Command and Control

INDEX

The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the “search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable.

Able Archer 83, 448–49

A-bomb. See Atomic bomb

“Acceptable Military Risks from Accidental Detonation of Atomic Weapons,” 171–72

Accident prevention

Burned Board briefing, 369–70, 376–77

control boxes, new, 441

Fowler Letter, 333–34, 369–70

insensitive high explosives for, 332, 471

military/bureaucratic resistance to, 173–74, 264, 313–14, 333–34, 370–73, 440, 471

permissive action links (PALs) for, xxi, 263–65, 293, 298, 313, 371, 440–41, 466–67

Peurifoy’s activities, 196–97, 320, 331–33, 372–77, 440–41

postaccident weapons assessment for, 374

retrofitting old weapons, 333–34, 370–76, 386, 440, 444, 450, 453

SAC system. See Checklists; Standardization; Two-man policy

safety principles (1970) established, 330–32

safety versus reliability argument against, 173–74, 264, 313–14

Sandia program for, 325–31

and supersafe bomb, 331

weak link/strong link safety, 331–32, 372, 377, 449–50, 455–56, 468

Accident Response Group, Titan II accident, 425–27, 432

Accident risks

accidental detonation odds, 325–26

AEC inquiry (1957), 166–70

AFSWP acceptable probabilities, 171–72

and armed weapons, 247–48, 261

common-mode failures, 464

and communication issues, 154, 448

of computer-controlled launch, 450–51

and computer hacking, 475

and dangerous systems, 460–61, 463–64

Drell Panel on Nuclear Weapons Safety, 456

and drug/alcohol use by military, 349–51

of full-scale detonation, 99–100, 163–64, 168, 173, 181, 191, 198, 265, 456

Genie investigation, 163–66

grading of weapons (1991), 456

human error, 25–26, 171, 191, 194, 196, 261, 367–77, 430, 450, 460

and Jupiter missiles, 196–97, 258–60, 290, 329, 465

of launch complex breakin, 230–31

and lightning strike, 41, 43, 222, 328, 329, 376, 436, 474

and maintenance, 104, 160, 436

and Mark 28 bomb, 196–99, 262, 334, 372, 374–77, 384, 440, 464

and Minuteman, 299–301, 311–12, 371, 473–75

most threatening weapons (1977), 376

and NATO nuclear weapons, 258–65, 303, 373, 462

normal accident theory of, 461–63

one-point safety, 163–64, 172, 197–98, 322–23

and plutonium spread, 164, 166, 170, 262, 332, 456, 464, 471

and psychological disorders, 192–94, 359–60

RAND reports on, 121–22, 190–96, 264–65

and recycled missiles, 32–33, 103–4

and sabotage, 191–92, 194–97, 260, 303, 355

and SRAMs, 450, 453–55

Titanic Effect, 313

and Titan II. See Titan II

and training deficiencies, 5, 23, 89, 160, 261, 338, 366–67

and Trident submarine weapons, 471–72

and U-2 flights, 462–63

USAF safety problems (2003– ), 472–74

warning system flaws, 253–55, 286–87, 290, 365–68

Accidents

and aerial refueling, 314–16

on aircraft carriers, 312

and aircraft malfunction, 167–70, 184–85, 245–49, 262, 307–8, 310–11, 380–85

bomb falls from aircraft, 167–68, 185–88, 191, 246, 308, 316–19, 423

and control boxes, 173, 246, 310–11, 440–41

detonation of bombs, 169–70, 186–87, 322–24

and loading/unloading/movement of weapons, 168, 185

at Los Alamos facility, 94–95

maintenance-related, 56, 160, 309–10, 338–46, 422–23, 449, 475. See also Titan II Launch Complex 374-7 accident

Native American terms for, 327

at nuclear power plants, 113, 452, 460

number of (1950–57), 167

number of (1950–68), 327–28

official document on (1957–67), 465

plutonium dispersal from, 185, 249, 309, 316–18, 322–23, 373–74, 384, 430

and ready/safe switch, 246–47, 298, 320, 374

Shrimp YIELD, miscalculation of, 137–40

Soviet R-16 explosion, 269–70

test site misses, 149

and Thor missiles, 308–9

and Titan II. See Titan II

during training, 169–70, 191, 310–11, 324, 339–46

uranium versus plutonium, 164

“Accidents and Incidents Involving Nuclear Weapons,” 465

Acheson, Dean, 124, 279

Aderhold, David W., 29

Aerozine-50 rocket fuel, 4

Afghanistan, Soviet invasion of, 12–13, 367, 444

Agnew, Harold

PALS, 263–65

parachute delivery idea, 134, 258

position of, xvii, 258, 332

weapons safety efforts, 258, 261, 265, 470

Agriculture, and radiation contamination, 139, 318

Airborne alert, 179–81, 188, 190–91, 267, 319–20

end of, 325, 331

Air defense weapons. See Antiaircraft missiles

Air Force Accident Investigation Board, 25–26

Air Force Ground Observer Corps, 86

Air Force Reserve, 148–49

Air Force Space Command, 484

Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range, 35

Alexander, Bill, 430

Alpha meters, 417, 420

Alternate National Military Command Center, 273

Alvarez, Luis, 41

Amami, Korechika, General, 55

Anderson, Gregory W., Airman, 345

Anderson, James S., Dr., 436

Anderson, John B., 14

Anderson, Orvil, General, 82

Anderson, Roger E., 16

Andropov, Yuri, 446–47, 451

AN/FSQ-7 computers, 153

Anglin, Gus

evacuation order by, 112, 229

and oxidizer trailer leak (1978), 63, 111–12

position as sheriff, xvi, 62–63

Titan II accident response by, 63–64, 112, 419–20, 429

Titan II explosion, 392–94

Antiaircraft missiles

Cuban missile crisis, atomic antiaircraft

Genie, 161–66, 168, 172, 292, 334, 376, 465

Falcon, 292

Nike, 151

rationale for, 161–62

AntiBallistic Missile Treaty, 358

“Appeal to the Peoples of the World” (Holt), 74

Arab-Israeli War (1973), 358–59

Archies, 49, 135

Arizona, Titan II launch complexes in, 27, 350

Arkansas

Clinton as governor. See Clinton, Bill

nuclear power plant accidents in, 113

Titan II accidents in. See Titan II Launch Complex 374-4 accident

Titan II launch complexes in, 12, 18–20, 23, 111

Arkansas Office of Emergency Services, 112–13

Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP), 97–98, 125–26, 166

accidents, acceptable probabilities, 171–72

functions of, xix

Arms control. See also Disarmament movement

AntiBallistic Missile Treaty, 358

Bush (George H. W.) efforts, 458

and Carter, 362–64

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, 469–70

early military support for, 75, 84–85, 87

Eisenhower test ban, 198–99

Interim Agreement on Certain Measures with Respect to the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, 358

Limited Test Ban Treaty, 296

postatomic bomb, 74–75, 77–79

Reagan/Gorbachev efforts, 451–53

Threshold Test Ban Treaty, 358

Army Corps of Engineers, 219

Arnold, Henry H. “Hap,” General, 74–75

Arnold, Matthew

Titan II accident response by, 422–23, 426–27, 432

and weapons deactivation, 415–18, 422–23

Aronson, Gerald J., 192

Assured Destruction strategy, 302, 352, 434–35

Atlas missile

problems/dangers of, 182, 222

propellants of, xx, 222

reentry vehicle with, 226

Atomic bomb

arms control efforts, 74–75, 77–79

casualties of, 51–52, 54

creation of. See Manhattan Project

film footage of, 134

Japan bombing, 51–55

military versus civilian control issue, 77–78, 87–88

missing specifications for, 96–97

post–World War II tests, 80–81

power, source of, xix, 38–40

Soviet development, 85–86

targeting errors, 53–54, 81–82

types of injuries from, 54

Atomic Demolition Munitions, 256–57

Atomic energy

A-bomb power from, xix, 38–40

national policy formation, 77–79

Atomic Energy Act (1946), 78, 126, 257, 465

Atomic Energy Act (1954), 159, 257

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

authority, scope of, xix, 78–79, 125, 159, 207, 313

end of, 370

Project 56 safety investigation (1955–56), 163–66

weapons safety inquiry by (1957), 166–70

weapon storage sites, 157

Attorney, military. See Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG)

Ayala, Eric, and Titan II repair, 29, 57–58

B-26 bombers, 86

B-29 bombers

accident rate for, 97

atomic bombing by, 48–51

Soviet copy of, 86

B-36 bombers, 134, 135, 167–68

B-47 bombers, 134, 266, 279

B-52 bombers

and accidents, 191, 245–46, 307–8, 310, 320–22, 375–76, 380–85, 449

age of, 474

in airborne alert, 267–68

bombers, number of (1960), 150

navigator, role of, 378–80

Backpack bomb, 416

Backup crew, xx, 7

Bainbridge, Kenneth, 44

Ball, Desmond, 443

Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS), xix, 178, 252–53, 286–87

Ban the Bomb, 183

Baran, Paul, 272

Barksdale Air Force Base (Louisiana)

