Miracles Happen: Thank Russian Missile Officer Stanislav Petrov for Your Life Today and the Chance of Another One [View all]

[SorellaLaBefana]

This came up over lunch after we had talked about the disaster of the Navy forgetting about the USS Indianapolis for over three days before a patrol plane accidentally came across the few survivors: most having perished from thirst, weakness or being eaten by sharks. Miracles are not something to be relied on.
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/publications/publications-by-subject/a-grave-misfortune.html

We then moved on to the My Lai massacre where Major Colin Powell first came to favour with the Powers that Be reportedly by, many believe, attempting to make any investigation into the murders go away. Hugh Thompson, the helicopter pilot who is credited with stopping the massacre, rather than finding favour, was subjected to severe (though unofficial) retaliation by the Army and the Nixon Administration. No miracles here either—except for Thompson's courage and humanity.
https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/my-lai-massacre-1

Finally, we talked about the Russian Missile Intercept Command officer who prevented Nuclear War in September 1983 when he *thought* that the radar evidence he saw on his scopes which looked to be a US First Strike might be false.

Therefore he did not immediately notify Chain of Command so that the required immediate ICBM counter strike would likely be launched. Instead, he decided to wait for other radars to confirm the missiles. He likely quite literally Saved the World. Given that he was a Russian Missile officer, I count it as a miracle that he did not follow procedure.

To my embarrassment, I could NOT recall his name: Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov

https://www.amazon.com/Stanislav-Petrov-Saved-World-Great/dp/B0C9SBNVDM

He was, of course, reprimanded.

Let us Hope/Pray/Chant/VOTE for another World Saving Miracle on this 2024 Guy Fawke’s Day