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Veterans in Blue 2017 - Charlie Simpson

3d Audiovisual Squadron

June 8, 2017 | 3:58

Veterans in Blue is a multimedia collection showcasing men and women who have contributed to the legacy of the Air Force.

Charlie Simpson was commissioned as an Air Force second lieutenant in November 1959 and retired as a colonel in August 1989 after nearly 30 years of service. Simpson initially served as an aircraft maintenance officer and transitioned to intercontinental ballistic missile duty 18 months later. "The threat we faced as a nation was very real back then, and a lot of focus was placed on the ICBM program," Simpson said. One of the toughest challenges he faced in his career was the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. "I was sitting at work on Oct. 20 and we were preparing a Titan I missile for an exercise in a few days when I received a call from the Mountain Home Air Force Base (Idaho) command post to put the missile back on alert," he said. "We didn't know the reason for this until President Kennedy made his speech in regard to the Cuban missile crisis," said Simpson. "We went to a 24-hour schedule and everything at work became very tense as we waited to see what would happen." The tension finally came to an end when the Soviet Union agreed to withdraw all nuclear missiles from Cuba. After retirement, Simpson has remained an active member in the missileer community traveling and sharing his story.

Created by: 3d Combat Camera Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Texas

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