EOD unit at, 418, 422

Strategic Air Command (SAC) chief at, xvii

Titan II accident communication, 59–60

Barnish, Francis R., Technical Sergeant, 246

Barometric switch, 226

Barry, Harold L., Captain, 167–68

Baruch, Bernard, 79

Batzel, Roger, Dr., 384

Bay of Pigs, Cuba, 278

Bendix Aviation Corporation, 100

Benson, Ezra Taft, 155

Bent Spear, 327

B.E. number, xix, 204

Berlin

airlift, 84, 92

Berlin Wall, 283

Soviet blockade, 84, 92, 278–87

Beryllium, 417, 470

Beta meters, 417, 420

Bethe, Hans, 40

Bigham, Robert, First Lieutenant, 307–8

Bikini atoll, 80, 92, 137, 149

Bin Laden, Osama, raid, complexity of, 475–76

Bison bombers, 150

Black Book (SIOP Decisions Handbook), 359–60

Black hat operation, 230–31, 313, 472

Blair, Bruce G., 443, 467

Blast doors

breach at Damascus complex, 59, 67, 116, 214

credit card, opening with, 231

opening with hand pump, 239, 388, 389, 390

operation of, 21–22

PTS faith in, 106, 116, 238

Bleach

as biological/chemical weapon neutralizer, 415

as propellant neutralizer, 107

Blue Danube, 141

Bockscar, 53

Boeing, xix, 182

Boeschenstein, Harold, 155

Bolshakov, Georgi, 286

BOMARC, xix, 151, 162, 249–50

Bombing Encyclopedia, 204

Bomb shelters/bunkers, 137, 154–55, 156, 159, 223, 252, 255, 270, 273, 274, 304, 359

British, 156–57

Eisenhower-era construction, 154–56, 369

FCDA High Point, 155–56

Greenbrier Hotel bunker, 156

Kindsbach Cave, 156, 255

message to public, 142–43

Mount Weather, 155–56

NATO bunker, 156

under Pentagon, 274, 303–4

SAC command bunker, 154–55, 252

Site R for U.S. officials, 155, 251–52, 273, 365–66, 368, 442

of Soviet Union, 352

for U.S. president, 155–56, 274, 303–4

Bonesteel, Charles H., General, 198

Boosted weapons, 129, 161. See also Genie; Mark 28 bomb

Borchgrave, Arnaud de, 14

Bowling, Russell, Captain, 170

Boylan, Buddy, 401

Bracken, Paul, 443

Bradbury, Norris, 97, 164, 199

Bradley, Omar, General, 87, 124

Braun, Wernher von, 182, 221

Bravo test, 137–41

Brocksmith, Thomas A., Technical Sergeant

maps, lack of, 228–29

position of, xvi, 70

at Titan II accident site, 70, 216, 228–29

Titan II explosion, 396

Broken Arrows, 327, 331, 332, 372, 400, 418, 425, 465–66, 469

Brown, Harold, 251, 363, 424, 483

Brumleve, Thomas, 320

Brzezinski, Zbigniew, 367–68

Buchanan, Ivans, Captain, 315

Buchwald, Art, 432

Bundy, McGeorge, 256, 280, 286

Bunkers. See Bomb shelters

Bunny suit, 417, 420

Burke, Arleigh, Admiral, 201, 203–4, 250

Burn bot, 103–4

Burned Board briefing, 369–70, 376–77

Bush, George H. W., arms control, 458, 482

Bush, George W.

9/11 chaos, 476

nuclear weapons development, 470, 483

Butler, George Lee, General

ends SAC, 458

SIOP revision by, 456–57

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), 445

peace symbol logo, xix, 188

Cannon, atomic, 326–27

Carlson, Carl, xvii, 172–73

Carnahan, Charles E., 235–36

Carter, Bill, 439

Carter, Jimmy

and arms control, 362–64

climate in U.S. during presidency, 13–17, 364

and Clinton, 114–15

countervailing strategy of, 364

military buildup under, 364–65

Castro, Fidel, 288

Cervantes, Manuel, Jr., 311

Cesium-137, 139

Challe, Maurice, General, 260

Chambers, William, 425–26

Checklists

as SAC safety measure, 93, 97, 113, 191, 209, 297, 375, 473

and Titan II accident, 58, 68, 209, 227, 428

Chelyabinsk-65 accident, 467

Cheney, Dick, 454–55, 476

Chernenko, Konstantin, 451

Chernobyl accident, 452

Childers, Allan D., Lieutenant

biographical information, 9–11

control center, return after explosion, 428–29

decontamination of, 427–28

evacuates Titan II site, 67–70

at ghost site, 22

on nature of accident, 64–65, 102

Titan II accident response by, 34, 57–59, 64–68, 110, 115–16

Titan II assignment, xv, 8, 11–12, 18–20

Titan II explosion, 395–96, 400–401

China

no-first-use pledge, 477

nuclear weapons of (2013), 477

as U.S. missile target, 11

Christal, Ronald W., Sergeant

expertise of, 390

Titan II explosion, 398, 400

Chrome Dome, 307, 315

Chrysler Corporation, 182

Churchill, Winston

first strike support by, 82

on hydrogen bomb dangers, 141–42

on Iron Curtain, 80

Circular Error Probable, 225

Cities, bomb destruction, social impact of, 119–22

Civil defense drills, Operation Alert (1955), 143–44

Clark, Charles E., Captain, 215

Clark, Judy, 61

Clark, Steve, 113

Clay, Lucius D., General, 84

Clay, Raymond, Major, 307–8

Clesner, George, Lieutenant, 315

Clinton, Bill

as Arkansas governor, 113–15, 433

and Titan II accident, 237, 386, 429–30

Clinton, Hillary Rodham, 115

CNN, Titan II accident coverage, 431–32

Cold War. See also Soviet Union; specific events

Berlin blockade, 84, 92, 278–87

Carter era climate, 13–17, 364

Cuban missile crisis, 12, 288–97, 462–63

deterrence during. See Deterrence strategy

end of, 455, 459

Iron Curtain, 80

Korean War, 99, 125

in Latin America, 288–89

popular culture during, 14–17, 298–99, 304

Soviets and roots of, 80–81

U.S. decline in influence, 13

Vietnam War, 304

Collins, Larry, 14

Combat crew

tasks of, xv, 8–9

training of, 11–12, 18

Command and control

communication problems of, 154, 448

drill, mistaken as weapons launch, 448–49

and Eisenhower, 158–59, 165, 206–7

elements of, 93–94

Global Command and Control System, 474–75

Global Strike Command, 474

Kennedy/McNamara assessment of, 271–75, 279–82, 302–3

launch-on-warning policy, 357, 359–62

military versus civilian control issue, 77–78, 87–88, 94, 125–26, 157–59, 165, 206–7, 355

National Strategic Response Plans, 457

NATO problems, 255–56

Nixon/Kissinger assessment of, 353–55, 361

normal accident theory applied to, 461–63

Operations Plan (OPLAN), 476–77, 483

and overseas bases, 184

Pentagon system for (2013), xx

postattack plans, lack of, 144, 251–52, 254, 274–75, 304, 355–56, 368, 443, 476

president attack order. See President of U.S.

Reagan modernization of, 442–43

and SAC. See Strategic Air Command (SAC)

Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP), 202–7, 280–82

Soviet methods, 467–69

and Truman, 77–78, 87–88, 94, 125–26, 157

World Wide Military Command and Control System, 272–75, 303

WSEG Report No. 50 on inadequacy of (1961), 251–55

Committee on Present Danger, 363, 434

Common-mode failures, 464

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, 469–70

Computers

computer-controlled weapons launch, 450–51, 467–68

ENIAC, 152

glitch and accidents, 475

Global Command and Control System, 474–75

hacking issue, 475

MANIAC and MANIAC II, 129, 152

Strategic Operational Control System (SOCS), 154

in warning system, 152–53

Whirlwind, 152–53

Concurrency practice, 219–20

Control boxes, 173, 246, 310–11, 440–41

Control center, Titan II, 26–27, 33, 428–29

Cooke, Christopher M., 444

Cookies, 27, 29

Coral Sea, 126

Cotter, Donald R., 263–64, 369–70

Cotton, Joseph W., Sergeant, 236

Counterforce strategy

and Bush (G. W.), 470, 483–84

damage limitation as, 434

missiles needed for, 302

renamed damage limitation, 434

of SAC leaders, 131, 133, 201, 267

Countervailing strategy, 364

Credit card, launch complex breakin with, 230–31

Creech, Wilbur L., General, 471–72

Crisis Investing: Opportunities and Profits in the Coming Great Depression (Casey), 14

Criss, Curtis R., Captain, 321–22

Crowder, Larry, 230–31

Cruise missiles, 376, 441

Cuban missile crisis, 12, 288–97, 462–63

Daghlian, Harry, 95

Daily shift verification (DSV), 29, 30–31

Damage limitation, 434

D’Amario, Alfred, Jr., Major, 320–21

Damascus, Arkansas, Titan II accident. See Titan II Launch Complex 374-7 accident

Dash-1, 11, 57

Davy Crockett, 256, 265, 268

Day After, The (film), 449, 451

Decontamination

after Titan II explosion, 390, 427–28

difficulty and plutonium, 317–18, 323–24

Defense Atomic Support Agency, 327, 464

Defense contractors, 100, 182, 199. See also Martin Marietta

Defense Improved Emergency Message Automatic Transmission System Replacement Command and Control Terminal (DIRECT), xx, 475

Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA), 318, 370

Defense Readiness Condition (DEFCON), scale of, xx, 292–93, 358–59, 463

Defenses, U.S. military. See Strategic Air Command (SAC); U.S. military defenses

Delayed fallout, 139

Deliberate, Unauthorized Launch (DUL), xx, 450

Department of Energy, 370

Détente, 358, 364

Deterrence strategy

gradual, 200

minimum, 362–63, 483–84

psychological factors in, 124–25

rationale for, 11, 75

Deutch, John M., 483

Deuterium, 127, 128

Devil’s Alternative, The (Forsyth), 14

Devlin, Greg, Senior Airman

biographical information, 232–33

enters Titan II accident site, 240–42, 388–89

injury, treatment of, 402–3, 438–39

lawsuit by, 440

medical disability claim denied, 438–39

position of, xvi

Titan II explosion, 398–99, 401

DIRECT terminal, 475

Disarmament movement

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), 188, 445

by Cold War era officials (2007– ), 481–83

minimum deterrence as alternative, 483–84

postatomic bomb, 74–75

U.S. support, lack of, 482–83

worldwide nature of, 445–46

Disaster Response Force

equipment, lack of, 420

members of, xvi, 399–400

tasks of, 107

Titan II accident response by, 107–8, 228, 395

Discoverer, 269

Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, xx, 151–53, 252

“Do Artifacts Have Politics?” (Winner), 464

Dobrynin, Anatoly, 289, 295

Dodson, Glenn A., Jr., 311–12

Dole, Robert, as Titan II opponent, 338, 385, 432

Dornberger, Walter, 182

Douglas, Paul H., 298

Douglas Aircraft, 182

Dower, John W., 44

Drell, Sidney, 455–56, 468, 482

Drell Panel on Nuclear Weapons Safety, 456, 470

Dr. Strangelove (film), 297–98, 304, 467

Drug use, by military personnel, 349–51

Dulles, John Foster, 132, 199–200

Dummy weapons, EOD unit practice, 417, 422–23

Ehlinger, Marvin J., 309–10

Einstein, Albert

nuclear weapons opposition by, 74, 124

on possibility of nuclear weapon, 37–38

Eisenhower, Dwight D.

bunker/shelter construction, 154–56

command-and-control dilemma, 158–59, 165, 206–7

defense policy, critics of, 176, 177, 199, 249–50

military experience of, 131

on military-industrial complex, 199

missile programs of, 182–83

national security policy of, 131–33, 140, 190, 200–207

NATO, nuclear weapons to, 183–84, 258, 260

nuclear test ban by, 198–99

Operation Alert (1955), 143–44

Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP), 202–7, 250, 252

Ellis, Larry, 393

Ellis, Richard H., General, 213, 384, 442

Elugelab island, 129, 136–37

Emergency Rocket Communications System, 273–74

Emery, David, 439

Empty Quiver, 327

Energy Research and Development Administration, 370

English, Richard L.

evacuation order by, 395

position of, xvi, 400, 420

rescue of injured by, 408, 410, 412–13

English, Richard L. (cont.)

at Titan II accident site, 399–400

warhead, search for, 420, 423–24

ENIAC, 152

Enola Gay, 51

Enthoven, Alain, 251

Enyu island, 137

Epperson, Lee, 115

ERASER, 84

Erb, Georg Otto, 160

Espionage

Soviet spies, 85, 127, 135, 465–66

Titan II breach, 444

“Evaluation of the Atomic Bomb as a Military Weapon,” 81–82

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)

equipment used by, 417

function of, xx, 261–62

Titan II accident response by, 422–23

training of, 415–18

F-89 Scorpions, 151

Fail safe, 190

Fail-Safe (film), 297

Fail-Safe Fallacy (Hook), 298

Farrell, Thomas F., Brigadier General, 37, 43–44

Fate of the Earth, The (Schell), 445

Fat Man (A-bomb), 52–54

Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA), xx, 142–43

Fermi, Enrico, 36, 40, 123

Field Instrument for the Detection of Low-Radiation Energy (FIDLER), 323

Fifth Horsemen, The (Collins and Lapierre), 14

Fissile materials, 39, 123

Fission, nuclear reaction, 38–39, 122

Flexible response, 200, 203, 250–51, 274, 355, 443

Ford, Daniel, 443

Forrestal, James, 76, 85, 86, 88

Forsyth, Frederick, 14

Foster, John S., Jr., 455–56

Fowler, Glenn, and Fowler Letter, 333–34, 369–70

France, nuclear weapons of, 288, 477

Franke, William B., 204

Freedom of Information Act, 465–66

Frisch, Otto, 43

Frost, Charles B., Second Lieutenant, and Titan II (533-7) accident, 339–40, 342–44

Fuchs, Klaus, 125, 135

Fuller, Ronald O., Staff Sergeant

abandoned at Titan II site, 420–21

evacuates Titan II site, 67–70

Titan II accident response by, 58, 60

Titan II assignment, xv, 8, 18–20, 30–31

Titan II explosion, 395–96

Gaither, H. Rowan, 177

Gamma meters, 417, 420

Gamma rays, 139

Gates, Thomas B., 251

Gaulle, Charles de, 279

Gavin, James M., General, 133

Gemini space flights, 227

General Assembly (UN), 74

General Dynamics Corporation, 182

General H. H. Arnold Special, 86

Genie, 161–66, 172, 292, 334, 376, 465

accident threat from, 162, 168, 376

military control of, 165

safety investigation (1955–56), 163–66

George (hydrogen bomb), 128–29

George, Peter, 189

Gilpatric, Roswell L., 298

Glenn, John H., 454

Glickman, Dan, 338

Global Command and Control System, 474–75

Global Positioning System (GPS), 442

Global Strike Command, 474

Godfrey, Arthur, 148–49, 156

Goldwater, Barry, 432

Gorbachev, Mikhail, 451–53, 455, 457–59

Gore, Albert A., Sr., 259

Graves, Ernest, Jr., Major General, 333–34, 370

Gray, Gary, 429

Gray, Jimmie D., Colonel, rescue of injured by, 410, 414

Gray, Reginald, 408

Great Britain. See also Royal Air Force (RAF)

atomic bomb, first, 141

Cold War defense of, 83–84

nuclear disarmament movement, 445

nuclear weapons of (2013), 477

Strath report, 141–42, 156

World War II, 44–45

Green, Donald V., Technical Sergeant

biographical information, 229–30

Medal for Heroism to, 439–40

position of, xvi, 230

rescue of injured by, 408–11

at Titan II accident site, 238, 404–6

Titan II explosion, 404

Titan II security breach demo, 230–31

Greenwell, Michael L., Airman, 345

Gregg, Walter, 185–87

Grenada invasion, 448

Griffis, Tim, 381–84

Gromyko, Andrei, 79

Groves, Leslie R., Brigadier General

on arms control, 75

and Manhattan Project, 38, 43, 50

position of, xvii

Guest, William S., Rear Admiral, 319

Guidance systems, inertial, 224–26

Hackett, John, General Sir, 14–15

Haldeman, H. R., 358

HALFMOON, 83–84

Hall, Roger, 311

Halsey, William F., Admiral, 87

Hamm, Roger A., Titan II accident response by, 29, 57, 59

Hammarskjöld, Dag, 276

Hanson, Michael A., Technical Sergeant

injury, treatment of, 403

as PTS team chief, xvi, 106, 214, 237, 240

Titan II accident response by, 106–7, 214–16, 240, 389–90, 392

Titan II explosion, 398, 400

ventilation fan on order by, 392, 436–37

Harmon, Hubert R., General, 85

Harris, Arthur “Bomber,” Air Marshal, 45

Hastings, Donald E., Airman First Class, 24

Haug, John, Captain, 321–22

H-bomb. See Hydrogen bomb

Heineman, Charles T., Senior Airman

as PTS team chief, xv, 101

Titan II accident response by, 29, 56, 59, 214

Hepstall, Erby, Airman, and Titan II (533-7) accident, 339, 341, 343–44, 346

Herlihy, Ed, 187

Herter, Christian A., 257

Hirohito, emperor of Japan, 55

Hiroshima, atomic bombing of, 51–52, 54

Hoffman, Abbie, 16

Holder, Rodney, Staff Sergeant

abandoned at Titan II site, 420–21

biographical information, 30–31

evacuates Titan II site, 67–70, 108

at ghost site, 22

on nature of accident, 102

Titan II accident response by, 33–34, 58, 60, 214

Titan II assignment, xv, 8, 18–20, 30–31

Titan II explosion, 396

Holifield, Chet, 259–60

Holloway, Bruce K., General, 355

Holsey, Ray, 169

Holt, Hamilton, 73–74, 82–83

Holtom, Gerald, 188

Hook, Sidney, 298

Hoover, Herbert, 48

Hopkins, Frank F., Major, 321–22

Horner, Chuck, 348

Hornig, Donald F., 41, 43, 329

Hound Dog missile, 292

Hukle, Rex

enters Titan II accident site, 240–42, 388–89

lawsuit by, 439

left on road, 403

Medal for Heroism to, 439

Titan II explosion, 398, 399, 401

Human error, and accidents, 25–26, 171, 191, 194, 196, 261, 367–77, 430, 450, 460

Humphrey, George M., 143

Humphrey, Hubert H., 304

Huser, Hilary F., 309–10

Hussein, Saddam, 12, 478

Hutto, Sam

biographical information, xvi, 110–11

evacuation of, 112, 229

Titan II explosion, 394–95

Hydrogen accumulator, 428

Hydrogen bomb, 122–29, 133–44. See also specific bombs under Mark

delivery difficulties, 134–37, 161

design, evolution of, 159–61, 184

fallout, dangers of, 137–42

falls from aircraft, 187, 246, 308, 316–19, 423

Namu test bombing, 149

opponents/proponents of, 123–24, 126

power, source of, xx, 122–23, 127–28

public fears of, 142–43

Shrimp/Bravo test, 137–41

Soviet development, 125–26, 132

Strath report, 141–42

Teller-Ulam design, 127–29

test ban by Eisenhower, 199

testing of, 129

Igloos, 159, 165

Iklé, Fred Charles

on Assured Destruction strategy, 434–35

cities bombed, study of, 119–22

launch-on-warning opposition by, 359

nuclear weapons safety reports by, 121–22, 190–96, 264–65

position of, xviii, 119, 359

India, nuclear threat from, 479, 481

Inertial guidance system, 224–25

Instructor crew, 11, 18, 22, 30

Integrated contractor complex, 100

Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM)

Atlas as first, 222

Minuteman, 182, 223, 266, 270–71, 353

MX, 364–65

range of, xx

of Soviet Union, 175–78, 269–70

Titan I, 182, 222–23

Titan II, 223–27

U.S. deficiency (1980s), 13

Interim Agreement on Certain Measures with Respect to the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, 358

