As Wilson pondered the best tactic to employ, the Weapons Officer reported, “Tubes One and Two are ready in all respects.”
“Firing Point Procedures, Master two, tube One. Set minimum run to enable.”
While he waited for the required reports, Wilson announced, “I plan to remain on a course to the east, firing an over-the-shoulder shot at minimum range.”
He watched as the three combat control consoles slewed to near identical solutions, showing the target passing just south of Michigan, six hundred yards away, still headed west.
“Helm, right twenty degrees rudder, steady course one-two-zero.”
Wilson adjusted Michigan’s course to pass directly behind the Russian submarine at one thousand yards.
Lieutenant Commander Patzke tapped a fire control technician on the shoulder, who sent his solution to Weapons Control.
Patzke announced, “Solution ready.”
The Weapons Officer reported, “Weapon ready.”
“Ship ready,” the Officer of the Deck announced.
Wilson monitored Master two on the geographic display. When it opened to one thousand yards, he ordered, “Shoot on generated bearings.”
The torpedo was impulsed from the tube. Sonar then reported the status of their outgoing weapon.
“Tube One is in the water, running normally.”
“Fuel crossover achieved.”
“Turning to preset gyro course.”
With a minimum pre-enable run, the torpedo went active once it stabilized on the ordered course, one thousand yards behind the Russian submarine.
A few seconds later, the first of the hoped-for reports was received. “Detect!”
It took only three more pings before the torpedo verified the object ahead was a submarine, and Sonar picked up the characteristic torpedo response.
“Tube One is increasing speed and ping rate,” the Weapons Officer reported, confirming Sonar’s observation as he read the telemetry data sent back to Michigan over the torpedo’s guidance wire. “Tube One is homing! Telemetry range, eight hundred yards.”
“Helm, ahead full.” Wilson increased speed in case the Russian crew counterfired. But with Michigan’s torpedo going active only a thousand yards away, it was unlikely they’d have enough time.
“Conn, Sonar. Burst of cavitation from Master two.”
The Russian crew had detected the incoming torpedo, probably from a torpedo-warning hydrophone on the hull. But it was most likely too late.
Twenty seconds later, an explosion rumbled through Control.
Michigan shuddered as a shock wave passed by, followed by Sonar’s report. “Explosion in the water on the bearing to Master two.”
Another minute passed and Sonar reported, “Mechanical transient from Master two, consistent with bottom impact.”
The watchstanders in Control let out a collective sigh of relief. Michigan had survived, and now they had to clear the area quickly. If there were other Russian submarines nearby, they would converge on the explosion.
Wilson ordered, “Helm, ahead standard. Left full rudder, steady course two-seven-zero.”
Michigan slowed as it reversed course to the west.
75
MOSCOW, RUSSIA
In the National Defense Control Center, deep beneath the Main Building of the Ministry of Defense, General Andropov studied the thirty-meter-wide display on the far wall with growing confidence. Russian units had fortified key locations across the continent-wide defensive line, and although it stretched Russian units thin, it stretched NATO units even thinner. NATO simply didn’t have the troops to cover such a wide front and concentrate sufficient forces for a breakthrough that could be leveraged to any significant extent.
The military campaign was going well, with Russian troops reinforcing their positions while Andropov consolidated his. Over the last two weeks, Colonel Generals Zolotov and Grachev, commanders-in-chief of Russia’s Strategic Missile Troops and Airborne Troops respectively, had been pulled into Andropov’s inner circle. Additionally, the generals in charge of Russia’s four operational strategic commands — Western, Southern, Central, and Eastern — had been informed of the coup and had pledged their support. Andropov now had firm control of Russia’s military down to the division and brigade level.
Finally, Colonel General Korobov, head of the GRU — the military’s Main Intelligence Directorate — had committed to the cause. The expanded tier of support was crucial due to Kalinin’s escape. Andropov needed insurance against a possible public plea from Kalinin to Russia’s military, government, and citizens. With the GRU and its Spetsnaz brigades aboard, any political or public opposition would be crushed.
The cover story for Kalinin’s absence — his serious illness and recovery at Gelendzhik — had worked thus far, with the media focused on events unfolding as Russian forces advanced across Europe. With the report that the American submarine Kalinin was aboard had been sunk, it had appeared everything was in hand.
However, two additional Russian submarines had been sunk in the same vicinity this morning and Andropov’s concern had rekindled. Although he was confident Kalinin’s public emergence and denouncing of the coup could be handled, it was better if the matter was avoided.
Andropov’s console phone buzzed and he answered. Colonel Savvin was on the other end. “We have the American woman,” Savvin said.
“How is that possible?” Andropov asked. “She and Kalinin were rescued by the American SEALs and taken aboard their submarine.”
“That’s what we thought,” Savvin replied. “We didn’t come across her body and assumed she had accompanied Kalinin. However, she turned up in Beregovoy this morning.”
“Send her to Moscow for interrogation,” Andropov ordered. “As America’s national security advisor, she’s privy to NATO war planning. Any insight we can gain regarding NATO’s pending offensive might prove valuable and be the difference between victory and defeat. We cannot leave any stone unturned.”
“It’s unlikely she’ll talk,” Savvin said.
“Leave that to me,” Andropov replied. “We have methods that guarantee results.”
None of them were legal, however, nor left those interrogated unharmed.
76
HAMBURG, GERMANY
During World War II, the city of Hamburg almost ceased to exist. In July 1943, after completing a five-month-long bombing campaign against Germany’s Ruhr industrial region, the Royal Air Force Bomber Command and America’s Eighth Air Force turned their attention to Hamburg. Employing over three thousand aircraft dropping nine thousand tons of ordnance over an eight-day span, Operation Gomorrah was at that time the heaviest assault in the history of aerial warfare.
The bombings killed over 42,000 persons, the majority on a single night that British officials later called the Hiroshima of Germany. On the evening of July 27, 1943, almost eight hundred aircraft bombed Hamburg. The concentrated bombing, combined with unusually dry conditions and inadequate firefighting resources, created a quarter-mile-high vortex of flames that incinerated eight square miles of the city. Scorching winds reaching 150 miles per hour swept people from the streets like dry leaves, while temperatures approaching 1,500°F vaporized those unfortunate enough to be sucked into the maelstrom.
The city recovered, and today the port of Hamburg is Germany’s largest and one of the busiest container ports in Europe, depositing cargo onto more than 2,300 freight cars per week. Located on the Elbe River and known as Germany’s Gateway to the World, today it also served as the U.S. 1st Armored Division’s gateway to Europe.