This collection is primarily composed of aerial reconnaissance photographs of ballistic missile bases taken during and immediately after the Cuban Missile Crisis in October and November, 1962. These photographs feature extensive captions and labels that became part of the report, ““Cuba Know, Yankee See! A Picture Story with an Object Lesson: Castro had his 10,000 words, but we got the picture.” and was used as part of a Department of Defense Special Cuba Briefing by Robert S. McNamara in February 1963. Other less significant portions of the collection include constructions reports on the Thule Air Base in Thule, Greenland (the United States Armed Forces’ northernmost installation) and a World War II era handbook on China, including language lessons focusing on military vocabulary and culture, and a press photo from NASA in 1965.
The digitized items here do not represent the entirety of the James R. Shephard Papers, 1942-1965. To view what other materials are in this collection but not yet digitized and available online, search the guide to the James R. Shephard Papers, 1942-1965.
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Astronaut Edward H. White performing his space walk in orbit, June 3, 1965
NASA
Astronaut Edward H. White performing his space walk in orbit, June 3, 1965, b&w. Official NASA photo of White performing in space, outside the Gemini 4 flight.
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Close up of Soviet "Divinogorsk," departing Cuba, showing 2 missiles, Nov. 6, 1962
Close up of Soviet ship "Divinogorsk," departing Cuba, showing 2 missiles, Nov. 6, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis.
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Dock side, Mariel Port Facility, Cuba, showing missile equipment, Nov. 4, 1962
Dock side, Mariel Port Facility, Cuba, showing missile equipment, Nov. 4, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis.
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Mariel Naval Port, Cuba, showing 3 Russian ships in harbor, Nov 2, 1962
Mariel Naval Port, Cuba, showing 3 Russian ships in harbor, Nov 2, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Note on back reads Missile equipment & erectors being prepared for loading onto the three Russian ships.
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Mariel Naval Port, Cuba, showing missile equipment, Nov. 5, 1962
Mariel Naval Port, Cuba, showing missile equipment, Nov. 5, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis.
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Soviet ship "Anosov," leaving Cuba with 8 missiles Nov. 7, 1962
Soviet ship "Anosov," leaving Cuba with 8 missiles Nov. 7, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis.
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Soviet ship "Divinogorsk," departing Cuba with four missiles aboard, Nov. 6, 1962
Soviet ship "Divinogorsk," departing Cuba with four missiles aboard, Nov. 6, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis.
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Soviet ship "Fizik Kurchatov"" leaving Cuba with 6 covered missiles, Nov. 7, 1962
Soviet ship "Fizik Kurchatov"" leaving Cuba with 6 covered missiles, Nov. 7, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis.
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Guanajay IRBM missile site, Cuba, showing broken up launch pads, Nov 1, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
Guanajay IRBM missile site, Cuba, showing broken up launch pads, Nov 1, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Guanajay may have had more than one missile site The IRBM's had a longer range than the MRBM's at the other cuba missile sites..
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Guanajay IRBM missile site, Cuba, showing nuclear storage bunker, Nov 1, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
Guanajay IRBM missile site, Cuba, showing nuclear storage bunker, Nov 1, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Guanajay may have had more than one missile site The IRBM's had a longer range than the MRBM's at the other cuba missile sites..
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Sagua la Grande MRBM base, Cuba, late October, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
Sagua la Grande MRBM base, Cuba, late October, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. On back: pencil note: Sagua la Grande.
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Sagua la Grande MRBM base, Cuba, Nov 1, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
Sagua la Grande MRBM base, Cuba, Nov 1, 1962, showing vacated launch positions, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Shows vacated launch positions. Note on back: Sagua la Grande.
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Sagua la Grande MRBM base, Cuba, Nov 1, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
Sagua la Grande MRBM base, Cuba, Nov 1, 1962, showing vacated launch positions, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Shows vacated launch positions. Note on back: Sagua la Grande.
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Sagua la Grande MRBM base, Cuba, Nov 1, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
Sagua la Grande MRBM base, Cuba, Nov 1, 1962, showing incomplete buildings, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Note on back:launch erectors and associated equipment have been completely removed from all 4 launch pads.
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Sagua la Grande MRBM Site #1, Cuba, Nov 1, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
Sagua la Grande MRBM Site #1, Cuba, Nov 1, 1962, showing former launch positions, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Note on back:launch erectors and associated equipment have been completely removed from all 4 launch pads.
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San Cristobal MRBM site #1, Cuba, Aug. 29, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM site #1, Cuba, Aug. 29, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Back has stamp: U.S. Army Engineer Geodesy, Intelligence Division, Fort Belvoir, VA.
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San Cristobal MRBM site #1, Cuba, Oct. 14, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM site #1, Cuba, Oct. 14, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Back has stamp: U.S. Army Engineer Geodesy, Intelligence Division, Fort Belvoir, VA.
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San Cristobal MRBM site #1, Cuba, Oct. 23, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM site #1, Cuba, Oct. 23, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Inset map shows location in Cuba. Back has stamp: U.S. Army Engineer Geodesy, Intelligence Division, Fort Belvoir, VA. Note on back states these missiles had range of 2000 km. Distance Havana to Washington 1826km.
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San Cristobal MRBM site #2, Cuba, Oct. 23, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM site #2, Cuba, Oct. 23, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Back has stamp: U.S. Army Engineer Geodesy, Intelligence Division, Fort Belvoir, VA. Shows prefab housing under construction.
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San Cristobal MRBM Site #2, Cuba, showing missile sites, Nov 1, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM Site #2, Cuba, showing missile sites, Nov 1, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Note on back reads Soviets have removed all MRBM launch equipment, and completely destroyed the launch position in lower center of photo.
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San Cristobal MRBM Site #2, Cuba, showing missile sites, Oct 17, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM Site #2, Cuba, showing missile sites, Oct 17, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Note on back shows launch area nearing completion.
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San Cristobal MRBM Site #2, Cuba, showing missile sites, Oct 22, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM Site #2, Cuba, showing missile sites, Oct 22, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Note on back shows there were four launch positions prepared.
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San Cristobal MRBM Site #2, Cuba, showing missile sites, Oct 29, 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM Site #2, Cuba, showing missile sites, Oct 29, 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis. Note on back reads missile transporter & launch erectors had been removed, but construction continued on the nuclear warhead storage facility on left of photo.
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San Cristobal MRBM Site, Cuba, showing launch position, Late Oct 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM Site, Cuba, showing launch position, Late Oct 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis.
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San Cristobal MRBM Site, Cuba, showing vacated launch position, Nov 1 1962
US Army Engineers Intelligence Division
San Cristobal MRBM Site, Cuba, showing vacated launch position, Nov 1 1962, b&w. One of several reconaissance photos made during Cuba missile crisis.
