active missile silos in arkansas

There are 1,000 kilotons in a megaton). On May 22, 1958, a crew was servicing Nike missiles at a site in Middletown, N.J. One missile exploded, starting a chain reaction that set off seven others, causing what the Associated Press . A welder accidentally hit a hydraulic fluid line with his welding rod, which sparked a fire that quickly filled the missile shaft and sucked the oxygen out. Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems were . The missiles were shipped off to a base in Utah, and the silos were destroyed. On September 19, 1980, a second tragedy struck the 308th Strategic Missile Wing. [18], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}352451N 922350W / 35.4141N 92.3972W / 35.4141; -92.3972. 6. Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB) was headquarters for the 510th Strategic Missile Squadron of the 351st Strategic Missile Wing, consisting of 150 Minuteman II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) silos and 15 launch control facilities spread over 14 counties of west central Missouri . They all knew each other. Incredible Missile Silos In Arkansas For Sale References Three years later the Pangburn launch site was rocked by an explosion which killed 53 of the 55 contract workers doing maintenance work. "This whole facility was designed to shake to survive in case of war," Hill said. We drove past these remnants of the cold war toward Brush, Colorado where we intended to stop at a small lake near Brush just off of the highway and have our picnic. Eventually, the missile combat crew and the PTS team evacuated the launch control center, while military and civilian response teams arrived to tackle the hazardous situation. In 1965, dozens of people died after a fire started in a Titan II silo in Arkansas. When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into space in 1957, it made the idea of long-range nuclear bombers obsolete. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). 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You may know that theres an Air Force base there. Nuclear Ukraine: Inside The Missile Base That Could Have Changed History Perhaps most famously, as the investigative journalist Eric Schlosser recounts in his book Command and Control, in 1980, a Titan II missile exploded in its silo in Damascus, Arkansas, while carrying a nuclear warhead. You knew it was 10 million people, but you didn't know where.". The Titan II ICBM Missile Silo 374-7 Site, located west of U.S. 65, 1.7 miles north of intersection with Arkansas Highway 124 near Southside in Van Buren County, is nationally significant by virtue of its unique and exceptionally important history within the Titan II program: it was the site of a September 1980 accident that severely damaged . He was the first Native American ever inducted into the South Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2007. Titan Ranch, located at 23 Missile Base Road in Vilonia, Arkansas, offers renters the chance to spend a night underground in a converted intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) facility. I can recall vividly the September 1980 explosion which destroyed a missile in its silo located near Damascus on the Faulkner-Van Buren County line. Warren Air Force Base oversees ICBM fields that cover parts of Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. John Hooks Well, first we got to dig into how they got here in the first place. They were simple-looking white canisters. 75) of Scorpion is largely based on this event. If you saw footage from the massive explosion in Beirut this past August, King says, you saw what he saw that morning. At around 6:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday, September 18, 1980, two airmen from a Propellant Transfer System (PTS) team were checking the pressure on the oxidizer tank of a USAF Titan II missile at Little Rock AFB's Launch Complex 374-7. The United States built many missile silos in the Midwest, away from populated areas. The first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) silos arrived on the Great Plains in 1959 when Atlas sites were constructed in Wyoming. As was the case with the Pangburn disaster, the explosion at the Damascus launch site resulted from routine maintenance work. The Strategic Air Command facility of Little Rock Air Force Base was one of eighteen silos in the command of the 308th Strategic Missile Wing (308th SMW), specifically one of the nine silos within its 374th Strategic Missile Squadron (374th SMS), at the time of the explosion. As Jackie waved her hands around my head trying to chase the flies out of the window, cars passing us must have thought she was a woman gone mad who was assaulting the driver. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The nuclear warhead was also ejected from the missile silo. The state is armed with 150 nuclear missile silos that form a . By comparison, a house my be blown down by 5 psi of pressure, he said. Phew!We decided not to drive 14 hours back to Rapid City as we did on the trip down, but to stop about half way and spend the night. Placed on the western edges of the Soviet Union due to their limited range of 2,000 kilometers, the Sandals could . It is a long and lonely route. The second airmen survived his injuries, while 21 others suffered injuries from the blast and following rescue operation and cleanup. All rights reserved. He said, "The same as it was when you came in." Ten years ago, Hill purchased the site that Titan Ranch sits on. The fire started whena high-pressure hydraulic line was cut by anoxyacetylene torch. But we dealt with hydrazine [the fuel] and nitrogen tetroxide [the oxidizer] every day. When the socket fell, it plunged 70 feet to pierce the side of the . After nearly being run over by the sheriff, King and Phillips jumped in their car and took off. The 390th Strategic Missile Wing, headquartered at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, was active from 1962-84 and had command of the 18 sites in Southern Arizona. There are no windows in the space and no inclination that the sun had retreated and the moon was up. First Security Bank, Member FDIC. [1] It focused on the explosion, as well as other Broken Arrow incidents during the Cold War. Where Are All The Missile Silos In The US? - On Secret Hunt The explosion scattered debris across 400 acres of farmland. All three floors of the LCC do not actually connect to the walls and are instead suspended from the ceiling, reminiscent of a giant birdcage. View of the nose of a Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile sitting in its 150-foot deep underground launch pad at McConnell Air Force Base near Wichita, Kansas, circa 1965. On September 19, 1980, a second tragedy struck the 308th Strategic Missile Wing. Around 1 a.m. on September 19, they watched a helicopter and a bus full of people enter the base. As my stepdaughter Sarah, a rodeo girl, used to say about the distance between Rapid City and Faith, South Dakota when asked the distance, "About as far as you can drive and 20 miles more." He gave us a key to Room 20. locate You think things will take a year, but they really take five years.". Theyd heard on the scanner there was something going on at Missile Complex 374-7, the Titan II Missile installation in nearby Damascus. "So this is purposefully, 'Hey, you're not in a missile silo.' Vince Guerrieri is a writer based in the Cleveland area. Arkansas missile silo now a bunker on Airbnb | Miami Herald Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Lucky for us, Nick was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. The next morning, my kids enjoyed the donuts Id brought for them and another movie on the projector. Mondale and Jimmy Carter lost their bid for re-election in 1980. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Titan II ICBM Launch Complex Sites - Encyclopedia of Arkansas (Not coincidentally, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee at the time the missiles were installed was Arkansas Democrat Wilbur Mills.) One of the workers, Airman David P. Powell, had brought a ratchet wrench 3ft (0.9m) long weighing 25lb (11kg) into the silo instead of a torque wrench, the latter having been newly mandated by Air Force regulations. Of course, thats just as true on purpose as it is on accident. While researching what was going to be a book about warfare in space, journalist Eric Schlosser heard the story of the Damascus explosion. Mark Christ set the stage: "Senior Airman David Livingston and Sergeant Jeff K. Kennedy then entered the launch complex early on the morning of Sept. 19 to get readings on airborne fuel concentrations, which they found to be at their maximum. As if they didn't have enough to worry about. The Air Force-owned property houses the only remaining Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile complex left of the 54 that were active during the Cold War. But now, the socket fell all the way down the missile shaft66 feetbounced off the shaft mount ring, and hit the side of the missile, puncturing its eighth-inch hull. Lieutenant General Lloyd R. Leavitt Jr., the Vice Commander of the Strategic Air Command, commanded the effort to save the launch complex. [11], The launch complex was never repaired. October 18, 2021. And around 3:05 a.m., all hell broke loose, he tells Popular Mechanics. [2] The warhead landed a short distance away and no radioactive material was lost. [2], Kennedy, initially praised as a hero, later received an official letter of reprimand for his first entry into the complex, as it later transpired that he had disregarded an order to stay away. Titan Ranch is located in Vilonia, Arkansas, just northeast of Conway. At about 3 a.m., the two men returned to the surface to await further instructions. The Titan II missiles were the largest intercontinental ballistic missiles ever developed. For North Dakotans living next to nuclear missiles, the - InForum The missile sites in Arkansas fanned out from the base into Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, Van Buren and White counties. I tucked my children into the beds on the second floor, while my son picked a color for the light to stay while they fell asleep. Investigators later discovered that a welder working on level 3 had "hit a hydraulic line with his welding rod, rupturing the hose and causing the spray of hydraulic fuel to catch fire." At a station that small, King couldnt afford to specialize. The three-story facility previously housed a crew of four airmen two officers and two enlisted men who manned the site 24 hours a day and awaited launch instructions that thankfully were never issued. