Unknown Hero
by admin on Jul.17, 2009, under Historical Heroes
Sometimes being a hero means knowing when to act – and when not to act. Such is the case with little known hero Stanislav Petrov. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Union’s military, and he was in charge of monitoring satellites orbiting over the U.S. These satellites were watching for any signs of unauthorized military action – pretty much watching to make sure the U.S. wasn’t attacking.
One evening Petrov was working a double shift, since a fellow officer was ill and couldn’t stand his watch, when suddenly his screens went red and alarms began sounding.
“An alarm went off. It was piercing, loud enough to raise a dead man from his grave.”
The monitors indicated that America had launched five missiles towards Russia. Petrov was charged with the duty of pressing the big red button that would initiate retaliation – and full-scale nuclear war. But he hesitated. Taking a moment to analyze the situation, he realized something didn’t add up. Radar didn’t indicate any incoming missiles, and he wondered why the U.S. would even bother with launching only five missiles.
He still couldn’t say for sure what was going on, but “I had a funny feeling in my gut,” he told The Post. “I didn’t want to make a mistake. I made a decision, and that was it.”
Stanislav Petrov didn’t push the button. Later investigation showed a malfunction in the warning system. By taking his time and analyzing the situation, Petrov avoided starting nuclear war, and most certainly saved thousands of lives by his thoughtful action (or lack of action, if I may).
Unfortunately, the Soviet military didn’t reward him for his prudence. Instead, embarrassed by their faulty equipment and wanting to keep the incident quiet, they discharged Petrov and put him on a measley $200 a month pension. It wasn’t until a fellow officer published a book in 1998 that Petrov was finally given the distinction he deserves.
We all today owe this man. The world would certainly be a different place if he hadn’t been able to keep his head in an intense situation.