Intermediate-range missiles

Jupiter, 182, 196, 205, 221–22, 225, 257, 258–60, 262, 266, 279, 290, 293–296, 329, 462, 465

at NATO sites, 183–84, 221, 257–58, 453

Polaris, 182, 200–201

Soviet missiles, 269, 282, 289

Thor, 182, 221, 308–9

International Institute for Strategic Studies, 13

Introvert, 40

Iran

hostage crisis (1980), 12, 13–14, 433

-Iraq conflict, 12

Iraq

-Iran conflict, 12

nuclear weapons program, 478

Israel, nuclear weapons of (2013), 477

Jackson, Henry “Scoop,” 176

Jackson, Middland R., Airman, 344–45

James, Archie, Sergeant

injury, treatment of, 402–3

at Titan II accident site, 390

Titan II explosion, 397, 401

Japan

atomic bombing of, 51–55

firebombing of, 44, 91–92

World War II, 44

World War II tactics, 44, 46

Jeppson, Morris, 50–51

Johnson, Leary, Captain, 311

Johnson, Leonhard D., 311–12

Johnson, Louis A., 86, 124

Johnson, Lyndon B., on missile gap, 176, 177

Johnston, Lawrence, 41

Johnston Island, 308–9

Jones, Parker F., 247

Jones, Thomas K., 445

Jones, William A., Colonel

disaster experience, lack of, 107, 395

evacuation order by, 395

position of, xvi, 107

at Titan II accident site, 107–8

Titan II explosion, 402

Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG)

functions of, xx, 107

at Titan II accident site, 107

Jupiter missiles, 182, 225

accident threat from, 196–97, 258–60, 290, 329, 465

at NATO sites, problems of, 221–22, 257–62, 279, 290, 293–96, 462

Kansas

Titan II accident. See Titan II Launch Complex 533-7 accident

Titan II launch complexes in, 27

KATV, 108

Kaysen, Carl, 280–81

K-crew

function of, xx, 210

and Titan II accident, 210, 214, 216–17, 233–34, 241, 391

Kehler, C. Robert, General, 475

Kemp, Jack, 17

Kennan, George F., 76, 80, 84

Kennedy, Edward M., 13

Kennedy, Jeff, 101–6

biographical information, 103

blast doors, faith in, 106, 116, 238

death of, 486

enters Titan II accident site, 109–10, 115–17, 389–92

injury, treatment of, 413–14, 421, 431, 436

lawsuit by, 440

Medal for Heroism to, 439–40

medical disability claim denied, 438–39

missile repair expertise of, xv, 102

postaccident reprimand, 438

protective gear, lack of, 211, 214

relationship with Powell, 109

rescue from site, 405, 406–8

rules, violation by, 116–18, 217, 438

on Titan II accident coverup, 436–37

on Titan II accident response mistakes, 437

Titan II accident site, arrival at, 108–10

Titan II explosion, 392, 401, 406–7

Titan II response plan, opposition to, 239–40, 389

Kennedy, John F.

Bay of Pigs, 278

Berlin crisis, 278–87

Cuban missile crisis, 288–97, 462

defense secretary actions under. See McNamara, Robert S.

on missile gap, 176, 249–50, 269–71, 284

NATO weapons, problems with, 258–65

peace, speeches on, 276–77, 284, 296

Soviet attack, plan for, 277–79, 281–87

Kennedy, Robert F., 285–86, 288, 296

Kennedy, Russell, Colonel, 213

Kenney, George C., General, 75, 89

Keys

to launch missiles, 27–28, 158, 299

and overseas bases, 184, 259

KGFL radio, on Titan II accident, 60–64, 418–19

Khariton, Yuli Borisovich, 85

Khrushchev, Nikita

Berlin crisis, 278–79, 283–84, 286

Cuban missile crisis, 289, 292–96, 462

on missile gap, 176–77, 269

on nocities strategy, 288

on nuclear accident, 188, 194

peace campaign of, 183

Kidder, Ray E., 456

Killian, James R., 161–62

Kinderman, Joseph A., Major, 216–17

King, Sid

biographical information, xvi, 61–63

at Titan II accident site, 60–64, 108, 236

Titan II explosion, 392–94

Titan II explosion broadcast, 418–19

Kissinger, Henry A.

on abolition of weapons, 481–82

launch-on-warning support by, 359

as limited war proponent, 200, 355, 361

on nuclear strategy problems, 353–55

Titan II, opposition to, 351

Kistiakowsky, George B., 40–43, 205–6

position of, xvii, 205

Klaxons, 20, 24, 33, 56, 339

Knacke, Theodor W., 134–35

Koop, Theodore F., 156

Korean Airlines Flight 007, 447

Korean War, 99, 125

Korzenko, John G., Airman, 344

Kulka, Bruce, Captain, 186

Kuter, Laurence S., General, 253–54

Land mines, nuclear, 256–57

Lapierre, Dominique, 14

Launch Complexes, Titan II accidents. See entries under Titan II Launch Complex

Launch-on-warning, 357, 359–62, 478

Lay, Bernie Jr., 148

Lay, Gary, 23–26

Leaf, Howard W., General, 377

Leavitt, Lloyd R., Jr., General

biographical information, 212–13, 215

follows Martin Marietta plan, 237

and media coverage, 431

position of, xvi, 118, 212

Titan II, lack of experience with, 213

Titan II response plan approval by, 118, 212, 217, 227, 233–34

Lehr, Herbert M., Sergeant, 35–36

LeMay, Curtis E., General

accountability demanded by, 346

biographical information, 89–92

civil defense, view of, 150, 154

on counterforce strategy, 131, 133, 201

on Cuban missile crisis, 291, 296

on missile unreliability, 220

on most powerful weapons, 130–31, 201–2, 267

position of, xvii

public mockery of, 304–5

SAC improvements by, 89, 92–94, 296

Strategic Air Command (film), portrayal of, 148

Titan II, opposition to, 223

Lemnitzer, Lyman, General, 281–82

Lester, Gregory W., Titan II accident response by, 29, 57, 59, 214

Light, James E., Jr., General, 425–26

Lightning, and accident risk, 41, 43, 222, 328, 329, 376, 436, 474

Lilienthal, David E.

hydrogen bomb opposition, 123

Los Alamos, assessment of, 95–97

position of, xviii, 88, 95

Limited Test Ban Treaty, 296

Limited war strategy, 200, 355, 361

Limits of Safety, The (Sagan), 462–63

Lindbergh, Charles A., 89

Linthicum, Mirl, Airman, and Titan II (533-7) accident, 339–40, 344

Liquid oxygen (LOX)

dangers of, 222

as propellant, xx, 269

Lithium deuteride, 137, 140

Little Boy (A-bomb), 50–51, 96, 134

Little Rock SAC command post

chief of, xvi, 102

Disaster Response Force deployment, 107–8

evacuation order from, 214–16

Titan II, lack of experience with, 210–11

Titan II accident communication, 59–60, 209–10

Livingston, David L., Senior Airman

biographical information, 232

death of, 430–31, 436–37

enters Titan II accident site, 240–42, 389–92

family lawsuit, 439

injury, treatment of, 413–14, 421, 437

Medal for Heroism to, 439–40

position of, xvi

premonition of death, 232–33

rescue from site, 407, 411–13

Titan II explosion, 392, 401, 407

Lockheed, 182

Locking systems, for nuclear weapons. See Permissive action links (PALs)

Looking Glass, 273, 303

Los Alamos, New Mexico

deficiencies of lab, 95–98

first nuclear weapon. See Atomic bomb; Manhattan Project

hydrogen bomb development, 122–29, 133–44

Los Alamos, New Mexico (cont.)

Livermore competition with, 159

one-point safety defined, 197–98

radiation-related accidents, 94–95

Soviet spies at, 85, 127, 135

Lovejoy, Frank, 148

Lucky Dragon, 140

Luftwaffe, 44, 45

Lutz, Floyd T., 309–10

McCloy, John, 279

McCone, John A., 190

McCormick, Thomas, Major, 310

McDonald, George, 35

McMahon, Brien, 78, 124

Macmillan, Harold, 188, 279

McNamara, Robert S.

accidents, fear of, 247–49, 301–2, 313

Assured Destruction strategy, 302, 352, 434–35

and Berlin crisis, 280–81, 284–85

and command-and-control revision, 271–75, 279–82

and Cuban missile crisis, 293, 295

defense policy of, 265–71, 352

on Jupiters in Turkey, 293–96, 462

nocities strategy, 287–88, 302

nuclear strategy assessment by, 249–57, 264–65

on nuclear weapons abolition, 482

position of, xviii, 247–48

and Vietnam War, 304

McRaven, William H., 475–76

Maintenance and accidents

incidents of, 56, 338–46, 422–23, 449, 475

risks related to, 104, 160, 436

Titan II accident, 7, 56, 60, 64–65, 102, 109, 437

Malinger, Carl, Airman, and Titan II (533-7) accident, 339, 341–46, 386

Manhattan Project, 35–44

atom bomb design/construction, 48–49

bomb design, evolution of, 39–42, 48–50

first nuclear weapon assembly, 35–37

formation of, 37–38

hydrogen bomb project, 123

members of, xvii, 36, 38, 40, 41, 134

opponents of bomb, 44–45

plutonium, creation of, 39

regrets about bomb, 77–78

Soviet spies, 85, 465–66

Trinity test, 36, 40–44, 47–48, 52, 94, 205, 329

use of bomb, U.S. secrecy about, 77–78

MANIAC, xx, 129

MANIAC II, 152

Mark, Hans S., Dr.

