had a pretty good defense out there.
Ray Magill
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