Tragic Tale of A Sailor's Bid for Better Life.

(From The Moscow Times)

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We look forward to hearing from you.Email the Opinion Page EditorIn the 1960s, life in the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries became unbearable for many people, some military personnel included. Quite a few tried to escape to the West, occasionally risking their lives for the chance of a new life. A navy buddy told me the story of one sailor's attempt to leave the Soviet Union behind.

In the summer of 1960, when the standoff between NATO and the Warsaw Pact was at its height, a Soviet battle cruiser from the Northern Fleet, with a destroyer sailing in its wake, cruised into the Mediterranean. The senior lieutenant in charge of the ship's anti-aircraft weapons, whom we'll call Sergei, frequently stopped on the bridge to ask about the ship's location.

As the ship steamed back toward the Atlantic that evening, Sergei once more stepped onto the bridge and inquired about the ship's position. The cruiser was then approaching Gibraltar, about six miles off the Spanish coast. Sergei was dressed in a warm uniform, as was customary for an officer preparing to go on the night watch. When he left the bridge, five miles or so remained to Gibraltar.