The above is a picture of Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA had the bomb dropped from a crashing B-52 exploded when it fell out of the sky! The 1960's were not a good time for American bombs, they fell not only on the USA itself but also into the sea off Spain and probably elsewhere on areas not yet revealed by whistleblowers.
During the late 50's and early 60's Inter Continental Nuclear Missiles had not reached a sufficient degree of development. Therefore B-52's and other giant aircraft flew in formation over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Circle on a flightpath that took them close, oh too close, to the Soviet airspace. The Soviet 'Bear' bomber of course did exactly the same in reverse. The RAF have many photographs taken from 'Lighting' fighters that intercepted such planes as they crossed towards our airspace. Usually the crew are pictured waving to one another, such flights all part of the game and they all knew it. President Putin reinstated such activities recently in an effort to make Russia once again appear as a powerful force. It does not really succeed in doing so, but the home public like it.
On the 23rd January 1961 the B-52 went into an uncontrollable spin, the pilot (apparently) released the bombs, possibly as part of training routine, and allowed them to fall over North Carolina. Whether he considered the heads of the people below when he did so is not recorded. One bomb fell safely to earth the other underwent action stations! Having been dropped this bomb, with a capability 260 times more powerful than the 'A'-Bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the bomb understood it had been dropped on purpose to attack an enemy. The Mark 39 Hydrogen Bomb went through all the arming procedures required bar one, two of the arming routines failed because the B-52 was breaking up when released, one successfully activated when it fell but a low voltage switch failed preventing the bomb exploding and Goldsboro and much around it vanishing from the earth. 'Friendly fire; from American forces is something British troops have known since the Great War, such 'friendly fire' on US soil is taking things a bit far surely.
Was it General la Fey the man in charge of the air force during President Eisenhower's time in office? I only ask because after beginning the flights with fully loaded 'A' and Nuclear Bombs he forgot to tell the president he was doing so. It was a case of him not 'needing to know,' after all he was just a politician!
I wonder how many Soviet incidents like this lie unreported?
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5 comments:
I think I fell into that hole these past few days! Damn thing!
I do not recall ever hearing about the Goldsboro incident before. If it had of exploded, the world would have probably never heard of Michael Jordan (naturally-speaking, of course).
By the way, I also cannot recall ever coming across an account of friendly fire from British forces. For what came from them was always taken as being quite unfriendly.
Lee, Look where you walk.
Jerry, British forces do not indulge in friendly fire.
They fire accurately.
la Fey?
Someone.
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