active missile silos in arkansas active missile silos in arkansas

He started the radio station after his previous employer, Dogpatch, a Li'l Abner theme park, went belly-up. Matthew Kroenig, a Defense Department adviser during the Trump administration, suggested in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed that "the Pentagon should . The following is a list of active missiles of the United States military. 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. The last active duty Titan II silo, she went off alert 5/5/87: 373-9 This site is currently for sale for $85K according to www.missilebases.com: 373-7 "The Four Side" If you stand in the middle of the room and talk, the sounds seem strangely muffled but also echo at the same time. The missiles were housed in 54 launch sites located in three states; Arkansas had 18 launch complexes located in Faulkner, Conway, White, Van Buren, and Cleburne counties. The newly formed 308th Strategic Missile Wing oversaw the operation of 18 missile sites, manned by groups of four soldiers 24 hours a day. The most common sites have been the . 5 Specifications. Three years later the Pangburn launch site was rocked by an explosion which killed 53 of the 55 contract workers doing maintenance work. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. These sites in Springhill in Faulkner County, Southside in Van Buren County and Center Hill in White County are now on the National Register of Historic Places. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. The rental space is inside what was once the crew quarters and missile launch control center. I . It is eerie to see military vehicles and military personnel going to and from these scary silos in the middle of wheat country. On the night of September 18, 1980, a Titan II missile carrying a thermonuclear warhead exploded in rural Arkansas. Titan Ranch is located in Vilonia, Arkansas, just northeast of Conway. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. [2], At daybreak, the Air Force retrieved the warhead,[9][10] which was returned to the Pantex weapons assembly plant. The silos were of necessity deep, about 150 feet. By comparison, a house my be blown down by 5 psi of pressure, he said. He was the first Native American ever inducted into the South Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2007. Should the missile need to be fired in anger, launch instructions would indicate that either Target 1, Target 2, or Target 3 was in the crosshairs; the men firing the ICBMs never knew what the targets actually were. All rights reserved. The discovery of what appear to be hundreds of new missile silos under construction in China has inspired arguments that imply the United States needs more nuclear weapons. The blast and thermal effects within a dozen miles or so of each of these silo's will be deadly, and the fallout radiation will . Created with Sketch. If a rocket could be launched into space, it could also be launched at something, and far faster than bombers could fly to targets to drop their payloads. After a half hourthey could only stay in the silo that long because of their oxygen tanksthey came back up. You know you're definitely in someplace different, but we wanted to make it nice enough that you didn't think you were in a silo.". The Air Force refused to confirm or deny if a nuclear weapon was involved in the explosioneven to Vice President Walter Mondale, who was in Arkansas that day for the state Democratic convention, trying to help the states young governor, Bill Clinton, in a re-election bid. President Ronald Reagan announced the retirement of the Titan II program, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Livingston lay amid the rubble of the launch duct for some time before security personnel located and evacuated him. trademark, including the use of official emblems, insignia, names and slogans), warnings And around 3:05 a.m., all hell broke loose, he tells Popular Mechanics. What you may not know is that at one time, there were 18 ICBM (intercontinental nuclear missile) silos surrounding the Little Rock area. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. The next, they were bracing against an explosion that destroyed the facility beyond repair. 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. In the early morning hours of September 19th, two airmen entered the complex to measure the airborne fuel concentration. The incident occurred on September 18-19, 1980, at Missile Complex 374-7 in rural Arkansas when a U.S. Air Force LGM-25C Titan II ICBM loaded with a 9-megaton W-53 nuclear warhead experienced a liquid fuel explosion . The missile was not armed at the time. He Ended Up With A Titan Ii Missile Silo That Was Decommissioned In Spring Of 1986. First Security Bank, Member FDIC. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Only in Arkansas. The fire started whena high-pressure hydraulic line was cut by anoxyacetylene torch. The likely missile field, comprising 120 silos that could potentially house weapons capable of reaching the United States mainland, was documented by researchers at the James Martin Center for . But we dealt with hydrazine [the fuel] and nitrogen tetroxide [the oxidizer] every day. "Some people get a little nervous down here. 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 . 6. It appears that you're using a severely outdated version of Safari on Windows. [7][8], Livingston died at the hospital, and 21 others in the immediate vicinity of the blast sustained various injuries; Kennedy struggled with respiratory issues from inhaling oxidizer but survived. Delta- 09 was believed to be assigned the name "Cassandra's Missile . Each launch complex contained underground operational offices as well as living quarters for a staff of four. Its a lot of heavy information in a short time, but worth absorbing every minute of it. The high water table in Arkansas meant that without regular maintenance the bottom of the facility was prone to flood with groundwater. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 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. The nuclear warhead was also ejected from the missile silo. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan announced the retirement of the Titan II program. The united states built many missile silos in the midwest, away from populated areas. There are no windows in the space and no inclination that the sun had retreated and the moon was up. