Events leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 when the United States and the Soviet Union confronted each other with nuclear destruction. A helicopter lands on the White House lawn in Washington DC. Scenes of Cuba and emergence of Castro in recent prior years. Beach views in Cuba. A military parade in an earlier time, with Cuban troops marching in front of the Monument to the Battleship Maine. Next scene shows desecration and destruction of the Battleship Maine Monument in Cuba.. A crowd of cheering Cuban people as Fidel Castro enters Havana, Cuba in 1959. Exterior view of United Nations building in New York City. Fidel Castro and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev embrace during meeting in New York in September 1960. Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union Anastas Mikoyan deplanes and is greeted by Fidel Castro in Havana. A trade agreement between Russia and Cuba signed by Fidel Castro. Russian cargo ships en route to Havana. Cuban refugees in small boats. A map depicts proximity of Cuba to the U.S. U.S. surveillance aircraft heading for Cuba. A sign reads 'HQ. 4080 S W Intelligence Division'. Men examine reconnaissance photographs of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. The photographs show transports and tents for fueling and maintenance. A sign reads 'Strategic Missile Facility GAM 77 Combined Systems'. U.S. missiles rolled out of hangar and readied for emergency. A U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber aircraft takes off from an airfield. U.S. Navy ships in the Atlantic Ocean. A U.S. submarine underway at sea.
A film on the life of American astronaut John Herschel Glenn Jr. He was the first American to orbit the earth in 1962. John Glenn in Mercury-Atlas 6 Friendship 7 spacecraft traveling in space. A view of the earth from space (inside the spacecraft). The location of the spacecraft on TV monitors at Cape Canaveral in Florida. A man talks over a phone. Men at work in a building. Glenn directs the spacecraft back to earth. He is recommended to use the fly-by–wire mode. Caribbean was selected to receive Friendship 7. Glenn says that there is a fireball outside. Men at work in the headquarters building. A ship underway at sea. Men look at the spacecraft through binoculars. The spacecraft lands in the Atlantic Ocean . Glenn is taken aboard. He boards an helicopter and arrives at the headquarters.
Numerous aerial views of the USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) underway in calm waters of the Atlantic Ocean while operating in support of the NASA Mercury-Atlas 7 space mission. Views are from one of the ship's helicopters.
USS Forrestal (CVA-59) underway in the Atlantic Ocean during a Fleet Review for President Kennedy who is aboard the USS North Hampton (not seen). USS Forrestal is seen firing 8 times during her gun salute as she sails past the North Hampton. View of several destroyers (DD) underway in the review column, including USS John Paul Jones (DD-932), USS Rooks (DD-804), USS Miller (DD-535), USS Hood (DD-655),USS Remely (DD-688), USS Barton (DD-722) and others.
Ships underway in the Atlantic Ocean. USS Northampton (CLC-1) underway. Crew manning the rail. The U.S. President's flag on the ship. The Second Fleet in two columns pass in a review. One long column of ships underway. USS Forrestal (CVA-59) leads the column. USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) leads the second column in distant background. USS Northampton reviews the Second Fleet and passes on down between the two columns of ships. USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) underway in a column.
Ships underway in the Atlantic Ocean. USS Hermitage (LSD-34) underway in a column. Port side of USS Liddle (APD-60) and crew manning the rail. Port side of USS Ruchamkin (APD-89). Crew manning the rail while the ship is underway in review.