"Mysteries at the Museum" Atomic Age: Mysteries at the Museum Special

1 00:00:01,903 --> 00:00:05,004 A backyard experiment insights a nuclear panic. 2 00:00:05,073 --> 00:00:07,273 WALTHER: When the investigators examine the shed, 3 00:00:07,342 --> 00:00:09,942 they find that it's highly radioactive. 4 00:00:10,011 --> 00:00:12,545 Mail delivery at rocket speed. 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,881 And they're thinking, "Oh, God, please don't crash." 6 00:00:15,917 --> 00:00:19,885 And an atomic bombing in South Carolina. 7 00:00:19,921 --> 00:00:23,289 Eyewitness reports said there were plumes of smoke 8 00:00:23,358 --> 00:00:25,691 from the explosion. 9 00:00:25,693 --> 00:00:28,327 These are the mysteries at the museum. 10 00:00:33,902 --> 00:00:36,869 Set on the banks of the Santa Cruz River, 11 00:00:36,971 --> 00:00:38,637 the City of Sahuarita, Arizona, 12 00:00:38,706 --> 00:00:41,574 is known for its adobe buildings, 13 00:00:41,643 --> 00:00:43,442 jagged cacti, 14 00:00:43,511 --> 00:00:46,312 and magnificent desert panoramas. 15 00:00:48,583 --> 00:00:51,183 But buried beneath this sun-scorched terrain 16 00:00:51,252 --> 00:00:52,317 is an institution 17 00:00:52,353 --> 00:00:55,921 that recalls the region's darker side, 18 00:00:55,957 --> 00:00:57,924 The Titan Missile Museum. 19 00:01:00,061 --> 00:01:03,729 Housed in what was once a Cold War nuclear silo, 20 00:01:03,731 --> 00:01:04,997 the facility is home 21 00:01:05,033 --> 00:01:08,968 to a massive 103-foot-tall decommissioned missile. 22 00:01:13,674 --> 00:01:16,609 But there's another object here that is much smaller 23 00:01:16,744 --> 00:01:19,745 but was equally deadly. 24 00:01:19,814 --> 00:01:23,482 MORRIS: The artifact is rectangular in shape. 25 00:01:23,551 --> 00:01:25,952 It has 16 thumb wheels on it. 26 00:01:26,087 --> 00:01:30,823 It's got a couple of on-off switches 27 00:01:30,892 --> 00:01:34,627 and the words "code entry" are etched into the front. 28 00:01:37,832 --> 00:01:40,966 WILDMAN: This intricate machine recalls a chilling tale 29 00:01:41,035 --> 00:01:45,771 of two global superpowers on the brink of Armageddon... 30 00:01:45,773 --> 00:01:48,106 and the brave soul caught in the middle. 31 00:01:48,142 --> 00:01:51,577 This is a story about one of the most important decisions 32 00:01:51,712 --> 00:01:53,412 in mankind's history. 33 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:01,074 34 00:02:02,790 --> 00:02:06,658 WILDMAN: 1983. It's the height of the Cold War. 35 00:02:06,694 --> 00:02:09,594 The threat of nuclear war between the United States 36 00:02:09,631 --> 00:02:12,664 and the Soviet Union looms large. 37 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:15,134 The U.S. possesses a massive arsenal 38 00:02:15,136 --> 00:02:17,536 of Titan II atomic missiles. 39 00:02:19,641 --> 00:02:22,274 Not to be outmatched, the USSR 40 00:02:22,410 --> 00:02:25,611 has their own inventory of nuclear warheads 41 00:02:25,746 --> 00:02:28,013 as well as an advanced satellite system 42 00:02:28,049 --> 00:02:29,882 that can detect American missiles 43 00:02:30,017 --> 00:02:32,351 entering Soviet airspace. 44 00:02:32,353 --> 00:02:35,488 Tasked with monitoring this early warning system 45 00:02:35,623 --> 00:02:40,025 is a 44-year-old Lieutenant named Stanislav Petrov. 46 00:02:40,061 --> 00:02:43,763 MORRIS: His specific purpose was to notify his superiors 47 00:02:43,898 --> 00:02:46,899 of missile launches from the United States 48 00:02:46,901 --> 00:02:50,169 directed towards the Soviet Union. 49 00:02:50,304 --> 00:02:51,971 WILDMAN: Should Petrov detect 50 00:02:51,973 --> 00:02:54,240 an incoming American nuclear missile, 51 00:02:54,242 --> 00:02:55,841 he's under strict orders 52 00:02:55,843 --> 00:02:58,110 to alert his commanders immediately 53 00:02:58,179 --> 00:03:00,379 so they can launch a counter attack. 54 00:03:00,448 --> 00:03:03,115 It had to be a crushing burden. 55 00:03:03,250 --> 00:03:04,717 WILDMAN: And his responsibilities 56 00:03:04,852 --> 00:03:07,520 are about to be put to the ultimate test. 57 00:03:10,858 --> 00:03:13,125 On the night of September 26th, 58 00:03:13,161 --> 00:03:16,662 Petrov is conducting routine satellite observations 59 00:03:16,664 --> 00:03:19,331 when suddenly... 60 00:03:21,002 --> 00:03:23,802 ...the early warning alarm bell sounds. 61 00:03:23,838 --> 00:03:25,604 When Petrov checks the system, 62 00:03:25,606 --> 00:03:29,942 it shows an American missile is headed straight for Russia. 63 00:03:30,077 --> 00:03:34,547 MORRIS: Your heart stops, your mouth gets dry, 64 00:03:34,549 --> 00:03:36,015 your mind is telling you 65 00:03:36,017 --> 00:03:37,883 this can't possibly be happening. 66 00:03:37,952 --> 00:03:41,153 This is not happening. 