January 25, 1997
nothing in the canon for today, but unofficially:
NATO heads of state hold a secret meeting to determine war goals. Consensus is reached to present the USSR with an option to end the conflict worldwide, with a return to prewar borders in Poland, Korea, Iran and the Balkans; a unified Germany will remain and the USSR can retain the areas of Manchuria north of the Sungari River.
The Freedom-class cargo ship Arizona Freedom is delivered in Pascagoula, MS.
A Seattle city police officer pulls over a van for running a red light and is shot dead by the driver. A massive police response results in a barricade situation.
photo
The first MiG-29 sortie at a Red Flag air combat exercise at Nellis AFB, Nevada, is flown by LSK (East German Air Force) Major Jan Hoche in an aggressor role. The Red Flag exercises were decisive in giving NATO pilots an edge over their Soviet and Pact opponents, since the realistic training replicated the vital first combat missions that had historically cost so many pilots their lives. Having a top of the line MiG flown by a Soviet-trained pilot increased the value of these exercises even more.
There was an intense Soviet-Polish artillery barrage on bridgehead opposite Frankfurt-on-Oder; otherwise the Central Front was quiet as both sides licked their wounds and tried to replenish their depleted stockpiles.
Headquarters, 7th US Army orders the release of war reserve vehicles to re-equip the 278th ACR. 2nd Squadron, 278th ACR assumes responsibility for a sector north of Regensburg facing Czech troops.
A Nimrod patrol aircraft operating from RAF St Mawgan (42 Sqn RAF) sinks the Soviet Victor II submarine K-495; Maritime patrol aircraft had been searching for the sub since it sank the San Jacinto two days prior.
The Turkish government makes a unilateral decision to intervene in Cyprus; 39th Infantry Division begins loading onto amphibious shipping in Antalya on the Mediterranean coast.
Soviet long-range aviation turns its attention to the Balkans, launching a massive nightime air raid on the Romanian "23 August" tank plant in Bucharest. The strike uses conventional "dumb" bombs and inflicts light damage, for the loss of two Tu-16s.
The US 6th Fleet commits the attack submarine USS Spadefish to patrol the Black Sea following the loss of the Bluefish.