40 Year Anniversary Of The Damascus AR Titan Accident

Discussion in 'The Okie Corral' started by willie_pete, Sep 18, 2020.

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  1. Sep 18, 2020 #1
    willie_pete

    willie_pete NRA Life Member

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    40 Years ago today started the beginning of the Broken Arrow accident at Damascus AR involving the on-alert Titan II missile at site 4-7. I had pulled a few alerts at this site. The subject of the PBS film " Command and Control ".



    One person was killed and 21 people were injured. I knew Dave and a lot of the people injured.The 9 MT warhead was blown out of the silo.


    There is a 9 MT hydrogen bomb in this picture. See if you can find it.

    damascus_1.jpg

    damascus_10.jpg


    RIP, Sgt. David Livingston.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2020
    willie_pete, Sep 18, 2020
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  3. Sep 18, 2020 #2
    Falling Crow

    Falling Crow NRA Life Member

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    My sons scout troop camped in an old Titan II silo near this site this last weekend and watched "Command and Control." It was pretty cool!
     
    Falling Crow, Sep 18, 2020
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  5. Sep 18, 2020 #3
    willie_pete

    willie_pete NRA Life Member

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    Which one ? I only had heard about the 3-9 site being renovated; is there another one ?
     
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  6. Sep 18, 2020 #4
    Falling Crow

    Falling Crow NRA Life Member

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    It was 3-9. The owner told us over near Searcy there is another one that has just recently been excavated/opened but is not anywhere near ready for visitors/tours. The owner of 3-9 is making part of the crew quarters there into an "Air B&B" which will be available soon!

    Another fun fact-the launch console, etc. on display at the Jacksonville Military Museum is the actual console from site 3-9!
     
    Falling Crow, Sep 18, 2020
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  7. Sep 18, 2020 #5
    M&P15T

    M&P15T All Hail King Kona

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    upload_2020-9-18_11-45-57.png
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2020
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  8. Sep 18, 2020 #6
    BOOSTED12A

    BOOSTED12A

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    I thought it happened in the 80s?
     
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  9. Sep 18, 2020 #7
    cbetts1

    cbetts1

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    September 18–19, 1980,
     
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  10. Sep 18, 2020 #8
    cbetts1

    cbetts1

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    I think the US and other countries with nukes have been very lucky.
    We were very lucky that day.
     
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  11. Sep 18, 2020 #9
    BOOSTED12A

    BOOSTED12A

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    So this is the 20th 20 year anniversary?
     
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  12. Sep 18, 2020 #10
    willie_pete

    willie_pete NRA Life Member

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    Yeah, I don't know WTF happened between my brain and the keyboard.

    :crazy:
     
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  13. Sep 18, 2020 #11
    willie_pete

    willie_pete NRA Life Member

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    3-9 was my home site until I upgraded to the ACP @ 3-8. I spent a lot of hours slaving over the console.
     
    willie_pete, Sep 18, 2020
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  14. Sep 18, 2020 #12
    Falling Crow

    Falling Crow NRA Life Member

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    WOW!!! Our scouts slept in Level 3-I slept in the decontamination room to get a 6000 pound door between me and the noise. Then I found out I was about where Livingston was when the Damascus explosion occurred....brought it home a little bit.

    He also let us go out the escape tunnel-could not imagine Kennedy doing that in the dark!
     
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  15. Sep 18, 2020 #13
    BOOSTED12A

    BOOSTED12A

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    Must be the heat down there
     
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  16. Sep 18, 2020 #14
    Finestkind

    Finestkind

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    Is this close to hwy 65?

    finestkind
     
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  17. Sep 18, 2020 #15
    mtidaflash

    mtidaflash

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    Yes, just off Hwy 65. I was only a few miles away when this happened in 1980.
     
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  18. Sep 18, 2020 #16
    willie_pete

    willie_pete NRA Life Member

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    :alex:

    Oh Hell, I would not even do that in daylight.


    " Things " lived in that escape tunnel.
     
    willie_pete, Sep 18, 2020
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  19. Sep 19, 2020 #17
    willie_pete

    willie_pete NRA Life Member

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    Yeah, that's it. That road was the entrance to the site. People had been walking past it all morning not knowing what it was. Finally one guy walked by and basically said,

    " Wait, WHAT ? "

    It had been stripped of the RV as it went through the 750 ton concrete/steel door. Turns out it never would have yielded since the electronics were cleaned off and the firing capacitors would have never charged.

    RV
    RV.jpg

    W-53
    w-53.jpg

    w532.jpg
     
    willie_pete, Sep 19, 2020
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  20. Sep 19, 2020 #18
    Falling Crow

    Falling Crow NRA Life Member

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    Here is my son climbing out...
     

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  21. Sep 19, 2020 #19
    Scamp57

    Scamp57

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  22. Sep 19, 2020 #20
    Rellik

    Rellik Kwisatz Haderach in Training

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    Willie, how long can a liquid rocket stay "ready" before having to go off alert for service?

    And how about soviet rockets, if you know?
     
    Rellik, Sep 19, 2020
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