67 00:03:41,189 --> 00:03:44,023 WILDMAN: Minutes later, the warning system signals 68 00:03:44,025 --> 00:03:47,359 that a second American missile is on its way. 69 00:03:48,830 --> 00:03:51,163 MORRIS: There's a second alarm 70 00:03:51,298 --> 00:03:54,300 and then a third and a fourth 71 00:03:54,302 --> 00:03:58,304 and finally in total, there were supposedly five missiles 72 00:03:58,306 --> 00:04:02,374 incoming towards the Soviet Union. 73 00:04:02,410 --> 00:04:05,844 WILDMAN: To Petrov and his men, it can mean only one thing. 74 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,882 The United States has initiated a nuclear war. 75 00:04:09,984 --> 00:04:13,986 MORRIS: Everyone's sort of frozen. 76 00:04:14,121 --> 00:04:17,590 They are under attack. 77 00:04:17,725 --> 00:04:19,124 WILDMAN: According to protocol, 78 00:04:19,127 --> 00:04:21,993 Petrov must inform his superiors immediately 79 00:04:22,029 --> 00:04:24,396 so the Soviets can retaliate. 80 00:04:24,532 --> 00:04:26,265 But just as the veteran lieutenant 81 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,134 is about to pick up the phone, 82 00:04:28,269 --> 00:04:31,804 he realizes something doesn't add up. 83 00:04:31,806 --> 00:04:32,871 MORRIS: If the United States 84 00:04:32,940 --> 00:04:35,541 were going to launch a pre-emptive strike 85 00:04:35,543 --> 00:04:37,276 against the Soviet Union, 86 00:04:37,345 --> 00:04:39,545 they would use more than five missiles. 87 00:04:39,614 --> 00:04:42,147 It would be hundreds of missiles, maybe thousands. 88 00:04:42,183 --> 00:04:46,785 His gut was telling him this is a mistake. 89 00:04:46,821 --> 00:04:50,489 WILDMAN: Petrov knows that time is running out. 90 00:04:50,491 --> 00:04:53,826 It only takes 23 minutes for an American Titan Missile 91 00:04:53,828 --> 00:04:56,628 to reach the USSR. 92 00:04:56,697 --> 00:05:00,699 The lieutenant faces an unimaginable choice. 93 00:05:00,735 --> 00:05:04,970 Follow protocol or trust his instincts. 94 00:05:05,006 --> 00:05:06,105 MORRIS: If he's wrong, 95 00:05:06,107 --> 00:05:09,675 the repercussions would be astronomic. 96 00:05:11,312 --> 00:05:13,913 WILDMAN: Petrov opens a secure communications link 97 00:05:14,048 --> 00:05:16,782 with Soviet Military Headquarters. 98 00:05:16,784 --> 00:05:19,384 He knows that what he tells his commanders 99 00:05:19,420 --> 00:05:22,187 could usher in a nuclear Armageddon. 100 00:05:22,223 --> 00:05:26,458 MORRIS: Petrov was afraid of making the wrong decision 101 00:05:26,494 --> 00:05:29,762 and contributing to the start of World War III. 102 00:05:31,065 --> 00:05:33,599 WILDMAN: With the fate of the entire world in his hands, 103 00:05:33,601 --> 00:05:35,868 Petrov makes his decision. 104 00:05:35,903 --> 00:05:38,470 He tells his superiors that there has been a mistake. 105 00:05:38,606 --> 00:05:41,740 He reported that the system was malfunctioning. 106 00:05:41,742 --> 00:05:43,342 And that the Soviet Union 107 00:05:43,411 --> 00:05:46,745 was not actually under missile attack. 108 00:05:46,781 --> 00:05:49,615 WILDMAN: All Petrov can do now is wait. 109 00:05:51,886 --> 00:05:55,554 And as the clock ticks down, 110 00:05:55,689 --> 00:05:57,822 it seems that his gut was correct. 111 00:06:00,761 --> 00:06:04,496 The alarm system suddenly returns to normal. 112 00:06:04,632 --> 00:06:08,100 MORRIS: Petrov must have been euphoric. 113 00:06:08,235 --> 00:06:10,169 He'd made the right call. 114 00:06:12,707 --> 00:06:15,173 WILDMAN: Stanislav Petrov's bold decision 115 00:06:15,209 --> 00:06:19,711 has saved the planet from nuclear devastation. 116 00:06:19,747 --> 00:06:21,713 But one question remains. 117 00:06:21,749 --> 00:06:24,183 What caused the system to malfunction 118 00:06:24,185 --> 00:06:27,252 and detect an American attack? 119 00:06:27,321 --> 00:06:28,520 MORRIS: It was revealed 120 00:06:28,556 --> 00:06:31,523 that the satellite had misinterpreted sunlight 121 00:06:31,592 --> 00:06:35,594 bouncing off of clouds as a missile launch. 122 00:06:35,729 --> 00:06:38,130 WILDMAN: In the wake of his nuclear near-miss, 123 00:06:38,265 --> 00:06:41,599 the Soviets fine-tuned their early warning system 124 00:06:41,636 --> 00:06:45,804 so it can't be thrown off like this again. 125 00:06:45,806 --> 00:06:47,605 The story of the world's brush 126 00:06:47,642 --> 00:06:51,944 with accidental annihilation remains a secret for years. 127 00:06:52,013 --> 00:06:54,613 But when the Cold War eventually thaws, 128 00:06:54,682 --> 00:06:55,948 the stunning incident 129 00:06:55,950 --> 00:06:58,484 is finally revealed to the world 130 00:06:58,486 --> 00:07:01,286 and Petrov is hailed as a hero. 131 00:07:01,355 --> 00:07:04,556 MORRIS: He could have taken the easy way out. 132 00:07:04,592 --> 00:07:06,225 But he took the high road 133 00:07:06,227 --> 00:07:10,696 and had the courage to listen to his gut. 134 00:07:10,831 --> 00:07:12,964 WILDMAN: Today this weapons launch dial 135 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,834 that could have initiated nuclear Armageddon 136 00:07:15,903 --> 00:07:19,104 sits on display at the Titan Missile Museum. 