Cold War Memories

[AlDazz]

The cold war to me is summarized by my service in 4 Brigade and our base at CFB Lahr. A real mission with our best equipment.  Post war history has confirmed that we were just a shell of an formation with no depth.  Even at our best our government  ensured that we would be finished after one battle. 

 

[drikols]

I was 7 when the soviet union collapsed, though I still remember soviet trawlers in port, particularly shortly before the collapse, as they were selling everything not nailed on, followed by everything they could pry loose...

 

[tomahawk6]

My cold war experience was in Alaska with the 172d Inf Brigade Light. During heightened tensions in the Middle East our Brigade was put on a war footing. I was in an airborne company and we were loading up to deploy to Nome. At that time the brigade had 3 infantry battalions, an aviation battalion, 2 engineer companies, a FA battalion it was the largest seperate brigade in the Army. If the Russians came we would be a speed bump reliant on the USAF for air cover. Fortunately tensions eased and we returned to our base outside Anchorage. It wasnt our only time on alert status but it was the closest we came to a hot war in frozen Alaska.

 

[RocketRichard]

One of the last major Fallex’s was in 1990. Was given 48 hrs notice to head to West Germany (due to most of 5 Brigade in Oka). Twas a good go except for wearing full NBCD most of the time and moving the whole unit every few hours. The beer was good that’s for sure.


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[daftandbarmy]

The Parachute Regiment, being a non-mech unit, was tasked with 'Home Defence' in the UK if the Soviet balloon went up.

I found this desperately disappointing initially. I mean, images of Dad's Army' came to mind 'They don't like it up 'em!' was the battle cry.

Then I discovered what it was really all about, which included protecting key points, and helping the Rozzers round up sleeper agents .... who have apparently become even more of an issue than when the Berlin Wall was up:

https://www.businessinsider.com/illegals-of-directorate-s-russia-undercover-covert-sleeper-agents-2017-12

 

[Blackadder1916]

While not a Canadian experience, does give some idea about the restrictions/difficulties in travelling to West Berlin during the Cold War. Even after the wall came down in 1989, we still had to request permission to travel to Berlin for a year or two afterwards.

 

[BrianWL]

While not a Canadian experience, does give some idea about the restrictions/difficulties in travelling to West Berlin during the Cold War. Even after the wall came down in 1989, we still had to request permission to travel to Berlin for a year or two afterwards.

While not a Canadian experience, does give some idea about the restrictions/difficulties in travelling to West Berlin during the Cold War. Even after the wall came down in 1989, we still had to request permission to travel to Berlin for a year or two afterwards.

never got to Berlin back then, couldn't due to security clearance...........

 

[my72jeep]

I worked in Berlin in 97,98 lived in an old KBG barracks in East Berlin it was an adventure

 

[Retired AF Guy]

If anyone is interested there is a series of podcasts called Cold War Conversations hosted by Ian Sanders whose goal is to interview various people who lived through or participated in the Cold War. The people interviewed could be a young woman growing up in East Germany; a British officer with BRIXMAS; CIA contractor flying with Air America; or a member of the RCAF hunting Soviet subs in both the Pacific and Atlantic.

The podcasts can be listened to/downloaded from Apple/Google podcasts or Spotify.

 

[GK .Dundas]

Yeah , it's a great little podcast. Found it through Facebook.