The Bedford Incident

In 1963, the U.S. Navy destroyer Bedford sails through the Denmark Strait between Greenland and Iceland under Captain Eric Finlander. A civilian photojournalist, Ben Munceford, and the ship's new doctor, Lt. Cmdr. Chester Potter, join the crew alongside Commodore Wolfgang Schrepke and Ensign Ralston. The stage is set for a tense Cold War confrontation as the crew readies for whatever trouble may come.

The Bedford detects a Soviet submarine just off the coast of Greenland and immediately closes in. Finlander pushes the chase, steering the sub from international waters into Greenland's territorial waters in an effort to force a surface reveal.

The sonar contact disappears in a field of icebergs, leaving the crew in stifling suspense. Finlander reasons that the diesel submarine will have to surface within 24 hours to replenish air and run its engines, so he resolves to wait rather than press the attack.

Doctor Potter expresses concern that the unrelenting alert is dangerous for the crew and suggests measures to ease the strain. Finlander dismisses the worries, insisting on unrelenting watch as the only path to safety.

Munceford questions Finlander's motives and the fierce posture, hinting at his Cuban Missile Crisis rhetoric. Finlander deflects, insisting his loyalty is to the country and that his results justify the approach.

Finlander declares that he would go 'all the way' to save his country, but later clarifies that the phrase is about deterrence rather than reckless action. He maintains his dogged pursuit is a conscious strategic posture, not personal mania.

Finlander asks for authorization to force the Soviet submarine to surface and identify itself, a move that would violate international law. He is twice told to wait, and the tension inside the Bedford grows as the chase continues.

The Bedford endures a round-the-clock general quarters stance while the submarine evades detection. The crew remains tense, following orders as frustration mounts with each passing hour.

Lookouts spot the submarine's snorkel above the surface, signaling a temporary safe passage in international waters. The exhausted sonarman is plagued by delusions, adding to the strain on the chase.

Finlander orders the sub to surface and identify itself; the sub ignores the command. In a tense moment, the Bedford's actions lead to the submarine's snorkel being run over, escalating the confrontation.

Schrepke protests that Finlander has cornered the sub, warning against brinkmanship. Under mounting pressure, Ensign Ralston is ordered to arm the ASROC anti-submarine weapon, turning dread into action.

The ASROC warhead detonates above the submarine, ending the chase in an instant. The destroyed sub's crew is left horrified as the attack unfolds before them.

The submarine, reacting to the attack, launches a spread of four nuclear torpedoes at the Bedford. Despite evasive maneuvers and countermeasures, the crew faces a seemingly hopeless predicament.

The Bedford and her crew are vaporized in an atomic blast, the crisis ending in catastrophic fashion. The pursuit collapses into a total, devastating loss as the ship is destroyed.