137 00:07:19,140 --> 00:07:21,306 It recalls the story of a quick-thinking 138 00:07:21,309 --> 00:07:24,610 and cool-headed man who saved the world. 139 00:07:26,881 --> 00:07:30,316 Located on the grounds of West Virginia's luxurious 140 00:07:30,451 --> 00:07:33,986 Greenbrier Hotel is the Presidents' Cottage Museum -- 141 00:07:34,055 --> 00:07:37,923 a shrine commemorating the 26 American Heads of State 142 00:07:38,058 --> 00:07:41,259 who have visited this palatial resort. 143 00:07:41,295 --> 00:07:44,329 But far removed from the timeless photos 144 00:07:44,365 --> 00:07:45,663 and elegant paintings 145 00:07:45,700 --> 00:07:48,667 sits one particularly pedestrian artifact 146 00:07:48,669 --> 00:07:52,070 that tells a riveting tale of power and paranoia 147 00:07:52,106 --> 00:07:54,273 in a world on the brink of destruction. 148 00:07:54,275 --> 00:08:01,079 WALLS: This may look like an old, ordinary television, 149 00:08:01,148 --> 00:08:03,816 but now we know this object represents 150 00:08:03,951 --> 00:08:06,018 something much, much bigger -- 151 00:08:06,020 --> 00:08:09,221 something very top-secret. 152 00:08:09,290 --> 00:08:13,291 WILDMAN: So what insight does this common appliance provide 153 00:08:13,327 --> 00:08:16,361 into one of the most dramatic and intriguing episodes 154 00:08:16,397 --> 00:08:17,663 in our nation's history? 155 00:08:19,299 --> 00:08:22,568 West Virginia -- 1958. 156 00:08:22,570 --> 00:08:25,170 Deep in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains lies 157 00:08:25,305 --> 00:08:27,639 the elegant Greenbrier Hotel, 158 00:08:27,641 --> 00:08:31,243 a popular destination with Washington insiders 159 00:08:31,245 --> 00:08:33,812 and even President Dwight Eisenhower. 160 00:08:35,116 --> 00:08:36,381 On December 12th, 161 00:08:36,417 --> 00:08:39,050 the high-profile getaway announces plans 162 00:08:39,086 --> 00:08:41,854 for the construction of an opulent new wing 163 00:08:41,989 --> 00:08:47,526 featuring 88 new guest rooms and an underground exhibit hall. 164 00:08:47,528 --> 00:08:50,662 WALLS: It could be used by the guests for exhibits 165 00:08:50,798 --> 00:08:54,733 and also for parties, for huge dinner functions. 166 00:08:54,735 --> 00:08:57,669 WILDMAN: In late December, 167 00:08:57,671 --> 00:09:00,139 a crew breaks ground on the project, 168 00:09:00,274 --> 00:09:02,741 excavating a hole for the building's foundation. 169 00:09:05,879 --> 00:09:09,815 And by the spring of 1959, the workers have carved out 170 00:09:09,884 --> 00:09:13,685 a massive cavity in the Earth roughly the size 171 00:09:13,687 --> 00:09:17,456 of two football fields stacked underground. 172 00:09:18,826 --> 00:09:22,026 Soon, an endless procession of trucks arrives 173 00:09:22,063 --> 00:09:25,763 hauling an astonishing 50,000 tons of concrete 174 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,100 to the cavernous site. 175 00:09:28,102 --> 00:09:29,368 WALLS: As you would guess, 176 00:09:29,470 --> 00:09:31,837 there were whispers about this project. 177 00:09:31,839 --> 00:09:33,906 People said, "What are they building," 178 00:09:34,041 --> 00:09:37,509 because there was a huge amount of square footage 179 00:09:37,545 --> 00:09:40,446 that was unknown. 180 00:09:40,581 --> 00:09:42,848 WILDMAN: Adding to the speculation, 181 00:09:42,983 --> 00:09:45,984 it's revealed that a few select workers charged 182 00:09:45,986 --> 00:09:48,387 with hanging gigantic steel doors 183 00:09:48,389 --> 00:09:52,056 at underground entrances have been vetted by the FBI 184 00:09:52,093 --> 00:09:55,127 and forced to sign nondisclosure agreements 185 00:09:55,262 --> 00:09:57,262 about their involvement in the project. 186 00:09:57,298 --> 00:09:59,464 WALLS: Some of the local gossip said 187 00:09:59,467 --> 00:10:02,534 there was something here for the government. 188 00:10:03,737 --> 00:10:06,671 WILDMAN: Finally, in October 1962, 189 00:10:06,740 --> 00:10:10,008 the new annex, dubbed "The West Virginia Wing," 190 00:10:10,077 --> 00:10:11,543 opens its doors. 191 00:10:11,678 --> 00:10:13,812 It was beautifully, beautifully done. 192 00:10:13,947 --> 00:10:17,415 There was the exhibit hall, the Mountaineer Room, 193 00:10:17,451 --> 00:10:21,420 good, theatre-style conference rooms. 194 00:10:21,555 --> 00:10:24,823 WILDMAN: And there is also a new office set up to tend 195 00:10:24,825 --> 00:10:27,025 to one important guest amenity. 196 00:10:27,161 --> 00:10:29,695 There was a television repair shop 197 00:10:29,830 --> 00:10:32,898 that maintained all of the Greenbrier's televisions. 