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Bottom: Damascus after the explosion. Unlike its predecessor, the Titan II used hypergolic propellant, with fuel and oxidizer stored in the missileat room temperatureand mixed to launch almost instantaneously. Kimberly S. Mitchell loves journeys, real or imagined. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters. Early in the morning of Friday, September 19, a two-man PTS investigation team consisting of Senior Airman David Lee Livingston and Sergeant Jeff K. Kennedy entered the silo. 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." That's a multimillion dollar project to do anything with it," he said. So the Titans stayed in placeand demonstrated time and again their peril. Nuclear weapons are just ideal for that., The next nuclear bomb to go off will not be delivered by a missile. Pen & Quin: International Agents of Intrigue - The Mystery of the Painted Book is her debut novel. Miraculously, only one person died: Livingston, in a local hospital the day after the explosion of pulmonary edema, sometimes called dry drowning. You can see the locations of all silos on the ICBM History page. We backed out of the room quickly and asked for another room. This design allows the structure to absorb the force from a nearby nuclear strike, with eight giant springs serving as shock absorbers. I said, We just left a bunch of dead people back there. He said Yeah, I know. We were sick about it. The four men at the silo were blown off their feet. The other B-52 wing at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana has more than 900 warheads, and White-man AFB in Missouri has more than 130 bombs for its B-2 bombers. Mondale and Jimmy Carter lost their bid for re-election in 1980. If the Soviets had missiles, then the Americans needed them, too. Many of these locations hold warheads awaiting dismantlement. Construction on the Minuteman II structures began in 1946. Soviet Ukraine held around one-third of the U.S.S.R.'s nuclear arsenal, most of . Now she writes adventures to send her characters on journeys, too. When I needed a break from writing the series, I found myself scrolling around Nebraska and Colorado, looking for silos and . "That way if there was a nuclear explosion, they always wanted to have one door closed to protect the facility," Hill said. The Air Force also chose two other states to site Titan II missiles: Arizona and Kansas. The explosion blew the silo blast doors off and sent chunks of debris flying everywhere, including the nine-megaton nuclear warhead that sat atop the missile. Within a couple hours, there was a crowd of about 25 to 30 journalists and law enforcement personnel gathered just outside the gate. Once clear of the silo, the second stage exploded. The SALT I Treaty, signed in 1972 by the U.S. and Soviet Union, allowed for the Titans to be traded for more missile submarines, but Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev wouldnt sign the treaty without assurances the trade wouldnt happen. 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 . The warhead was found 100 feet from the launch complex. We met with Nick, one of the current hosts, who led us down the steps into the bunker. It is a long and lonely route. The Cold War was over, and with it the threat of annihilation right? When in service, the 110-foot long, 10-foot wide Titan II missile carried the largest warhead the United States military ever placed on an ICBM. But spend any amount of time here and you'll forget that you're underground," he said. Theres a real risk right now. 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. The main theory is that when the vent switch was pushed, it sparked the explosion, Devlin says. Aerozine 50 is hypergolic with the Titan II's oxidizer, dinitrogen tetroxide, such that they spontaneously ignite upon contact with each other. Tim Giago, an Oglala Lakota, is the editor and publisher of Native Sun News. Robert Rhodus, the test conductor for the company that had built the missile, watched in fascination as the elevator, carrying a missile fully loaded with propellants, plummeted to the bottom of the silo, Stumpf writes. Deactivated silos were located in Arizona, California, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, New York, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington. They told of groping around in total darkness, hearing the screams of co-workers: "Men were screaming and crying. I was living out of state at the time, but the disaster was covered in depth by the national press. Maps to the LRAFB missile sites Be warned Arkansas Farmers aren't against shooting trespassers! By 9 p.m. the Air Force had a team on site and began evacuating personnel as well as some local residents. The land is now under private ownership. [5] The 8lb (3.6kg) socket fell off the ratchet and dropped approximately 80 feet (24m) before bouncing off a thrust mount and piercing the missile's skin over the first-stage fuel tank, causing it to leak a cloud of its aerozine 50 fuel. "Then there was the water.". "When it came to mutually assured destruction, the U.S might only have 30 minutes to respond to a Soviet nuclear attack. The first launch complex completed was situated near Pangburn northwest of Searcy, going operational on July 31, 1962. [14], In September 2013, Eric Schlosser published a book titled Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety. All the guys that walked down with their RHFCO suits, I just assumed they were all killed.. That night, the only clue we had that it was way past bedtime was our fatigue. You may also know that it was an important location during the Cold War, a difficult time in the US and World History. A compilation of platforms and weapons, the three legs of the U.S. nuclear triad serve as the backbone of America's national security. You may know that theres an Air Force base there. The first Titan II missile in Arkansas was installed in a silo near Searcy in 1963. 