on Titan II accident, 430

Titan problems, awareness of, 338

Mark 3 bomb, 94–98

Mark 4 bomb, 99–100

falls from aircraft, 167–68

Mark 6 bomb, falls from aircraft, 185–88

Mark 7 bomb, 260–62

Mark 17 bomb, 161

Mark 28 bomb

accident threat from, 196–99, 262, 334, 372, 374–77, 384, 440, 464

loss/recovery from accidents, 316–18, 321–23

retrofits, delay of, 440, 449–50, 453, 464

size of, 161

Mark 32 bomb, 310–11

Mark 36 bomb, 184–85

Mark 39 bomb, 246, 248–49, 292, 307

Mark 43 bomb, 311

Mark 53 bomb, 311, 416

Mark 54 Special Atomic Demolition Munition (SADM), 416

Marshall Plan, 81

Martin Company, 182

Martin Marietta

lawsuits against, 386, 439–40

Titan II manufacture by, 218

Titan II response plan, opposition to, 235–36

Marx, Richard, Captain, 322

Matthews, Keith E., First Lieutenant, and Titan II (533-7) accident, 339–40, 342–44

Mattocks, Adam C., First Lieutenant, 245

Maultsby, Charles, Major, 462–63

Maydew, Randall C., 318–19

May-Johnson bill, 77–78

Mazzaro, Michael, Captain

enters Titan II accident site, 110, 115–18

evacuates Titan II site, 67–70, 108

illness/anxiety, 228

Titan II accident response by, 34, 56–60, 214

Titan II assignment, xv, 8, 18–20

Titan II explosion, 395–96, 400

Media, and Titan II accident, 418–20, 430–32

Melgard, Robert B., Lieutenant Colonel, 462

Mercer, Benny, 429

Messinger, Larry G., Major, 315

Meyer, Donald, 349

Meyer, Nicholas, 449

Mike (hydrogen bomb), 129, 131, 134, 137, 139

Miklaszewski, Jim, 431

Military defense of U.S. See U.S. military defenses; specific armed forces

Military Airlift Command, 107

Military-industrial complex, 199

Mills, Wilbur D., 19

Mineral oil, explosion prevention with, 107

Mine Safety Appliance (MSA) Company, vapor-detection system, xxi, 33, 57, 59

Minimum deterrence, 362–63, 483–84

Minuteman missiles

and accident risk, 299–301, 311–12, 371, 473–75

development of, 182, 223

mass production of, 270–71

multiple warheads, adding to, 353

propellants of, 210, 223, 266

Missile Alarm Response Team (MART), 60

function of, xx, 229, 230

at Titan II accident site, 229

Missile Defense Alarm System, 303

Missile gap, 176, 249–50, 269–71, 284

Missile launch complexes

concurrency practice, 219–20

locations of, 219–20

underground, first, 222

Missile Potential Hazard Net

malfunction of, 210

Titan II accident communication, 59–60, 209–10, 212–13, 218

Missile Potential Hazard Team, and Titan II accident, 59, 66–67, 102–3, 210, 211, 214, 235–36

Missiles. See also Antiaircraft missiles; Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM); Intermediate-range missiles; Short-Range Attack Missiles (SRAMs); individual weapons

Atlas, 222

cruise, 376, 441

design flaws, difficulty detecting, 220

Jupiter, 225

launch complexes for. See Missile launch complexes

with multiple warheads, 352–53, 365

Peacemaker, 441, 444

Pershing II, 441–42, 447–51

Redstone, 221, 225

Snark as first, 220–21

Titan I, 182

Titan II, 223–27

trajectory, physics of, 223

V-2, 182, 225

Mobile Fire Teams (MFTs)

role of, xxi

at Titan II accident site, 229

Mock, John C., Technical Sergeant, 345

Moe, Gordon, 454–55

Mondale, Walter, 115

informed about Titan II accident, 386

Titan II accident briefing, 424, 429

Monsanto Chemical Company, 100

Montanus, Stephen, Lieutenant, 315–16

Moral Majority, 14

Morgenstern, Oskar, 170–71

Morris, James L., Colonel

as maintenance chief, xvi

plan to save missile, 118, 217

Titan II accident site, arrival at, 108–10

Titan II explosion, 397–400, 402

and Titan II response plan, 102–3, 109–10, 211, 238–39

waiting for orders, 227–28, 237

Moser, John T., Colonel

biographical information, 209, 210, 351

evacuation order from, 214–15

on number of Titan II accidents, 385

position of, xvi, 102, 208

Titan II accident site, arrival at, 208–10

Titan II, lack of experience with, 210–11, 239

Titan II response plan presented by, 234, 238–40

Moses, Franklin, Sargeant, 420

Moss, Robert, 14

Mowles, Donald G., 230–31

Moynihan, Daniel Patrick, 466

Mueller, Donald P., Captain

position of, xvi, 228

at Titan II accident site, 228, 402, 403, 408

Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), xxi, 352

Murrow, Edward R., 74, 156

Mutually assured destruction (MAD), xx, 302, 352

MX missiles, 364–65, 441

Nagasaki, atomic bombing of, 53–55

Namu island, 149

National Deep Underground Command Center, 274

National Emergency Airborne Command Post, 273–74, 355–56, 366

National Emergency Airborne Command Post Afloat, 273–74

National Military Command Center, 273

National security information, hiding. See Secrecy

National Strategic Response Plans, 457

National Strategic Target List, 204

Nation-killing concept, 83

Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School, 415

Nazi Germany, 44–45, 77

rocket scientists, U.S. recruitment, 182

Nedelin, Mitrofan Ivanovich, Marshal, 269–70

Neutrons, nuclear reaction, 39, 40, 128

Newton, Isaac, 223

Nichols, Kenneth D., General, 125–26, 158

Nike antiaircraft missiles, 151, 162, 349

9/11 Commission Report, 476

Nitrogen tetroxide

boiling point, 25

dangers to humans, 4–5, 436

Nitze, Paul H., 284–85

Nixon, Richard M.

mental instability of, 359–60

nuclear attack, diplomatic use of, 358–59

secretary of state actions. See Kissinger, Henry A.

Nocities strategy, 287–88, 302

Normal Accidents (Perrow), 460–61, 464

Normal accident theory, 461–63

Norstad, Lauris, General, 257–58, 279, 285

North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), xxi, 253–54

false warning of, 365–68

goal of, 152

North Atlantic Treaty, 86

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

bunker/shelter of, 156

and Cold War, 130

command-and-control problems of, 255–56

goal of, xxi

nuclear weapons site dangers, 221–22, 257–65, 279, 290, 293–96, 303, 373, 462

nuclear weapons, Eisenhower delivery to, 183–84, 258, 260

storage sites (2013), 476

North Korea, nuclear weapons of (2013), 477–78

Notch, The (command post), 273

Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST), 425

Nuclear fusion, and H-bomb, xx

Nuclear power plant accidents, 113, 452, 460

Nuclear reaction

fission, 38–40, 122

thermonuclear fusion, 122–23

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

function of, xxi

nuclear accidents, secrecy about, 113

Nuclear weapons. See also Missiles; specific weapons by name

accidents related to. See Accidents

on battlefield. See Tactical weapons

control and abolition of. See Arms control; Disarmament movement

defense contractors, 100, 182, 218

early bombs. See Atomic bomb; Los Alamos, New Mexico; Manhattan Project; Sandia Laboratory

hydrogen bomb, 122–29, 133–34

nuclear attack order. See Command and control

number worldwide (2013), 476–77

Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW), 470

safety issues. See Accident prevention; Accident risks

sealed-pit weapons, 161–66

of Soviet Union. See Soviet Union

storage of. See Nuclear weapons storage

U.S. government secrecy. See Secrecy

Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy (Kissinger), 200

Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign, 446

Nuclear weapons storage, 157–60

AEC sites, 88, 100, 125–26, 157

igloos, 159

multiple locations, rationale for, 157–58

NATO sites (2013), 476

nuclear core, separate storage, 157–59, 181

SAC, proximity to, 100, 158–59

Nunn, Sam, 481–82

Obama, Barack

Bin Laden raid, 475–76

on nuclear weapons end, 482

Odom, William E., General, 361–62, 367–68

Ofstie, Ralph A., Rear Admiral, 87

Ogden Air Logistics Center (Utah), Titan II accident communication, 59–60, 209–10

O’Keefe, Bernard J., 52–53, 137–39

Omaha SAC command post

LeMay improvements to, 92–94

Titan II, lack of experience with, 213

Titan II accident communication, 59, 209–10, 218

Titan II response plan approval, 118, 212, 217, 227, 233–34

vice commander of, xvi, 212

One-point safety, 163–64, 172, 197–98, 322–23

One World or None, 74–75

“On the Risk of an Accidental or Unauthorized Nuclear Detonation,” 190–96

Operation Alert (1955), 143–44

Operation Chrome Dome, 267

Operation Gomorrah, 45

Operation Mongoose, 288

Operation Neptune Spear, 475–76

Operation RYAN, 446

Operations Plan (OPLAN), xxi, 476–77, 483

Operation Tailwind, 150

Oppenheimer, J. Robert

and atomic policy, 77, 79

on hydrogen bomb dangers, 123

Manhattan Project, 40, 43, 44, 49

position of, xvii, 36

Project Vista, 130

Orr, Verne, 439

Osborn, Richard K., 197–98, 347

Oxidizers

dangers to humans, 4–5, 32, 62, 63, 104, 346, 421, 439

Launch Complex 533-7 accident, 339–46

nitrogen tetroxide, 4–5, 25, 436

oxidizer trailer leak (1978), 62, 63, 111–12

safety lock, 28

Pakistan

nuclear threat from, 479–81

vulnerability to terrorists, 480

Panetta, Leon, 475–76

Parachute, hydrogen bomb delivery, 134–36, 246, 258

Parish, Ralph and Reba Jo, 111, 112, 236, 484

Parsons, William S., Captain, 50–52

Partridge, Earle E., Major General, 83

Parts per million (PPM), numbers in Titan II accident, 57, 234, 238, 242, 341, 391, 392

