Heap o' Links Wed Apr 22, 2026

He was an Air Force radio traffic analyst stationed in Japan on a Sunday, he was the only analyst on duty, when he noticed that all of the Russian Bomber call signs had launched toward the US simultaneously. He called in the LT who was serving as Officer of the Day, and showed him the data. The LT said to him, "What do we do?" Karl said "Call NORAD and report this." They got the General in charge at NORAD and told him. He called President Eisenhower, who ordered an all out nuclear strike on the USSR by SAC.

Meanwhile in Japan they had scrambled all the other Traffic Analysts - who confirmed Karl's analysis. In 1956 there was no "Fail Safe". When SAC launched, the bombers were on their way to their targets. All of the foreign analysts were called in and again confirmed Karl's analysis.

Suddenly a French analyst shouted "Those Idiots have switched their Civilian and Military call signs. This is the resupply of Siberia after the winter" when he saw a plane land in Siberia. When SAC was recalled the lead B-52s were over Soviet Air space.