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. But this never happened. The nosecone from the Judsonia site sits atop a time capsule that will be opened Aug. 17, 2037. God. We stopped at Rockyford, Colorado about 6 p.m. and walked into the lobby of the only motel in town. "From a weapon of mass destruction to hosting birthday parties and weddings, that's pretty wild ride," Hill said. Missiles were programmed with three potential targets. The situation was critical. U.S. Nuclear Missile SILO Fields Maps and Coordinates - NYPrepper It was time-consuming and costly, but thanks to GTs determination to recover and preserve some history, you can experience it firsthand by touring or staying the night at Titan Ranch. file size: 5 MB. The land was sold back to the owners for as little as $600 to as much as $12,000. Extremist groups like to destroy cities. After a decommissioned Titan II missile silo in Arizona was sold in just two weeks late last year, two more desert silos . https://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations, Nukes in the Heartland: Remnants of Cold War Missile Sites Remain From Level 2, visitors may climb a spiral staircase to Level 1which previously served as the crew's sleeping quarters and kitchen or descend to Level 3, which housed the communication equipment that kept the facility connected to the larger world. They told of groping around in total darkness, hearing the screams of co-workers: "Men were screaming and crying. Two airmen were performing maintenance at Missile Complex 374-7, located 3 miles north of Damascus, the evening of September 18th. It never bounced into the missile.. So every minute counted.". It was sitting there at a moments notice, and putting the enemy on notice that they couldnt win the war.. The nearly 4,000 square-foot LCC now sleeps six comfortably and can hold as many as 70 visitors for a meeting or conference. About a half-mile down the road, Sgts. Wed been there for a while, and we were like, Send us in or send us home, Devlin recalls. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. "Every bullet and bomb used in World War II including the two atomic bombs was only half the yield of what a Titan II was capable of," said Titan Ranch owner GT Hill, who doubles as the facility's historian and tour guide. Former Minuteman II Missile Sites - Missouri After the missiles were retired, they were again used as space launchcraft until the last one was launched in 2003. ICBM Missile Silos - Newsthink The silos were of necessity deep, about 150 feet. The first disaster occurred on August 9, 1965 at launch complex 373-4, located near Searcy. 634: Human Error in Volatile Situations - This American Life Meanwhile, as a countermeasure, the silo was filling with water to douse potential flames and dilute the vapor. Eventually, it was foundin a ditch about 200 yards away from the silo. The first thing that makes this particular route interesting is the still active missile silos that dot the highway from Kimball to the Colorado border. More than half of the potential arsenal is in Amarillo, Texas, at the Pantex plant, which will dismantle them. During the next year, the other 18 missile silos in central Arkansas received ICBMs, and Jan. 1, 1964, all silos in Arkansas were active and on alert status. The Damascus incident was front page news for at least a few days. Visitors to Titan Ranch stay inside the former ICBM facility's launch control center (LCC), located 50 feet underground. The control room space sits on level two of an internal, solid steel birdcage structure. These 5 states were designed to be America's 'nuclear sponge' From 1963 to 1987, crews maintained the missiles on 24-hour alert and . Top: Vanderberg Air Force Base, for reference. He was also the station manager and news reporter. One can visualize men in uniform going about their business far below the surface of the earth, manning and maintaining the silos with their guided missiles armed with nuclear warheads smack in the middle of Colorado while cattle graze peacefully just outside of the wire fences enclosing the silos. In 1981, by Presidential order, all 54 of these missile silos were to be dismantled and abandoned by 1987. "That's one of the very few things about the Titan IIs that remain classified," he said. The second fuel tank, sitting just above the first, contained a different fuel that could spontaneously ignite if a collapse occurred and it came into contact with the aerozine 50 already in the launch duct. The silos launch door was propelled over 600 feet from the launch complex. "Then there was the water.". During the mapping of the missile sites in South Dakota, Delta- 01 was assigned the name of "Mike and Beth's Launch Control Center" after Mike Sprong and Beth Preheim, peace activists that mapped the Delta Flight and directed the mapping project in South Dakota. It is eerie to see military vehicles and military personnel going to and from these scary silos in the middle of wheat country. The site is also booked for a wedding later this year. He was a 19-year-old missile technician, a new trainee, riding with another guy, David Powell, who was showing Plumb the ropes. The W53 thermonuclear warhead landed about 100 feet (30m) from the launch complex's entry gate. History - Little Rock Air Force Base PDF Locations of U.S. nuclear weapons, 2006 - Federation of American Scientists We met with Nick, one of the current hosts, who led us down the steps into the bunker. Then it faded into relative obscurity. The tanks that held the rockets fuel and oxidizers broke open, mixed, and exploded. To Find America's Nuclear Missiles, Try Google Maps Aerial photographs taken Friday morning showed a gaping hole with smoke drifting from it, and debris scattered over hilly