It seems odd that you can pass people on the street, sit next to them, or shoot a game of pool with them and never know their adventures or trials.
I have played many games with Gus over the past several years. I learned his story one day while shooting at Indian River Senior Center. In October 1962, the world was on the brink of nuclear war. The Soviet Union was transporting missiles to be installed in Cuba, just 90 miles from the white beaches of Florida. U. S. Navy ships were ordered to stop those Soviet ships by any means necessary. President John F. Kennedy spoke directly to those young sailors, stressing the urgency of preventing the ships from reaching Cuba. Several of President Kennedy’s cabinet members later admitted they never expected to see another sunrise. One of those young sailors was Gus Gustafson.
During the last week of February 2024, I sat with Gus and asked him to recount his experience in one of the most frightening and important confrontations of the 20th century. Gus was a kind, gentle man and a warrior. Listen to his story.