198 00:10:34,101 --> 00:10:37,569 WILDMAN: For the next 30 years, the West Virginia Wing becomes 199 00:10:37,605 --> 00:10:39,304 a boon for the Greenbrier, 200 00:10:39,439 --> 00:10:41,640 playing host to hundreds of events 201 00:10:41,642 --> 00:10:43,909 and entertaining thousands of guests. 202 00:10:43,978 --> 00:10:46,911 And eventually, the rumors surrounding the addition 203 00:10:46,947 --> 00:10:49,381 become a distant memory. 204 00:10:50,718 --> 00:10:55,320 Then, in 1992, a journalist named Ted Gup is 205 00:10:55,455 --> 00:10:57,856 researching the history of The Cold War 206 00:10:57,991 --> 00:11:00,725 and how the United States would have handled the fallout 207 00:11:00,794 --> 00:11:03,795 from a nuclear catastrophe. 208 00:11:03,864 --> 00:11:05,997 In the course of his investigation, 209 00:11:06,033 --> 00:11:08,267 a political insider tips him off 210 00:11:08,402 --> 00:11:11,336 to an ongoing, covert government operation 211 00:11:11,372 --> 00:11:14,339 being carried out at the Greenbrier Hotel's 212 00:11:14,341 --> 00:11:15,807 West Virginia Wing. 213 00:11:15,809 --> 00:11:19,878 What clandestine activity could this exclusive resort 214 00:11:20,014 --> 00:11:22,381 possibly be concealing? 215 00:11:32,459 --> 00:11:35,627 In 1958, the Greenbrier Hotel, 216 00:11:35,663 --> 00:11:38,096 an upscale resort in the mountains of West Virginia, 217 00:11:38,098 --> 00:11:41,232 was expanded to include an elaborate new wing 218 00:11:41,268 --> 00:11:43,502 and an underground exhibit hall, 219 00:11:43,637 --> 00:11:45,771 but the high level of security surrounding the project 220 00:11:45,906 --> 00:11:48,573 soon gives rise to rumors of a top-secret 221 00:11:48,609 --> 00:11:50,709 government operation. 222 00:11:50,844 --> 00:11:53,044 It's 30 years before an investigative journalist 223 00:11:53,113 --> 00:11:56,782 uncovers the truth on this subterranean mystery. 224 00:11:58,719 --> 00:12:01,320 On May 31, 1992, 225 00:12:01,322 --> 00:12:04,189 journalist Ted Gup publishes a shocking article 226 00:12:04,324 --> 00:12:07,125 in<i> The Washington Post</i> that lifts the shroud of mystery 227 00:12:07,261 --> 00:12:09,327 that surrounds the Greenbrier Hotel's 228 00:12:09,396 --> 00:12:11,063 West Virginia Wing. 229 00:12:11,065 --> 00:12:14,032 Interviews with various construction contractors, 230 00:12:14,068 --> 00:12:17,069 hotel executives, and former government officials 231 00:12:17,071 --> 00:12:21,340 confirm rumors that began spreading back in the 1950s. 232 00:12:22,743 --> 00:12:24,409 WALLS: Leading from the Greenbrier 233 00:12:24,411 --> 00:12:28,146 into the exhibit hall was a false wall, 234 00:12:28,148 --> 00:12:31,083 and no one knew that, behind this cover door, 235 00:12:31,085 --> 00:12:34,620 was an 18-ton blast door. 236 00:12:34,755 --> 00:12:37,355 This door could have been closed, 237 00:12:37,424 --> 00:12:40,158 sealing the huge bunker. 238 00:12:41,695 --> 00:12:44,095 WILDMAN: This extraordinary bunker, 239 00:12:44,131 --> 00:12:46,298 kept secret for over 30 years, 240 00:12:46,300 --> 00:12:51,036 is revealed to be a 153-room nuclear fallout shelter 241 00:12:51,171 --> 00:12:54,639 built as a safeguard for the 535 members 242 00:12:54,675 --> 00:12:58,577 of the United States Congress in case of nuclear attack. 243 00:12:58,579 --> 00:13:01,046 WALLS: During the period of The Cold War, 244 00:13:01,181 --> 00:13:05,250 President Eisenhower had bunkers built to ensure 245 00:13:05,252 --> 00:13:07,652 that our government would have continued 246 00:13:07,754 --> 00:13:10,588 in the event of an emergency. 247 00:13:10,658 --> 00:13:13,458 The Greenbrier was chosen as one location for this 248 00:13:13,593 --> 00:13:15,861 because it's nestled in the mountains 249 00:13:15,996 --> 00:13:20,198 within a 250-mile radius of Washington, D.C. 250 00:13:23,070 --> 00:13:26,270 WILDMAN: In addition to its strategic and secluded location, 251 00:13:26,307 --> 00:13:31,076 this enormous refuge, buried 720 feet into a hillside, 252 00:13:31,211 --> 00:13:34,946 houses all the conveniences of life above-ground. 253 00:13:35,082 --> 00:13:37,549 WALLS: There were 18 dormitories. 254 00:13:37,618 --> 00:13:40,752 There was a huge communications area, 255 00:13:40,821 --> 00:13:45,223 a huge infirmary complete with operating rooms, 256 00:13:45,359 --> 00:13:48,226 and a huge power plant. 257 00:13:48,295 --> 00:13:51,629 And thousands of guests have been in the conference rooms. 258 00:13:51,665 --> 00:13:54,832 Little did they know that they were actually seated 259 00:13:54,868 --> 00:13:58,370 in rooms that would have been used as chambers 260 00:13:58,372 --> 00:14:01,573 for the House of Representatives and for the Senate. 