The Day We Lost the H-Bomb

March 29, 1966 (SNL).

84 “furnishing data to unseeing computers”: SAC Historical Study #109, p. 49.

84 ultimately generating a three-foot stack: “Vital Contributions Made by Sandia in Locating Lost Nuclear Weapon,” Sandia Lab News, April 22, 1966, pp. 4–5.

84 a forked stick: Maydew, America’s Lost H-Bomb, p. 52.

84 Ramirez had another lead: Ramirez’s first meeting with Simo comes from author’s interview with Joe Ramirez, January 27, 2007.

86 he found himself on the USS Pinnacle: SAC Historical Study #109, pp. 45–46; Department of the Navy, Naval Ship Systems Command, Aircraft Salvage Operation Mediterranean (Aircraft Salvops Med). Sea Search and Recovery of an Unarmed Nuclear Weapon by Task Force 65, Interim Report (Reston, Va.: Ocean Systems, 1966), pp. 7, C2; Joe Ramirez interview, January 27, 2007.

86 The water was just over two thousand feet: The water depth was 340 fathoms, which converts to 2,041 feet. Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, p. 7.

86 “sharp and hazy”: SAC Historical Study #109, p. 46.

86 President Johnson sat down: President’s daily diary, January 22, 1966 (Box 5, LBJ).

87 In the film: The description of Thunderball comes from the author’s viewing of the film.

87 When Jack Howard called Alan Pope: Maydew, America’s Lost H- Bomb, ix.

87 And early reports noted that real Soviets: Cable, Embassy in Madrid to the Department of State, January 21, 1966, #869 (LBJ).

CHAPTER 6: CALL IN THE NAVY

88 Red Moody sat in the cockpit: Author’s interview with DeWitt (hence forth “Red”) Moody, November 7, 2006; D. H. Moody, “40th Anniversary of Palomares,” Faceplate 10, no. 2 (September 2006), p. 15. The arrival of the divers in Spain and the early days of the search are chronicled in Memo, Commander Task Group 65.3 to Commander Task Force 65, “Report of In shore Search, Identification and Recovery Unit,” March 13, 1966 (NHC).

88 On January 22: Maydew, America’s Lost H-Bomb, pp. ix- x.

88 the CNO had established a task force: Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, 1966, p. C2.

89 Four U.S. Navy minesweepers: The ships were the USS Sagacity (MSO-469), USS Pinnacle (MSO-462), USS Skill (MSO-471), USS Nimble (MSO-459), USNS Dutton (T-AGS-22), and USS Macdonough (DLG-8). Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, pp. C1–C2.

89 A small team of EOD divers: Author’s interviews with Oliver Andersen, January 22, 2007, and March 31, 2007, and Red Moody, November 7, 2006. Also Memo, Commander Task Group 65.3 to Commander Task Force 65, “Report of Inshore Search,” March 13, 1966 (NHC).

89 “His sole purpose in life”: Oliver Andersen interview, January 22, 2007.

90 Then Moody made an announcement: The story of Red Moody’s first visit to the Macdonough is from Red Moody interview, November 7, 2006.

90 DeWitt “Red” Moody: Red Moody’s personal history comes from author’s interviews with Moody, November 7, 2006, and July 17, 2007.

91 Admiral Guest paid a visit: Author’s interview with Red Moody, November 7, 2006; Memo, Commander Task Group 65.3 to Commander Task Force 65, “Report of Inshore Search,” March 13, 1966 (NHC).

92 He had been thrown: Admiral Guest arrived in Palomares on January 24, 1966. Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, p. C2.

92 Guest was a no-nonsense man: The description of Guest comes primarily from author’s interviews with Douglas Kingsbery, July 27, 2007, and Robert Kingsbery, July 19, 2007. Additional information is from U.S. Department of the Navy, Biography of Rear Admiral William S. Guest (Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, undated), and author’s interviews with Red Moody, November 7, 2006, and July 17, 2007; Horace Page, April 3, 2007; and J. Bradford Mooney, March 30, 2007.

93 Guest hit the ground running: Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, pp. 9, 11.

93 The wedge measured: Using the map shown in Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, p. 9, the author calculated the area of the initial search area to be 51.03 square miles. Manhattan is 22.7 square miles.

93 Oliver Andersen, left in charge: The description of the inshore searching comes primarily from author’s interviews with Oliver Andersen, January 22, 2007, and March 31, 2007.

93 The divers found a lot of debris: Memo, Commander Task Group 65.3 to Commander Task Force 65, “Report of Inshore Search,” March 13, 1966 (NHC).

94 Underwater searching is complicated: The description of a jackstay search and other EOD diving background comes from the author’s visit with the divers of EOD 6 on March 20–21, 2007, and interviews with Brad Andros and Ron Ervin during that time.

95 and there were no decent charts: Aircraft Salvops Med, pp. 17, 75.

95 One Navy captain named Lewis Melson: Author’s interview with Lewis Melson, August 23, 2006.

95 On January 27, the USS Kiowa arrived: The background on the Decca hi-fix and its installation problems are from Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, p. 18; Aircraft Salvops Med, Final Report, vol. 1, p. 24; Aircraft Salvops Med, Final Report, February 15, 1967, vol. 4, appendix B, pp. 3–11; and SAC Historical Study #109, pp. 295, 304.

96 “like going up here in the hills”: “William S. Guest Press Conference,” April 8, 1966.

96 “throwing a needle”: Author’s interview with Gaylord White, March 3, 2007.

96 “finding a needle in a haystack”: “The Bomb Is Found,” Time, March 25, 1966, p. 77.

96 “This must be the devil’s”: Szulc, The Bombs of Palomares, p. 172.

FEBRUARY

CHAPTER 7: VILLA JARAPA

99 “The once-deserted Mediterranean coast”: Richard Oulahan, “The Case of the Missing H-Bomb,” Life, February 25, 1966, p. 106B.

99 Wilson decided that the barren: SAC Historical Study #109, p. 82.

99 Camp Wilson served as home and office: Details on Camp Wilson can be found in SAC

Historical Study #109, pp. 83–93. General Wilson’s reports to SAC and the “Red- Eye Special” are discussed on pp. 72–74.

100 Robert Finkel, the squadron commander: Robert Finkel interview, April 4, 2007.

100 Joe Ramirez, also rooming happily: Joe Ramirez interviews, January 27, 2007, and April 27, 2007.

101 they called Camp Wilson “Villa Jarapa”: Miguel Olid, “Luz sobre Palomares,”