Payne, Robert, Major, 310

Peacemaker missiles, 441, 444

Peace symbol, as antiwar group logo, xix, 188

Peedlin, Parker, Captain, 310

Pentagon

nuclear attack order system (2013), xx

power over nuclear weapons, 370

Percy, Charles H., 253–54

Perimeter system, 467–68

Permissive action links (PALs), xxi, 265, 293, 298, 313, 371, 440–41

Perrow, Charles B., 460–61, 464

Perry, William J., 481–82

Pershing II missiles, 441–42, 447–51

Peterson, Peter G., 253

Peterson, Val, 142–44

Petit Jean Electric Company, 217–18

Petrov, Stanislav, Lieutenant Colonel, 447

Peurifoy, Bob

biographical information, 98–99

bomb development projects, 99–100, 135, 160, 326

on future strategy, 483–84

position of, xvii, 331, 453

and Titan II warhead assessment, 395, 425, 426–27

weapons safety efforts, 196–97, 320, 331–33, 372–77, 440–41, 453–54, 468–69

Philby, Kim, 466

Phillips, Tom

at Titan II accident site, 60, 62–64, 236

Titan II explosion, 392–94

Picket ships, 151

Pig X-ray, 432

Pipes, Richard, 363

Plumb, Jeffrey, Airman

dropped socket accident, 7, 56, 60

evacuation order to, 56–57

Titan II repair task, xv, 3, 5–7, 29

Plutonium

accidental release, risk of, 164, 166, 170, 262, 332, 456, 464, 471

composite core with uranium, 99

dangers to humans, 54, 94–95, 164

decontamination difficulty, 317–18, 323–24

explosive capacity of, 38–39

first nuclear device assembly, 35–37

released in accidents, 185, 249, 309, 316–18, 322–23, 384, 430

Polaris system, 182, 200–201, 265–66, 273, 313–14

Poseidon missile, 353

Post Attack Command and Control System, 273

Powell, Colin, 455, 458–59, 482

Powell, David, Senior Airman

dropped socket accident, 7, 56, 60, 64, 109, 437

evacuation order to, 56–57

postaccident reprimand, 438

relationship with Kennedy, 109

Titan II accident response by, 109–10, 115–17

Titan II repair task, xv, 3, 5–7, 29

wrong tool used by, 109, 438

Power, Thomas S., General

and airborne alert, 179–81, 188, 190

on Atlas unreliability, 222

on attacking Soviets, 277–79, 283–84

on counterforce strategy, 267

and Cuban missile crisis, 292–93

position of, xvii, 179, 258

SIOP revision blocked by, 302–3

President of U.S. See also specific presidents

nuclear attack order by, 78, 149, 165, 190, 207, 256, 265, 271–72, 287, 296–97, 301, 303, 359–63, 367–68, 476

sheltering during attack, 143, 155–56, 274, 303–4

Probability of kill (PK), xxi, 162

Project 56, Genie safety investigation, 163–66

Project Brass Ring, 134

Project Caucasian, 135

Project Crescent, 331

Project ELF, 442

Project Greek Island bunker, 156

Project Paperclip, 135

Project Vista, 130, 131

Propaganda, Soviet, on U.S. nuclear weapons, 140, 175, 185, 187–89, 287, 444

Propellants. See also specific types

Aerozine-50 rocket fuel, 4

burn bot, 103–4

dangers to humans, 4–5, 25, 32, 104

hypergolic propellants, 4

leak, pressure check, 58

liquid oxygen (LOX), 222, 269

mixing and Titan launch, 4

neutralizing in hazard, 107

nitrogen tetroxide, 4–5

during recycle, 103–4

safety lock, 28

Propellants. See also specific types (cont.)

solid fuel, 7, 137, 266

tank pressure, checking, 58

toxic cloud mapping, 59, 215

Propellant Tank Pressure Monitor Unit (PTPMU)

function of, xxi

Titan II tank pressure monitoring, 58, 65–67

Propellant Transfer System (PTS)

function of, xxi

oxidizer low light, 5–6

Propellant Transfer System (PTS) Team A. See also specific team members

evacuates Titan II site, 69–70

members of, xv, 5, 29

postaccident scapegoating of, 437–38

and Titan II accident, 56–58, 65–67, 69–70

Propellant Transfer System (PTS) Team B. See also specific team members

communication problems of, 216–17, 218

death of member, 430–31, 436–37

enter Titan II complex, 241–42

equipment of, 106–7, 211, 216, 241–42

injured crew, rescue of, 409–14

members of, xv–xvi, 106–7

postaccident scapegoating of, 438–40

at Titan II accident site, 236–37

Propellant Transfer System (PTS) teams

dangers of job, 32, 338

members, traits of, 32, 102, 105

oxidizer trailer leak (1978) repair, 62, 111–12

repair protocol for, 7

RFHCO gear, use of, 5–6

rules, violation by, 104, 116–18, 438

tasks of, xv

and Titan II accident. See Propellant Transfer System (PTS) Team A; Propellant Transfer System (PTS) Team B; specific team members

training of, 5, 103–4, 338, 339, 346

Protective gear, Category I, 5–6. See also Rocket Fuel Handler’s Clothing Outfit (RFHCO)

Pryor, David H.

Titan II accident, reaction to, 386–87, 430, 432

Titan II dangers, informants on, 337–38, 347

warning siren for communities amendment, 347, 385–86

Psychological factors

and accident risk, 192–94

in deterrence strategy, 124–25

military drug/alcohol use, 349–51

presidential nuclear attack decision, 359–60

psychological warfare strategy, 446

soldiers’ reaction to blast experiment, 326–27

Purge fan, 58

Quarles, Donald A.

position of, xviii, 166, 223

safety concerns of, 171, 174

QUICKCOUNT, 353

R-16 missile, 269–70

Rabi, Isidor, 123

Radar fuzes, 135–36

Radford, Arthur W., 87

Radiation implosion, 128

Radiation sickness

as irreversible, 139

and Japanese, 54

Lucky Dragon crew, 140

Rongelap island villagers, 140

Slotin, death of, 95

Radioactive fallout, 138–39

dangers to humans, 139

early and delayed, 138–39

Ramoneda, Paul, Sergeant, 169–70

Ramsay, Norman F., 36

Rathgeber, David, Lieutenant, 391

Rausch, Gene, 383

Raven Rock Mountain, bunker/shelter. See Site R

RDS-1 atomic bomb, 85–86

RDS-6 thermonuclear bomb, 132

Ready/safe switch, 246–47, 298, 320, 374

Reagan, Ronald

arms control efforts, 451–53

command-and-control modernization, 442–43

and disarmament movement, 445–46

Grenada invasion, 448

military buildup under, 433–35, 441–42, 471–72

presidential campaign, 14, 115

psychological warfare strategy, 446

Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars), 447, 451, 452

Recycled missiles

dangers during recycle, 103–4

Launch Complex 374-7 missile as, 32–33

Red Alert (George), 189–90, 275, 300

Redstone Arsenal, 415

Redstone missile, 221, 225

Reedy, George, 176

Reentry vehicle (RV)

of Atlas, 226

function of, xxii, 226

Titan II explosion, 401, 425–26

Ref-co. See Rocket Fuel Handler’s Clothing Outfit (RFHCO)

Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW), 470

Research ANd Development (RAND)

areas studied by, 120–21

cities bombed, study of, 121–22

establishment of, xxi, 120

nuclear weapons safety reports by, 121–22, 190–96, 264–65

QUICKCOUNT system, 353

Retrofitting old weapons, 333–34, 370–76, 386, 440, 444, 450, 453

Revere, Paul, 113

Revolt of the admirals, 87

Richards, Eugene H., Major, 246

Ridgway, Matthew B., General, 133

Roberts, Jimmy E., Technical Sergeant

Medal for Heroism to, 439–40

position of, xvi

rescue of injured by, 408–13

at Titan II accident site, 238, 404–6

Titan II explosion, 404

Robertson, Michael J., Colonel, 421

Rock, Kansas, Titan II accident. See Titan II Launch Complex 533-7 accident

Rocket Fuel Handler’s Clothing Outfit (RFHCO)

construction of, xxi, 5–6

malfunction of, 341, 343, 346, 385

working without, by PTS teams, 104

Romig, James, Sergeant, 345

Rongelap island, 140

Rooney, Michael J., Captain, 315

Roosevelt, Franklin D., 44, 45

Rose, Frank, 152

Rossborough, David G., Technical Sergeant

position of, xvi

rescue of injured by, 401, 408

at Titan II accident site, 399–401

Rowen, Henry, 251, 280

Royal Air Force (RAF)

bases, U.S. atomic bombs at, 97–98, 125

Cold War mission of, xxi

strategic bombing preference of, 45, 205

Rubel, John H., 299–300

Rubin, Jerry, 16

Rudolph, Arthur, 182

Rusden, Michael, J., Lieutenant, 215

Rusk, Dean, 274, 296, 301

Russell, Bertrand, 82, 188–89, 293–94

Russia

false alarm (1995), 478

nuclear weapons of (2013), 477–78

Rutherford, James L. “Skip”

Titan II accident, reaction to, 386–87

Titan II dangers, informants on, 337–38, 347

Ryan, John Dale, General, 319–20

Sabotage, 191–92, 194–97, 260, 303, 355

Safety measures. See Accident prevention

Safety risks. See Accident risks; Accidents

Sagan, Carl, 445–46

Sagan, Scott D., 461–63

Sakharov, Andrei, 125

Sandaker, James R.