261 00:14:01,575 --> 00:14:04,376 WILDMAN: But the question remains -- 262 00:14:04,378 --> 00:14:06,712 how did the United States government maintain 263 00:14:06,847 --> 00:14:10,949 this immense bunker without the hotel staff catching on? 264 00:14:12,653 --> 00:14:17,189 The answer lies in an object so mundane and ordinary 265 00:14:17,191 --> 00:14:18,856 it provided the perfect cover. 266 00:14:18,892 --> 00:14:21,593 WALLS: The people who were running the bunker 267 00:14:21,662 --> 00:14:23,928 were disguised as television repairmen, 268 00:14:23,964 --> 00:14:28,400 but they were actually employees of the United States government. 269 00:14:28,402 --> 00:14:32,270 Many of them were individuals with military experience. 270 00:14:32,339 --> 00:14:37,008 They maintained this bunker on a daily basis and ensured 271 00:14:37,144 --> 00:14:40,077 that all of the equipment in the power plant 272 00:14:40,114 --> 00:14:42,414 and all of the communications equipment 273 00:14:42,483 --> 00:14:45,984 was in ready condition. 274 00:14:47,554 --> 00:14:50,222 WILDMAN: Following the exposé in<i> The Washington Post,</i> 275 00:14:50,357 --> 00:14:54,225 the U.S. government ceases operations at the shelter. 276 00:14:54,261 --> 00:14:55,960 After three decades, 277 00:14:55,996 --> 00:14:58,697 the television repairmen leave their posts, 278 00:14:58,699 --> 00:15:02,100 and the bunker is made open to the public for tours. 279 00:15:04,271 --> 00:15:07,506 But today, the Greenbrier Hotel still clings 280 00:15:07,508 --> 00:15:11,776 to this old television set, one last vestige left behind 281 00:15:11,845 --> 00:15:14,378 by the men who worked behind-the-scenes 282 00:15:14,415 --> 00:15:18,016 to ensure the government's stability in time of crisis. 283 00:15:21,054 --> 00:15:23,121 New Orleans, Louisiana, 284 00:15:23,123 --> 00:15:25,123 the city's grand mansions, 285 00:15:25,125 --> 00:15:28,460 stately gardens, and historic French Quarter 286 00:15:28,529 --> 00:15:31,396 all date back to the 18th century. 287 00:15:31,465 --> 00:15:34,265 But those seeking to experience a different slice 288 00:15:34,301 --> 00:15:38,003 of history can head to the National WWII Museum. 289 00:15:41,475 --> 00:15:44,809 Its collection includes an amphibious landing boat, 290 00:15:44,845 --> 00:15:47,745 a 33-ton armored tank, 291 00:15:47,781 --> 00:15:50,081 and a four-engine bomber plane. 292 00:15:52,453 --> 00:15:54,886 But in the midst of these enormous machines 293 00:15:54,888 --> 00:15:57,689 of war is a much smaller object. 294 00:15:57,691 --> 00:16:01,226 DAVIS: The artifact is a metal cylinder. 295 00:16:01,361 --> 00:16:03,495 It's about 4 feet tall 296 00:16:03,630 --> 00:16:06,498 by about 3 feet in diameter. 297 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:08,700 There's some black paint, 298 00:16:08,835 --> 00:16:13,238 but also there is the red color of corrosion. 299 00:16:15,642 --> 00:16:18,910 WILDMAN: This steel keg once contained an ingredient 300 00:16:18,979 --> 00:16:20,846 that had the explosive power 301 00:16:20,981 --> 00:16:23,781 to change the course of history forever. 302 00:16:23,817 --> 00:16:28,320 DAVIS: This is a story of patriotism, courage, 303 00:16:28,421 --> 00:16:32,424 sabotage, and the race to build the atomic bomb. 304 00:16:38,131 --> 00:16:43,735 WILDMAN: February 27th, 1943 -- Nazi-occupied Europe. 305 00:16:43,804 --> 00:16:45,870 A team of crack Allied commandos 306 00:16:45,939 --> 00:16:49,140 are headed to Norway on a top-secret mission -- 307 00:16:49,276 --> 00:16:53,478 to sabotage the Nazi's nuclear weapons program. 308 00:16:53,547 --> 00:16:55,080 The Allies have intelligence 309 00:16:55,082 --> 00:16:57,348 that the German's have built a plant 310 00:16:57,417 --> 00:17:01,018 that will make a key ingredient for an atomic bomb. 311 00:17:01,054 --> 00:17:04,022 It's called heavy water. 312 00:17:04,091 --> 00:17:08,560 DAVIS: Heavy water was a vital component in a nuclear reaction. 313 00:17:08,629 --> 00:17:14,032 It could significantly influence the course of the war. 314 00:17:14,034 --> 00:17:15,367 WILDMAN: The Allies need to destroy 315 00:17:15,369 --> 00:17:19,037 the heavy water plant at all costs. 316 00:17:19,172 --> 00:17:23,908 Leading the mission is 23-year-old Joachim Ronneberg. 317 00:17:23,977 --> 00:17:27,111 DAVIS: Joachim Ronneberg is an explosives expert. 318 00:17:27,180 --> 00:17:29,180 He was very skilled in techniques 319 00:17:29,216 --> 00:17:32,050 of marksmanship, camouflage skills, 320 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:36,021 so he was the ideal special warfare operative. 321 00:17:38,325 --> 00:17:41,459 WILDMAN: Ronneberg has a tricky task ahead of him. 322 00:17:41,495 --> 00:17:43,995 DAVIS: The plant was well-defended by guards, 323 00:17:44,031 --> 00:17:46,264 floodlights, and a minefield. 