pastureland." The blast completely destroyed the silo and sent the 750-ton silo door . [2][12] The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 18, 2000. Nobodys saying its from that, but nobody else in my family has a thyroid condition.. Many features won't work correctly, and functionality can't be guaranteed. Mapping the Missile Fields (U.S. National Park Service) Powell was working on a Titan II missile fitted with a thermonuclear warhead, tucked away underground in Damascus, Arkansas. I said, We just left a bunch of dead people back there. He said Yeah, I know. We were sick about it. Fortunately, the situation stabilized and the grim task of removing the bodies began. Deactivation of Arkansas' Titan II missile silos began in May 1985 and ended May 5, 1987, with the state's last missile, located near Judsonia, Arkansas, being deactivated. Once through the blast doors, visitors enter Level 2, which is the former operations center where the officers would initiate the order to launch the ICBM. King decided to hang around. Say what? silo: [noun] a trench, pit, or especially a tall cylinder (as of wood or concrete) usually sealed to exclude air and used for making and storing silage. Matthew Kroenig, a Defense Department adviser during the Trump administration, suggested in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed that "the Pentagon should . Today, the area is home to one of the most mind-blowing destinations in the state. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. 1980 Damascus Titan missile explosion - Wikipedia Enjoy a Luxury Stay in an Underground Missile Silo in Arkansas Feeling very unwelcome we decided to try reaching Limon, Colorado, before dark. The remaining half, the author David K. Stumpf writes in Titan II: A History of the Cold War Missile Program, had launched into the air and spun 180 degrees before landing back on the ground. Explosive era: Tour visits site where Titan II blast in 1980 sent Accepted file types: jpg, png, Max. Email him at Arktopia.td@gmail.com. "Thank you" will n, We were so proud to be awarded New Boston's Busine, Do you have home improvements planned for this spr, Were counting down the days until the Arkansas, Congratulations to Lairie Kincaid on his well-dese, SAU Trap Team Takes Top Prize at 3rd Annual South Arkansas Outdoor Social, Farmers Bank & Trust Announces NCAA Name, Image, Likeness Student-Athletes, Farmers Bank Foundation Grants $125,000 to the Hope Public Schools, Farmers Bank & Trust to Acquire Community First Trust Company, Farmers Bank & Trust Opens New Full-Service Branch in Bryant, AR, Farmers Bank & Trust Opens New Full-Service Branch in Paris, TX, AR Governor appoints Chris Gosnell to Arkansas Economic Development Council, Prescott Donation to Benefit Families in Need, Shark Teeth in the Sulphur River? Six Young Women of Color Making a Difference in Arkansas, Crystal Bridges 2023 Exhibitions Unveiled, Things To Do In Independence and Stone Counties, KOKY: The Peoples Station in Little Rock, This Month in Arkansas History: September | Only In Arkansas, Military Bases in Arkansas - Only In Arkansas. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. In April 2018, Atlas Obscura told the stories of five nuclear accidents that burst into public view. A WWII Bomb Has Been Found at the Fukushima Nuclear Site, Dozens of Previously Hidden Nuclear Test Videos Declassified, Uploaded to YouTube, In the 1960s, Telegraph Poles Were Equipped With Nuclear Bomb Alarms, Decades Ago, the U.S. Military Set Off a Nuke Underwater, And It Went Very Badly. Livingston died of his injuries [later] that day." Level 3 now serves as the living room and kitchen area. "We never wanted to build rooms," Hill said, referring to the circular layout and feel to the LCC. The Titans sat fueled and ready to go at a moments noticebut that meant constant monitoring and maintenance. The chances of all this happening were so remote, David Stumpf, the author of .css-3wjtm9{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#1c6a65;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-3wjtm9:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Titan II: A History of a Cold War Missile Program, tells Popular Mechanics. Kennedy went down into the silo by himself to get readings. The incident began with a fuel leak at 6:30 p.m. on September 18, and culminated with the explosion at around 3:00 a.m. on September 19, ejecting the warhead from its silo. The demon core that killed two scientists, the underground test that didnt stay that way, One man died and more than 20 others were injured. The initial PTS team was sent home. This wasnt the first time; in most instances, it hit the platform. They were Titan II missile silos that housed nuclear weapons on a Gemini rocket, designed to be launched into space in under one minute. In the silo, they have a close-up view of the missile from less than ten feet away. DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Thats why a Propellant Transfer System (PTS) crew was in the silo in the early evening of September 18, 1980, at the end of a long day, pressurizing the fuel tank of the missile (which, in a morbid coincidence, was the same one that 15 years earlier was in the silo that caught fire). 5 Specifications. Livingston reentered the silo to carry out the order and shortly thereafter, at about 3:00 a.m., the hypergolic fuel exploded likely due to arcing in the exhaust fan.

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