MyNorthwest

News

Opinion

Sports

Tools

Connect

Nuclear memories: Russia, war and childhood fears rekindled

The view of the cockpit of the F101B Voodoo is shown on display at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Del., on Oct. 22, 2022. The Voodoo was a two-crew member fighter. The airplane is the fighter used by the squadron in which Gary Fields’ father, Willie "Bill" Mount Jr., served in the 1960s. The F101B Voodoos could carry two Douglas Genie air-to-air missiles which were designed to be used against incoming enemy bomber formations. Each missile was armed with a 1.5-kiloton atomic warhead. (AP Photo/Gary Fields)

This photo provided by Gary Fields shows his father Willie "Bill" Mount Jr., who served in the 87th Air Force squadron. The squadron’s job was to intercept Russian bombers loaded with nuclear bombs if they tried to attack the United States. (AP Photo)

Gary Fields poses for a photo with his parents, Shirley and Willie "Bill" Mount Jr., at his graduation from graduate school at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., in December 1984. Willie "Bill" Mount Jr. served in the 87th Air Force squadron, which flew the McDonnell F101B Voodoo out of Clinton County Air Force Base in Wilmington, Ohio. The squadron’s job was to intercept Russian bombers loaded with nuclear bombs if they tried to attack the United States.(AP Photo)

The Douglas Genie air-to-air missile is displayed at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Del., on Oct. 22, 2022. The Genie is the weapon used on the fighter planes in the squadron in which Gary Fields’ father, Willie "Bill" Mount Jr., served in the 1960s. The F101B Voodoos carried two of the missiles, which were designed to be used against incoming enemy bomber formations. Each missile was armed with a 1.5-kiloton atomic warhead. (AP Photo/Gary Fields)

This photo provided by Gary Fields shows his father Staff Sgt. Willie "Bill" Mount Jr., who served in the 87th Air Force squadron, which flew the McDonnell F101B Voodoo out of Clinton County Air Force Base in Wilmington, Ohio. The squadron’s job was to intercept Russian bombers loaded with nuclear bombs if they tried to attack the United States. (AP Photo)

The F101B Voodoo is displayed at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Del., on Oct. 22, 2022. The Voodoo was a two-crew member fighter. The airplane is the fighter used by the squadron in which Gary Fields’ father, Willie "Bill" Mount Jr., served in the 1960s. The F101B Voodoos could carry two Douglas Genie air-to-air missiles which were designed to be used against incoming enemy bomber formations. Each missile was armed with a 1.5-kiloton atomic warhead. (AP Photo/Gary Fields)

Nuclear memories: Russia, war and childhood fears rekindled