A few weeks ago was the 61st anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis — often considered the time where we got closest to a nuclear war (although that is debated). I’ve written a new article summarizing the Cuban Missile Crisis over at the National Air and Space Museum’s website, check it out here.

It was very cool to get to write this for the museum, and got me thinking a lot about how military aviation has had (and continues to have) such a dramatic effect in shaping the world we all find ourselves in. The museum also has a lot of interesting artifacts related to the Crisis in its collection, some of which you can see on display (and some that are planned to be put on display soon).

(From left to right) Photo evaluator Col. Ralph Steakley, U-2 pilot Lt. Col. Joe O’Grady, U-2 pilot Maj. Richard Heyser, and CSAF Gen. Curtis LeMay meet with President Kennedy in October 1962.