324 00:17:46,399 --> 00:17:51,469 It was extremely difficult to enter into the plant. 325 00:17:51,605 --> 00:17:54,538 WILDMAN: The key to success will be a Norwegian mole 326 00:17:54,575 --> 00:17:56,875 who's working for the Allies. 327 00:17:56,877 --> 00:17:59,877 On the night of the mission, the mole will unlock the doors 328 00:17:59,913 --> 00:18:01,612 to the basement so that Ronneberg 329 00:18:01,648 --> 00:18:04,149 and his team can slip inside the facility, 330 00:18:04,284 --> 00:18:07,218 plant the bombs, and get out unseen. 331 00:18:07,254 --> 00:18:11,222 The fate of the free world could rest in their hands. 332 00:18:11,258 --> 00:18:12,824 DAVIS: They prepared meticulously, 333 00:18:12,959 --> 00:18:16,728 but on the night itself, anything could happen. 334 00:18:18,699 --> 00:18:21,365 WILDMAN: Just after midnight, Ronneberg and his men 335 00:18:21,401 --> 00:18:24,035 touched down in occupied Norway. 336 00:18:24,071 --> 00:18:26,371 The air is bitterly cold. 337 00:18:26,373 --> 00:18:30,041 But the frigid temperatures work to the team's advantage. 338 00:18:30,077 --> 00:18:32,710 DAVIS: Most of the guards inside the plant 339 00:18:32,746 --> 00:18:34,446 remained under shelter 340 00:18:34,581 --> 00:18:38,582 and were not paying close attention to their duties. 341 00:18:38,619 --> 00:18:42,120 WILDMAN: Ronneberg's group stealthily approaches the building. 342 00:18:42,189 --> 00:18:44,189 But when they reach the basement doors, 343 00:18:44,324 --> 00:18:48,326 their plan is stopped in its tracks. 344 00:18:48,461 --> 00:18:51,463 The doors were locked. They were firmly shut. 345 00:18:51,465 --> 00:18:53,131 WILDMAN: For reasons unknown, 346 00:18:53,266 --> 00:18:56,735 the mole hasn't unlocked the doors. 347 00:18:56,870 --> 00:18:59,070 Ronneberg is at a loss. 348 00:18:59,072 --> 00:19:01,873 DAVIS: Failure to get into the plant 349 00:19:01,942 --> 00:19:04,075 would alter the course of the war. 350 00:19:04,111 --> 00:19:05,944 WILDMAN: So will Ronneberg and his men 351 00:19:06,079 --> 00:19:08,146 complete their dangerous mission, 352 00:19:08,148 --> 00:19:11,182 or will their plan blow up in their faces? 353 00:19:21,428 --> 00:19:25,030 It's 1943 in Nazi-occupied Norway. 354 00:19:25,165 --> 00:19:28,099 Norwegian resistance fighter Joachim Ronneberg 355 00:19:28,234 --> 00:19:30,501 and a gang of brave saboteurs 356 00:19:30,537 --> 00:19:33,104 are on a mission to destroy a Nazi facility 357 00:19:33,106 --> 00:19:34,839 that contains heavy water, 358 00:19:34,908 --> 00:19:37,842 a key ingredient in making an atomic bomb. 359 00:19:37,878 --> 00:19:39,177 According to their intel, 360 00:19:39,312 --> 00:19:42,714 an entrance to the Nazi plant will be left unlocked. 361 00:19:42,749 --> 00:19:44,849 But when the group reaches the building, 362 00:19:44,918 --> 00:19:47,852 they find the doors are bolted shut. 363 00:19:47,888 --> 00:19:50,255 So will Ronneberg and his men succeed, 364 00:19:50,390 --> 00:19:52,590 or is this mission impossible? 365 00:19:54,928 --> 00:19:58,463 Ronneberg and his men have to act fast. 366 00:19:58,532 --> 00:20:00,131 They desperately search the grounds 367 00:20:00,266 --> 00:20:02,467 for another way in. 368 00:20:02,536 --> 00:20:05,069 Then Ronneberg spies a small vent leading 369 00:20:05,105 --> 00:20:06,538 into the facility. 370 00:20:06,673 --> 00:20:09,207 The team tentatively crawls through the chute. 371 00:20:09,342 --> 00:20:12,210 They had no idea what might be waiting for them 372 00:20:12,279 --> 00:20:16,748 once they got into the production facility itself. 373 00:20:16,750 --> 00:20:20,084 WILDMAN: By chance, they end up in an abandoned basement. 374 00:20:20,087 --> 00:20:22,286 From there, they make their way to the chamber 375 00:20:22,322 --> 00:20:24,489 where the heavy water is stored. 376 00:20:24,491 --> 00:20:27,559 There, they overpower a guard at gunpoint. 377 00:20:30,597 --> 00:20:32,096 Ronneberg places the explosives 378 00:20:32,099 --> 00:20:34,766 around the heavy water barrels, 379 00:20:34,768 --> 00:20:38,503 like this one at the National WWII Museum, 380 00:20:38,505 --> 00:20:41,172 and sets the timer. 381 00:20:41,174 --> 00:20:45,777 The men run out of the building and into the woods. 382 00:20:45,912 --> 00:20:48,646 Moments later, there is a deafening explosion. 383 00:20:53,820 --> 00:20:57,188 DAVIS: The operation was completely successful. 384 00:20:57,257 --> 00:21:00,258 They knew they'd done something significant. 385 00:21:00,260 --> 00:21:01,792 WILDMAN: Ronneberg and his men flee 386 00:21:01,828 --> 00:21:04,229 Norway and make their way to safety. 387 00:21:06,633 --> 00:21:08,867 After the war, Ronneberg and his team 388 00:21:09,002 --> 00:21:11,736 are hailed as heroes for helping to cripple 389 00:21:11,738 --> 00:21:14,272 Germany's nuclear weapons program. 