Posted on 07/21/2004 8:27:55 AM PDT by show me state
WASSAW ISLAND, Ga. - A group says it might have discovered a missing hydrogen bomb that the Air Force accidentally dropped off the Georgia coast more than 45 years ago.
Derek Duke, a retired Air Force colonel, and others used equipment that detects radiation and large metal objects Tuesday to scour an area the size of a football field in Wassau Sound, a shallow area near Tybee Beach.
Duke said that radiation levels were seven to 10 times greater than normal at one spot. The group then detected a massive underwater object, he said.
"It might be nothing," Duke said. "Our big question now is, 'What do we do next?'"
Billy Mullins, associate director of Air Force Nuclear Weapons and Counterproliferation Agency, said that the bomb is best left alone.
The bomb is probably entombed in 20 feet of mud, he said.
"If you want to determine for sure that it was the (nuclear bomb), you would have to dig it up with a big dredging type of operation," Mullins said.
He said that presents two risks: The dredge could hit the bomb and detonate the high explosives, threatening the salvage crew, and an explosion might blow a hole in a clay layer protecting an aquifer that supplies drinking water to Savannah.
"We really don't think it's in the best interest in the safety of Savannah to be digging around there when it's perfectly safe where it is," Mullins said.
The bomb contains uranium and 400 pounds of explosives, but doesn't have a plutonium capsule, Mullins said. With no capsule, the bomb is incapable of creating a nuclear explosion.
Duke and others remain concerned that the plutonium capsule is in the bomb.
"If this is indeed the spot where the bomb is, the Air Force needs to come in and come clean," Duke said.
The crew of a B-47 accidentally dropped the 7,600-pound H-bomb in 1958 after it collided with another jet fighter. The military searched for the bomb for three months.
Duke said he plans to take the results of the search to labs for analysis. He is considering whether to hand over his findings to the Air Force or Georgia environmental officials.
Would make for one helluva dirty bomb, though...
Well just leave it there for some radical Islam group to dig up.
"It might be nothing," Duke said.
"Massive underwater objects leaking radiation are usually no big deal."
Whatever you do, don't cut the red wire.
This is only peripherally related, but this article made me wonder if any of the (decommissioned) atomic weapons of this era are available for public viewing, either on the web or in museums.
I suppose its possible that the designs are still classified, but it would be really interesting to see what the insides of these things looked like. They were truly state of the art devices in their time.
I think I'm starting to understand why George Carlin used to say "military intelligence" is an oxymoron.
If you think this incident excuses George Carlin's idiocy, think again ...
Its my understanding that the Bomber carrying this weapon was involved in an accident with the fighter and there was an actual decision made to dump the bomb before attempting a landing. It would certainly suck to have your Bomber (i.e. flying gas-tank) explode on the runway and scatter uranium around everywhere.
If this is the incident Im thinking about, whoever made those decisions gets 2 thumbs up from me.
You only get to see the outside.
"If you want to determine for sure that it was the (nuclear bomb), you would have to dig it up with a big dredging type of operation," Mullins said.
Any underwater treasure hunter will tell you that this isn't true. Do you suppose that an underwater vacuum system might be used to excavate the bomb? How about a coffer dam? They said the water wasn't 'deep'.
The Navy will usually go to great lengths to recover lost ordnance, like WW2 torpedoes, if they present a hazard. I can't believe the lax attitude of the Air Force on this one.
You are correct.
What did Bush know?! When did he know it?!
Bombie....they found you !
....um....uh....can Muttly have him back ?!!!
Whoa. That sight is almost information overload.
I'll have to check it out.
Thanks!
Has Ronstadt been scuba diving off the coast of Georgia?
In those days...SAC bomber pilots had checklists and air-control towers had them as well...and everyone went by the checklist (unlike today's fighter-pilot managers). It was a simple item on a checklist somewhere, and someone had sat down and thought about what to do. Under no circumstances would you land a damaged plane with nukes onboard. Its a absolute mixture for disaster.
As for what to do with the possible bomb...nothing. If you try to remove...you are tempting fate and will likely cause an accident.
A dirty bomb is made from the left-over dirty isotopes from material that has previously undergone nuclear reactions. This would not make a helluva dirty bomb unless it was put into a nuclear reactor for some time.
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