position of, xvi, 106

rescue of injured by, 405, 409–14, 440

Titan II explosion, 397, 401, 403

Sandia Laboratory, 100, 133–36, 160, 166, 167, 170–71, 181, 190–91, 246–47, 263, 313, 320

establishment of, 97

growth of, 136

hydrogen bomb development, 133–44

Mark 4 to 16 bombs production, 99–100

weapons safety efforts, 325–31. See also Peurifoy, Bob

work environment at, 136

SANGUINE, 442

Satellites, warning system, 269, 303

Saunders, Hubert A., 24–25

Scallorn, Ben G., Colonel

biographical information, 218–19, 227

position of, xvii

as site maintenance officer, 227

and Titan II response plan, 218, 235, 241

Schell, Jonathan, 445

Schelling, Thomas, 274–75

Schlesinger, James R., 358–61

Schneider, Gene, Titan II explosion, 401

Schreier, Theodore, Captain, 168

Scowcroft, Brent, 359

Sealed-pit weapons. See also Genie

safety concerns, 166–70, 172–73, 248, 312–13

Searcy, Arkansas, Titan II accident. See Titan II Launch Complex 374-4 accident

Secrecy

about nuclear accidents, 112–13, 185, 187

about nuclear weapons, necessity of, 78, 165, 198, 465–67

about Titan II accident, 63–64, 112–13, 236, 418–19, 424, 429–32, 436

“Accidents and Incidents Involving Nuclear Weapons” disclosure, 465

on Manhattan Project goal, 77–78

reclassified documents, 466

Security Police Net, 238, 240

Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE), xxii, 152–53, 252

Serrano, Miguel, Lieutenant

evacuates Titan II site, 69–70

Titan II accident response by, 57

Titan II assignment, xv, 11, 18

Seven Days in May (film), 304

Shelters, underground. See Bomb shelters/bunkers

Shelton, Eugene, Major, 245–46

Short, George, Captain

rescue of injured by, 408

Titan II explosion, 400, 401–2

Short, Lou, 393

Short-Range Attack Missiles (SRAMs)

accident, cause of, 422

capability of, xxii, 376–77

safety problems, 450, 453–55

Shoup, David, General, 291

Shrimp (solid-fuel device), 137–40

Shultz, George P., 452, 481

Silas Mason Company, 100

Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP), xxii

Decision Handbook (Black Book), 359–60

development and implementation of, 202–7

Kennedy/McNamara assessment of, 250–54, 280–82, 302–3

Nixon/Kissinger assessment of, 353–55, 361

and predelegation order, 207

presidential actions in, 359–63

revision of (1991), 457

targets of, 205–6

Site Able, 134, 369

Site Baker, 100, 126

Site Charlie, 100, 126

Site R, 155, 251–52, 273, 365–66, 368, 442

Six Day War (1967), 356

Slemon, C. Roy, Air Marshal, 253–54

Slotin, Louis, 416

first nuclear weapon assembly, 36–37

radiation sickness and death of, 95, 416

Smith, Dale O., Colonel, 83

Smith, R. Jeffrey, 455

Snapp, Calvin, Sergeant, 322

Snark, 220–21

Snyder, Ronald, Sergeant, 315

Sobolev, Arkady A., 188

Social Impact of Bomb Destruction, The (Iklé), 121–22

Solid-fuel devices, 7, 137

Soviet Union. See also Cold War

Afghanistan invasion by, 12–13, 367, 444

atomic bomb, 85–86

attack from, U.S. detection systems. See Warning systems

Berlin blockade by, 84, 92, 278–87

bombers, number of (1960), 150

command and control by, 467–69

détente, 358, 364

end of, 458–59

espionage by, 85, 127, 135, 465–66

Gorbachev reforms, 451–53, 455

hydrogen bomb, 125–26, 132

increased nuclear production (1970s), 352

intercontinental ballistic missiles, 175–78, 269–70

leaders. See Andropov, Yuri; Gorbachev, Mikhail; Khrushchev, Nikita

missile gap, fiction of, 269–71, 284

nuclear accidents, 269–70, 452, 467

Perimeter system, 467–68

propaganda on U.S. weapons, 140, 175, 185, 187–89, 287, 444

and Reagan weapons buildup, 444, 446–49

Sputnik, 175–76

SS missiles, 351–52, 441

Tsar Bomba, 286

underground shelters of, 352

-U.S. partnership, postatomic bomb, 76–83

World War II, 76–77

Spaatz, Carl A., General, 75

Spann, Silas, Sergeant

blast door, faith in, 237–38

at Titan II accident site, 390

Titan II explosion, 397, 399–401

Spike, The (de Borchgrave and Moss), 14

Split-knowledge code, 263–64

Spray, Stan

position of, xvii

weapons safety efforts, 328–30, 369–70, 374–75, 395

Sputnik

launch of, 175–76

U.S. defense buildup following, 176–79, 221–22

Spy satellites, 269

SS-9 missiles, 351–52

SS-20 missiles, 441

Stalin, Joseph, 42, 77, 125

Standardization, as SAC safety measure, 7, 93, 100, 209, 461

Standardization-evaluation team, 30

Stanton, Frank, 156

Steele, Bob, 387

Steffes, Eugene, Captain, 169–70

Steinbruner, John D., 443

Stevens, William L.

position of, xvii

weapons safety efforts, 326–28, 331, 373–75, 450

Stevenson, Adlai, 296

Stewart, Jimmy, 147–49

Stimson, Henry, 45, 76

Storage of weapons. See Nuclear weapons storage

Strategic Air Command (film), 148–49

Strategic Air Command (SAC). See also Butler, George Lee, General; LeMay, Curtis E., General; Little Rock SAC command post; Omaha SAC command post

accident prevention. See Checklists; Standardization; Two-man policy

airborne alert, 179–81, 188, 190–91, 267, 319–20, 325

bomb storage sites close to, 100

coded switch combination, 371

command bunker of, 154–55, 252

deficiencies of (1949), 88–89, 92

Eisenhower-era power of, 132–33

end of, 458, 472

film about, 148–49

function of, xxii, 88

heads of. See Power, Thomas S., General

Human Reliability Program, 298, 351

overseas bases, 149

pilots’ negativity toward, 347–48

Soviet strike plan (1955), 149–50

Strategic Operational Control System (SOCS), 154

successor to, 474

Titan II accident, secrecy about, 63–64, 112–13, 236, 418–19, 424, 429–32, 436

Titan II launch procedure, 27–28

two-man policy, 28, 30, 298

Strategic bombing strategy, 45, 87, 91, 130, 205

Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars), 447, 451, 452

Strategic Deterrence and Global Strike, 476–77

Strategic Operational Control System (SOCS), 154

Strath, William, 141–42

Strath Report, 141–42, 156

Stratotanker, 209

Strauss, Lewis L., 123–24, 142, 158

Streett, St. Clair, Major General, 80

Strontium-90, 139

Suitcase bomb, 416

Superbomb/Super. See Hydrogen bomb

Supersafe bomb, 331

Svitenko, Leonard, Captain, 322

Sweeney, Charles W., Major, 53

Symington, Stuart, 150

Szilárd, Leó, 37, 39, 44–45

Tactical Air Command (TAC), xxii

Tactical weapons

dangers/accidents, 287

increased production of, 303–4

LeMay as opponent of, 130–32

proponents of, 130, 200, 257, 268, 284, 287, 354

Soviet, in Cuba, 295

Soviet arsenal (2013), 479

Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO), xxii, 273

Tallman, Joseph

injury, treatment of, 403

Titan II explosion, 401

TATB explosive, xxii, 332

Tatom, Sam, 429

Taylor, Maxwell D., General

on attacking Soviets, 277

and Cuban missile crisis, 294

on flexible response, 200, 203, 250

position of, xvii

on tactical weapons, 268

Telegraphic Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS), xxii, 270, 289

Teller, Edward

A-bomb development, 36, 40

hydrogen bomb development, 123, 127–29

and Polaris system, 314

Terrorists

Bush and 9/11 chaos, 476

and nuclear weapons, 373

Pakistan vulnerability to, 480

Test bans. See Arms control

Texas towers, 151

Thatcher, Margaret, 453

Thermal batteries, 160

Thermonuclear fusion, hydrogen bomb, 122–23, 127–29

Third World War: August 1985 (Hackett), 14–15

Thomas, Frank, 387

Thomas, Robert J., Sergeant, and Titan II (533-7) accident, 339, 341–46

Thor missiles, 221, 308–9

Threat Assessment Conference, 366–68

Three Mile Island, 367, 460

Threshold Test Ban Treaty, 358

Thule monitor, 267–68, 320–21, 324–25

Thunderball (film), 317

Tinian airfield, 50, 52, 97

Tipsies

black hat operation alert, 230–31

function of, 20

Titan I, 182

propellants of, xx, 222

Titanic Effect, 313

Titan II, 223–27

accuracy, compared to older missiles, 227

Air Force on safety of, 385–86

Arkansas accidents. See Titan II Launch Complex 374-4 accident; Titan II Launch Complex 374-7 accident

community warning siren amendment, 347, 385–86

dangers, informants on, 337–38, 347

decommissioning attempts, 266, 346, 351–52, 444

design features, 223–24

destruction capabilities, 223, 226

firing protocol, 11

flight, pattern/mechanics of, 225–26

guidance system, 224–26

Kansas accident. See Titan II Launch Complex 533-7 accident

Titan II (cont.)