390 00:21:14,274 --> 00:21:16,274 It was the perfect sabotage. 391 00:21:16,276 --> 00:21:17,942 It's a tremendous example 392 00:21:18,077 --> 00:21:20,545 of what humans can achieve 393 00:21:20,614 --> 00:21:25,015 in the face of a very evil enemy. 394 00:21:25,018 --> 00:21:28,886 WILDMAN: Today, this heavy water barrel at the National WWII Museum 395 00:21:28,922 --> 00:21:30,154 in New Orleans 396 00:21:30,223 --> 00:21:33,424 recalls a heroic band of saboteurs 397 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:37,395 and the explosive plot to change the course of history. 398 00:21:41,101 --> 00:21:43,368 The desert west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 399 00:21:43,370 --> 00:21:45,837 possesses one of the highest concentrations 400 00:21:45,972 --> 00:21:47,939 of uranium deposits in the world. 401 00:21:49,976 --> 00:21:52,310 So it's no surprise that the city has been dubbed 402 00:21:52,379 --> 00:21:55,113 the nuclear capital of the nation. 403 00:21:55,115 --> 00:21:57,782 And celebrating this rich legacy 404 00:21:57,851 --> 00:22:00,919 is the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. 405 00:22:03,089 --> 00:22:06,324 Here, visitors can view devices that have affected human life, 406 00:22:06,393 --> 00:22:09,527 from a decommissioned British nuclear bomb 407 00:22:09,596 --> 00:22:11,796 to a gamma ray camera 408 00:22:11,865 --> 00:22:15,233 and even a shoe store's foot x-ray machine. 409 00:22:17,370 --> 00:22:19,337 But tucked away in a glass case 410 00:22:19,472 --> 00:22:22,406 is one item devoid of technical function. 411 00:22:22,442 --> 00:22:25,276 The artifact is only about 412 00:22:25,345 --> 00:22:27,278 the size of a silver dollar, 413 00:22:27,347 --> 00:22:30,081 woven of cloth, brightly-colored, 414 00:22:30,150 --> 00:22:33,284 and it was worn on a uniform. 415 00:22:33,286 --> 00:22:35,553 WILDMAN: This unassuming emblem speaks to 416 00:22:35,555 --> 00:22:37,822 an inconceivable experiment. 417 00:22:37,891 --> 00:22:39,824 It reveals a brush with disaster 418 00:22:39,893 --> 00:22:42,026 that placed a small town in grave danger. 419 00:22:42,062 --> 00:22:44,362 WILDMAN: What is this badge, 420 00:22:44,431 --> 00:22:47,498 and what role did it play in an explosive tale 421 00:22:47,634 --> 00:22:49,834 of atomic intrigue? 422 00:22:49,903 --> 00:22:52,103 1994, 423 00:22:52,172 --> 00:22:54,772 Commerce Township Michigan -- 424 00:22:54,841 --> 00:22:58,242 17-year-old David Hahn is a chemistry whiz kid. 425 00:22:58,245 --> 00:23:00,978 Using his parents' shed as a lab, 426 00:23:01,014 --> 00:23:04,448 he has conducted dozens of highly-advanced experiments. 427 00:23:04,484 --> 00:23:08,119 But now, David is doggedly pursuing 428 00:23:08,188 --> 00:23:10,321 a singular goal. 429 00:23:10,456 --> 00:23:12,590 David is a Boy Scout, and he wants 430 00:23:12,725 --> 00:23:14,993 to become an Eagle Scout. 431 00:23:15,128 --> 00:23:17,328 WILDMAN: To achieve Eagle rank, 432 00:23:17,330 --> 00:23:19,463 David must accomplish two things -- 433 00:23:19,532 --> 00:23:22,266 earn 21 merit badges of his choosing, 434 00:23:22,335 --> 00:23:25,003 one of which is the atomic energy badge, 435 00:23:25,138 --> 00:23:28,806 like this one on display at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 436 00:23:28,875 --> 00:23:31,809 and demonstrate leadership 437 00:23:31,845 --> 00:23:34,145 by completing a special project. 438 00:23:34,214 --> 00:23:37,749 For this, most Scouts pursue traditional activities, 439 00:23:37,751 --> 00:23:40,884 like planting trees or constructing park benches. 440 00:23:40,921 --> 00:23:44,822 But David has something far more ambitious in mind. 441 00:23:44,891 --> 00:23:48,226 David planned to build a nuclear reactor. 442 00:23:50,630 --> 00:23:53,564 This is a fairly ludicrous idea. 443 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,801 With millions and millions of dollars at their disposal, 444 00:23:56,803 --> 00:24:00,571 scientists still had trouble creating these reactors, 445 00:24:00,573 --> 00:24:02,707 and here David was going to try and make one 446 00:24:02,776 --> 00:24:05,175 in his mother's potting shed. 447 00:24:05,211 --> 00:24:08,513 WILDMAN: David, however, is confident in his abilities. 448 00:24:08,648 --> 00:24:11,982 He just needs to find the right materials. 449 00:24:12,018 --> 00:24:15,052 A reactor creates nuclear energy 450 00:24:15,088 --> 00:24:17,855 by splitting atoms with the help of radioactive elements, 451 00:24:17,991 --> 00:24:19,857 like plutonium or uranium. 452 00:24:19,993 --> 00:24:21,859 WALTHER: Luckily for all of us, 453 00:24:21,995 --> 00:24:24,128 these materials are extremely hard to get. 454 00:24:24,164 --> 00:24:26,597 WILDMAN: But David has a plan. 455 00:24:26,666 --> 00:24:30,468 He learns that everyday items, like smoke detectors, 456 00:24:30,470 --> 00:24:32,737 gas lanterns, and old clocks, 457 00:24:32,806 --> 00:24:35,806 often contain minute amounts of radioactive material. 