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. The countdown to launch started and thenright before the signal to ignite the rocket would have been givenit was stopped. Eighteen were in Arkansas, from which intercontinental ballistic missiles carrying nine-megaton nuclear warheads could be launched to strike targets as far as 5,500 miles away. The Reagan Administration decided to . Level 3 now serves as the living room and kitchen area. Lucky for us, Nick was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. One of the strangest things about the master suite is the domed concrete ceiling. While renovating, GT decided to put in a spiral staircase to save space and it adds to the industrial ambiance. Then we realized what it was and started grabbing for masks.. These are MAJOR nuclear war targets, each one of these silo's will be hit with minimum one warhead with a fairly large yield as part of a Russian counterforce attack. But the newly constructed test facility was so badly damaged it wasnt worth salvaging. I heard somebody yelling "Help me! They were given codes on paper, to be confirmed by the crew in place for a changeover, and the paper was burned. The Pentagon plans to spend $264 billion on its next-generation ICBM program, which . You think things will take a year, but they really take five years.". But the effects of the explosion and working with the potentially toxic fuel linger for many of the airmen who were on site. [5] Powell later claimed that he was already below ground in his safety suit when he realized he had brought the wrong wrench, so he chose to continue rather than turn back. Why the Air Force Wants a Stealthy Tanker by 2040, Why Runaway Mines Are Detonating in the Black Sea, How This Humble Drone Shrugs Off Russian Jamming. It never bounced into the missile.. 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. Extremist groups like to destroy cities. Your email address will not be published. It was still dark outside early the next morning when we dropped the room key in the office mailbox and boogied down the highway eager to get back to good old Rapid City. For a minute, it was the same deal as an A-bomb. But Peters realized it wasnt a nuclear explosion, because he had time to think. See. Eventually, it was foundin a ditch about 200 yards away from the silo. 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. It's time for your real estate portfolio to go ballistic! He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard with the Class of 1990. President Reagan announced plans to retire the Titan II program in September 1981, only one year after the Damascus disaster. Decommissioning the former missile silos included destroying the top 25 feet of each silo and the access portal and elevator to the LCC. The entire process of the opening, cleaning, renovation and updating is documented on his largely followed Titan Ranch YouTube channel, and I highly recommend checking it out. [2] The warhead landed a short distance away and no radioactive material was lost. The story behind Colorado's Minuteman missiles and the people at the controls. Over its 25 years in the service, the Titan II series had it share of accidents, two of the most well-known occurring in Arkansas. 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. A socket like the one that punctured the missiles hull. The situation was critical. Visitors actually drive over the top of the former missile silo on their way to the LCC. Titan Ranch missile control center comes with a full kitchen, stocked with drinks refrigerator, and a massive projector equipped with multiple movie streaming options along with some saved movies. Here are some maps showing the locations of U.S. Minuteman III ICBM silo's along with coordinates. The Damascus missile complex was at the Southside location, indicated by the red star on the map above. Illustration: Ada Amer/Background image: Public Domain. A civilian crew was working throughout all nine floors of the missile silo, which plunged 150 into the ground. "And we don't have any vacancies because there's a tournament in town," he spat. She believes magic can be found in life and books, loves to watch the stars appear, and still dreams of backpacking the world. AddThis Utility Frame. This wasnt the first time; in most instances, it hit the platform. It was dank and smelled of fresh vomit. Theyd heard on the scanner there was something going on at Missile Complex 374-7, the Titan II Missile installation in nearby Damascus. Crews of four men would work 24-hour shifts, followed by 24 hours off. The team had met its goal. While I wouldnt recommend this for small children, its certainly a bucket list-worthy experience for adults and older children. Placed on the western edges of the Soviet Union due to their limited range of 2,000 kilometers, the Sandals could . Arkansas was home to 18 Titan II ICBMs in a missile field located north of Conway. "TheThree Side" 373-1: 373-3: 373-2 . "This was a half-a-million project, and I didn't have half-a-million," Hill said. Incredible Active Missile Silos In Arkansas Ideas. There are only a few places in the United States where you can tour a former nuclear missile silo, but only one with luxury accommodations where you can also host a party, and its only a few hours away. The Doomsday Clock is at 100 seconds to midnight., The odds of a city being destroyed are probably the highest since World War II, says Schlosser. Lately, many have been closed and the . Had the Cold War ever turned hot, it was capable of being launched in one minute and could deliverits 9 megaton warhead to a target 9,000 miles away. "When we designed this, it was designed for couples as a kind-of getaway space," Hill said. We hurriedly put our food away, closed the hatchback and put some distance between ourselves and the pasture. On the night of September 18, 1980, a Titan II missile carrying a thermonuclear warhead exploded in rural Arkansas. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A look inside Level 3 of the Titan Ranch in Vilonia, featuring the facility's emergency escape tunnel and ladder. The aim was to bring the weapon right up to the point where it could be launched, without actually sending it off: They needed to know the missile would be ready to use in attack, if needed. The missile base I visited, Foxtrot-01, is right there on Google Maps. Greg Devlin and his wife, Annette, in 1980. The facility was one of 18 underground Titan II missile silos in Arkansas that helped formthe backbone of the United States' nuclear arsenal from the 1960s until the 1980s. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Back in September 1980, September 18, Jeff Plumb climbed into his pickup and headed toward the nuclear missile silo near a tiny town in Arkansas called Damascus. Because their vapor detectors indicated an explosive atmosphere, the two were ordered to evacuate. King was part owner of KGFL-AM in Clinton, Arkansas. Two of the most serious disasters to plague the Titan II missile program during the Cold War occurred in Arkansas. Top: Vanderberg Air Force Base, for reference. In Arkansas, three launch sites remain with both launch pads and control centers. [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.