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I was a 19 year old Sp4 gunner on an 81mm mortar squad with the 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kansas. My unit, 1st Battle Group, 28th Infantry "Lions of Cantigny," had just returned from a Navy/Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Course at Little Creek, Virginia and thought we'd get the opportunity to practice our new skills on Cuban shores. All Big Red One units were pulled out of the field and their troops set about packing every bit of equipment we had. Trucks with trailers loaded with weapons, ammunition, and equipment were parked on Company Streets ready to carry us south. The Division's 121st Communication Battalion deployed to Florida to establish communication for the pending Cuban invasion. We slept in shifts, in our clothes awaiting the call to move out. Our morale soared -- we were excited and rearing to go. When the whole thing was fortunately called off we felt let down. Not long ago, I read that the Soviets had five nuclear weapons ready to employ against a US invasion force (which would have included me). In my old age, I feel fortunate that we didn't go.