Replies

I can't confirm this - but this was a rumor in our organization. Seems there was always a Soviet trawler off Vandenberg monitoring our launches. So one enterprising Captain at one of our Satellite Tracking Stations - leveled a full 10-meter antenna straight at the trawler and hit full power - frying out the front ends of the trawler's sensitive eavesdropping equipment.

The Soviets complained to the US Embassy, about what I don't know - maybe a blown-out fish finder - who relayed it to the State Department, who relayed it to the Pentagon, which downloaded it to Systems Command, which downloaded it to Space Division, which sent a General driving up to Vandenberg, who located and called the Captain to attention - and said "Consider yourself reprimanded." And without another word nor action, he turned on his heel and drove back to Space Division.