Posted on 10/02/2013 7:49:11 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
Spies & Secrets: 4 True Stories From Tom Clancy's Novels
Sometimes truth may be stranger than fiction, but for best-selling author Tom Clancy, the two are often more closely paralleled. Clancy died Tuesday (Oct. 1) at the age of 66, but his thrilling, espionage and military-inspired novels helped him become one of the most well-known American authors.
From a dramatic Soviet-era defection to a high-profile assassination plot, here are four true stories from Clancy's novels.
The Hunt for Red October
Clancy's first novel, "The Hunt for Red October," was published in 1984. The book introduced Clancy's most famous fictional character, Jack Ryan, who would become a central figure in the majority of the author's novels. In the action-packed novel, CIA analyst Ryan helps a Soviet submarine captain and his crew defect to the United States. The action takes place aboard an experimental nuclear submarine, called Red October.
The novel was reportedly inspired by a real-life mutiny aboard a Soviet Navy anti-submarine ship, called the Storozhevoy, in November 1975. The ship's political commissar, Captain of the Third Rank Valery Sablin, staged the mutiny as a protest against the corruption under Communist Party leader Leonid Brezhnev.
After Soviet authorities learned of the mutiny, 13 gunboats were dispatched in pursuit of the ship. The vessel was eventually damaged, and Soviet officials arrested and interrogated the crew. Sablin, who was tried and convicted of high treason, was shot on Aug. 3, 1976.
Red Rabbit
A real-life assassination plot inspired Clancy's 2002 novel, "Red Rabbit." The fictionalized account centers around CIA analyst Ryan, as he aids in the defection of a Soviet officer who has information about a plan to assassinate Pope John Paul II.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Clancy dead??? Noooooooooooooooooo!
The most amazing part for me, out of all of Tom Clancy’s stories occured in Red Storm Rising.
Clancy was describing a missile attack on a U.S warship. With multiple incoming, he describes the Phalanx integrated weapon system and how it went into what’s called a “deadly embrace” — where a control program prioritizing between two tasks. When it switches to either task the other task elevates to a higher priority thus causing no firing sequence as the turret bounces between each target.
Another, Clancy describe a ship “presenting her deck”, when a ship turns into a missile so that when it hits, it hits well above the water line, giving damage control a chance to save lives and possibly the ship. After the ship is hit, it will turn away and continue in a circle to keep the damaged hull out of the water.
They were both amazing passages.
I once had a very in-depth conversation with Mr. Clancy, on a very late and stormy night in the airport. It was very insightful. (and I leaned we both played Harpoon.)
My favorite book was Red Storm Rising, based loosely on General Sir John Hacketts (Former NATO Northern Army Group Commander) novel, The Third World War, itself based on NATOs War Plan for Europe.
Later Harold Coyle wrote Team Yankee, about a single unit within the larger scheme of Clancys Red Storm Rising.
Favorite character, Mr. Clark.
Best event, blowing up a drug pimp in a decompression chamber in “Without Remorse”
Best book, “Without Remorse”
Best line, “If you don’t write it down it never happened.”
Best ending to a movie, non-Clancy... “Shooter”
I’m still pissed that Tom Clancy allowed the terrorist, in the name of political correctness, to be changed from the book “The Sum of All Fears” in the movie “The Sum of All Fears”.
He didn’t have much say after rights were sold.
Harpoon rocks
Agree about the best character and best line, but I prefer Red Storm Rising over Without Remorse.
I thought that was the national anthem of the Soviet Union.
We’re talking the original Naval Miniatures, not the computer game. (although my group did use an Apple IIe for some of the database stuff)
I remember that too. Certainly software designers would foresee that scenario and deal with it, or so you'd think.
Ascension
And if I go,
while youre still here...
Know that I live on,
vibrating to a different measure
behind a thin veil you cannot see through.
You will not see me,
so you must have faith.
I wait for the time when we can soar together again,
both aware of each other.
Until then, live your life to its fullest.
And when you need me,
Just whisper my name in your heart,
...I will be there.
- Colleen Corah Hitchcock
Tom Clancy, from the dedication page of Executive Orders:
In the orginal hardcover edition of Without Remorse are the words of a poem which I found by accident and whose title and author I was unable to identify. I found in them the perfect remembrance for my little buddy, Kyle Haydock, who succumbed to cancer at the age of eight years and twenty-six days - to me he will never really be gone. Later I learned that the title of this poem is Ascension, and that the author who penned these magnificent words is Colleen Hitchcock, a poet of rare talent living in Minnesota. I wish to take this opportunity to commend her work to all students of the lyric phrase. As her words caught and excited my attention, I hope they will have the same effect of others.
That is really cool. Loved that guys books and characters. What a mind!
"Hail to our fathers and our forefathers.Incidentally, anyone who speaks or has studied Russian will quickly realize that the choir singing the song is not made up of Russian-speakers.
We are faithful to the covenant we have made in the past."
(the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution?)"Now, nothing can stop our homeland's victorious march."
(our own homeland's victorious march from Lexington to Fallujah?)
"In October, in October, we reported our victories;
In October, in October, our forefathers gave us a new world."
(the American victory at the Battle of Yorktown in October, 1781?)
If you've never read Clancy's books, that is the one to start with. It introduces Kelly/Clark, who is a key recurring character in his writings.
wow - old school.
How did they replicate the sails and cannons? ;)
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