launch procedure, 27–28

launch stages/propellant mixing, 4, 223, 225

manufacturer of, 218

as potential disaster, 337–38, 347–48, 351, 376, 385–86, 430, 436

propellants, dangers of, 4–5

recycled missiles, 32–33

safety valve lock, 28

size of, 3

targets of, 11

time to reach target, 28, 226

two-man launch policy, 28

warhead. See W-53 warhead

Titan II Launch Complex 374-4 accident

flash fire (1965), 23–26, 227

as ghost site, 22

recycled missile from, 32–33

Titan II Launch Complex 374-5, 12, 18

Titan II Launch Complex 374-7

abandonment of, 484

combat crew, xv, 8–9

daily shift verification (DSV), 29, 30–31

entrance security, 20–21

explosives/flammables in, 6–7

layout of, 6, 22, 26, 29

missile position/mounting, 6, 65

tunnel leading to missile, 21–22

Titan II Launch Complex 374-7 accident. See also individual persons related to incident

Air Force account of, 430, 435–37

Air Force withholds information about, 63–64, 112–13, 236, 418–19, 424, 429–32, 436

blast door breach, 59, 67, 116, 214

dropped socket/fuel leak, 7, 56, 60, 64–65, 102, 109, 437

escape hatch, 68–70, 234, 239

fire in silo question, 57–58, 65, 102–3, 109

fuel vapor/cloud, 56–58, 64–65

fuel vapor/cloud in air outside, 70, 101, 106, 108

media coverage, 418–20, 430–32

as normal accident, 463–64

oxidizer tank, low pressure problem, 5–6, 28, 32

oxidizer trailer leak (1978), 62, 63, 111–12

personnel, aftermath for, 437–40

as recycled missile, 32–33

tanks’ pressure level changes, dangers of, 65–68, 102, 105–6, 116–17, 217

Titan II explosion, 392–94

vapor-detection system, 33–34, 57–59

warning lights confusion, 34, 56–58, 64, 66, 208

water tank malfunction, 31, 66

work platforms malfunction, 29–30, 31

Titan II Launch Complex 374-7 accident response. See also individual persons related to incident

casualties of, 430–31, 436–37

communication problems, 210, 216–17, 218, 240–41, 390, 402

decontamination, 390, 427–28

equipment for, 106–7, 211, 216, 241–42, 420

evacuation, 68–70, 108, 214–16

evacuation of local civilians, 112, 229, 404–5, 419

flight from explosion, 392–401

fuel vapor hazard reading, 391–92

initial actions, illegality of, 109–10, 115–17

injured, rescue of, 401, 405, 408–14

injured, treatment of, 413–14, 421

injured crew, rescue of, 409–14

Martin Marietta’s plan, 235–36, 237

medical response inadequacy, 402–3, 413–14, 437

officers, lack of experience for, 107, 210–11, 213, 239

power to complex, leaving on, 217–18, 239

power to missile, shutting down, 66, 67, 214

PTS crew abandoned at site, 397, 402

PTS team enters site, 240–42, 388–92

response plan, approvals needed, 118, 212, 217, 227, 233–34

response plan, opposition to, 235–36, 239–40

response plan, steps in, 234, 238–39

toxic corridor mapping, 59

ventilation fan, order to turn on, 392, 436–37

warhead, search for, 420, 423–24

warhead removal, 432

weapons deactivation team, 422–23, 425–27

Titan II Launch Complex 533-7 accident, 338–46

casualties of, 346

cause of, 339–40, 345

malfunctions during emergency, 340–45

victim lawsuits, 386

Titan II launch complexes

backup crew, role of, xx, 7

blast doors, 21–22

and concurrency practice, 219

construction materials of, 219

control center, 26–27, 33, 428–29

credit card, breaking in with, 230–31

entrance security, 20–21

explosives/flammables in, 6–7

layout of, 22, 26, 29

locations of, 18–20, 27, 227

maintenance procedure, standardized, 7

safety features of, 7, 21, 33–34

training of personnel for. See Training

two-man policy, 7, 28, 30

ventilation system, 29

water tanks in, 31, 66

weapons policy, 7

Townes, Charles H., 455–56

Townley, Robert, Major, 310

Toxic corridor mapping, 59, 215

Training

accidents during, 169–70, 191, 310–11, 324, 339–46

of combat crew, 11–12, 18

Dash-1 manual, 11, 57

of instructor crew, 11, 18, 22, 30

of PTS teams, 5, 103–4, 338, 339, 346

shortcomings and accident risk, 5, 23, 89, 160, 261, 338, 366–67

in weapons deactivation, 415–18

Travis, Robert F., Brigadier General, 169–70

Trident submarines, 441, 470–71

Trinity test, 36, 40–44, 47–48, 52, 94, 205, 329

Tritium, 127, 128

Tritium meters, 417

TROJAN, 85

Truman, Harry S.

arms control issue, 75–82

atomic bomb approval by, 47–48, 52

command-and-control dilemma, 77–78, 87–88, 94, 125–26, 157

and hydrogen bomb development, 124–26

preventive atomic blitz on Soviets, 82–89, 130–31

Truman Doctrine, 80–81, 96

Tsar Bomba, 286

Tulloch, Walter S., Major, 245

Twining, Nathan, General, 203

Two-man policy

PTS member violation of, 116–18, 217, 438

scope of, 7, 28, 30, 298

U-2 spy planes, accident risks, 462–63

Ulam, Stanslaw, 127

Uncertain Trumpet, The (Taylor), 250

United Nations (UN), 74, 482

Uranium

composite core with plutonium, 99

number of protons of, 38

safety versus plutonium, 164

type for nuclear reaction, 39

U.S. Air Force (USAF). See also Strategic Air Command (SAC)

command-and-control system (2009– ), 474–75

Eisenhower-era power of, 132–33

founding of, xxii

Navy rivalry with, 84–87, 182, 203–4

nuclear weapons safety lapse (2003– ), 472–74

U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF), xxii, 45

U.S. military defenses. See also specific armed forces

bombers, number of (1960), 150

counterforce strategy, 131, 133, 201, 205, 267, 302, 434, 483–84

deficiency (1949), 85–87

deficiency (1953), 132

deficiency (1980s), 13

demobilization, post–World War II, 80, 81, 86, 88

nuclear arsenal. See Nuclear weapons; specific weapons by name

nuclear attack order. See Command and control

nuclear weapons of (2013), 477

presidential actions. See specific presidents

Soviet attack, warning of. See Warning systems

Sputnik, buildup following, 176–79, 221–22

U.S. Navy

atomic blitz opposition to, 87

Eisenhower-era, 133

Polaris system, 182, 200–201, 265–66, 273, 313–14

rivalry with Air Force, 84–87, 182, 203–4

storage of weapons on ships, 158–59

Trident submarines, 441, 470–71

USS Casimir Pulaski, 350

USS Liberty, 356

USS Nathan Hale, 350

USS Pueblo, 356

USS Ticonderoga, 312

USS United States, 86, 87

V-2 missile, 182, 225

Vandenberg Air Force Base, 220, 222, 462, 484–85

Vanderberg, Hoyt, General, 126

Vanguard rocket, 177

VanKirk, George, 382–84

Vapor-detection system

functions of, xxi

and Titan II accident, 33–34, 57–59

Victory Through Air Power, 85

Vietnam War, 304–5, 348–49, 358

W-25 warhead, 376

W-47 warhead, 313–14

W-49 warhead, 196–97

W-53 warhead

deactivating, 423, 425–27, 432

power of, 3, 346

programming explosion, 226

reentry vehicle with, 425–26

retrofit plan, 376, 385–86, 444

safety mechanisms, 215

safety record, 385–86

W-76 warhead, 470

W-87 warhead, 471

W-88 warhead, 470–71

Walker, John, 464–65

Wallace, George C., 304–5

Wallace, Ronald O., Sergeant, 24

Wallace, Wayne, Major

at Titan II accident site, 390

Titan II explosion, 397, 401

Walske, Carl, 325–26

Walters, Barbara, 16

Warheads. See entries under W, for example, W-53 warhead

Warning systems

Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS), 178, 252–53

computers, use in, 152–53

Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, 151–53, 252

flaws of, 252–55, 286–87, 290, 365–68, 447–48

North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), 152, 365–68

satellites in, 269, 303

Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE), 153–54, 252

Water tanks, in launch complex, 31, 66

Watkins, James D., 454–55

Watson, Thomas J., Jr., 253

Weak link/strong link safety, 331–32, 372, 377, 449–50, 455–56, 468

Weapons deactivation

Titan II accident, 422–23

training in, 415–18

Weapons labs, scientists and engineers of, xvii

Weapons Systems Evaluation Group (WSEG)

function of, xxiii

Report No. 50, 251–55

Webb, James, 88

Webster, Douglas M., Lieutenant, 312

Weinberger, Caspar, 434–35, 443–44

Weisskopf, Victor, 36, 43

Wells, H. G., 37

Wells, Jackie, Captain, 214

Wendorf, Charles J., Captain, 315

Wessel, Glen H., Senior Airman, 341–43

Whirlwind computer, 152–53

White, Frank, 115

White, Thomas D., General, 267

White House, bomb shelter of, 155

Wiesner, Jerome, 265, 270

Wiley, Jimmy D., Sergeant, 391

Willinghurst, Richard D., 29, 58

Wilson, Charles E., 165–66

Wilson, Frank, 418

Window of vulnerability, 363–64

Winner, Langdon, 464

Wohlstetter, Albert, 149

Women’s Peace Camp, 445

Wong, Danford M., 342

Wooden bombs, 160

Wooten, Melvin, Technical Sergeant, 310

World Peace Council, 183

World Set Free, The (Wells), 37

World War II

beginning of, 44–45

bombing patterns during, 44–46

and Soviet Union, 76–77

World Wide Military Command and Control System (WWMCCS), xxiii

communication issues, 303, 355, 448

elements and operation of, 272–75

end of, 474

Yangel, Mikhail, 270

Yeltsin, Boris, 478

You and Titan II, 23

Yount, David A., Captain, 24

Zink, Jeffery A., Lieutenant Colonel, 377–81, 384–85

Zone of the interior (ZI), xxiii, 150, 151, 158