458 00:24:35,875 --> 00:24:38,008 WALTHER: David orders 459 00:24:38,044 --> 00:24:40,611 a large quantity of smoke detectors, 460 00:24:40,613 --> 00:24:43,948 and he takes the little tiny piece of americium out of them. 461 00:24:43,950 --> 00:24:46,150 WILDMAN: He gathers gas lanterns for their thorium, 462 00:24:46,285 --> 00:24:48,486 and old clocks for their radium. 463 00:24:48,488 --> 00:24:52,156 Then, using a Geiger counter to monitor radiation levels, 464 00:24:52,291 --> 00:24:55,693 he combines the elements together in tin foil blocks, 465 00:24:55,695 --> 00:24:59,163 creating his own version of a nuclear core. 466 00:24:59,232 --> 00:25:03,101 Inside it were things that were highly radioactive. 467 00:25:03,236 --> 00:25:06,336 WILDMAN: Next, he fashions a contraption to trigger fission. 468 00:25:06,339 --> 00:25:08,773 WALTHER: David built a device with a lead block, 469 00:25:08,842 --> 00:25:10,775 placing radium inside it. 470 00:25:10,844 --> 00:25:14,779 The radium emitted radiation that could be pointed at 471 00:25:14,848 --> 00:25:17,514 the other materials that he had on hand. 472 00:25:17,550 --> 00:25:19,717 This became a neutron gun. 473 00:25:19,719 --> 00:25:22,453 WILDMAN: When the radium neutrons bombard the blocks, 474 00:25:22,588 --> 00:25:25,789 he expects to see a dramatic increase in radiation, 475 00:25:25,825 --> 00:25:28,192 but much to David's disappointment, 476 00:25:28,228 --> 00:25:30,194 it doesn't seem to work. 477 00:25:30,329 --> 00:25:33,464 While small amounts of heat are being generated, 478 00:25:33,466 --> 00:25:35,466 his Geiger counter indicates 479 00:25:35,468 --> 00:25:38,136 that there is no sustained nuclear reaction. 480 00:25:38,138 --> 00:25:40,137 WALTHER: David is becoming frustrated. 481 00:25:40,206 --> 00:25:42,473 In his mind, it should work. 482 00:25:42,509 --> 00:25:45,977 WILDMAN: He sets aside the experiment to rethink his approach. 483 00:25:47,981 --> 00:25:50,281 A few days later, David is driving home 484 00:25:50,350 --> 00:25:52,883 when he notices something odd. 485 00:25:52,919 --> 00:25:55,420 WALTHER: The Geiger counter that he had in his car 486 00:25:55,555 --> 00:25:57,821 began to ping way before 487 00:25:57,857 --> 00:25:59,957 he reached his house. 488 00:25:59,993 --> 00:26:02,693 He knew something was terribly wrong. 489 00:26:02,695 --> 00:26:06,363 WILDMAN: David rushes back to the shed, and his Geiger counter confirms 490 00:26:06,399 --> 00:26:09,167 that radiation levels have skyrocketed. 491 00:26:09,302 --> 00:26:11,235 The material that he was assembling 492 00:26:11,304 --> 00:26:14,705 was far more radioactive than he understood. 493 00:26:14,774 --> 00:26:16,841 WILDMAN: Now, the entire neighborhood is in danger, 494 00:26:16,910 --> 00:26:19,710 and there is no way to turn off the reactor. 495 00:26:19,746 --> 00:26:22,647 So what will it take to contain the fallout 496 00:26:22,782 --> 00:26:25,083 from this teen's nuclear experiment? 497 00:26:33,893 --> 00:26:36,927 It's 1994 in the suburbs of Detroit. 498 00:26:36,963 --> 00:26:39,997 Ambitious Boy Scout, David Hahn, is attempting 499 00:26:40,133 --> 00:26:42,466 to build a miniature nuclear reactor 500 00:26:42,535 --> 00:26:44,268 in his parents' shed. 501 00:26:44,304 --> 00:26:46,537 At first, the teen's convinced that his experiment 502 00:26:46,672 --> 00:26:49,540 has failed, but then, he detects dangerous levels 503 00:26:49,609 --> 00:26:51,943 of radiation and panics. 504 00:26:51,945 --> 00:26:54,612 So can David save his neighborhood from 505 00:26:54,614 --> 00:26:57,080 a major meltdown? 506 00:26:57,117 --> 00:26:59,416 It seems the teenager's only option 507 00:26:59,519 --> 00:27:02,486 is to undo all of his hard work. 508 00:27:02,555 --> 00:27:05,089 WALTHER: David disassembled his cores. 509 00:27:05,224 --> 00:27:07,424 He put them in a toolbox, 510 00:27:07,494 --> 00:27:09,827 locked it, and put it in the trunk of his car. 511 00:27:09,829 --> 00:27:12,563 WILDMAN: He is desperately searching for a place 512 00:27:12,698 --> 00:27:14,865 to dispose of the toxic materials 513 00:27:14,901 --> 00:27:17,568 when, at 2:40 a.m. on August 31st... 514 00:27:19,639 --> 00:27:22,039 police lights flash in his rearview mirror. 515 00:27:22,075 --> 00:27:24,842 WALTHER: The officers asked David what he was doing 516 00:27:24,977 --> 00:27:26,978 at 2:40 in the morning. 517 00:27:27,113 --> 00:27:29,446 David replied that he was waiting for a friend. 518 00:27:29,516 --> 00:27:31,782 WILDMAN: But the police don't buy it, 519 00:27:31,818 --> 00:27:34,051 and while searching his trunk, 520 00:27:34,087 --> 00:27:36,154 they discover the toolbox. 521 00:27:38,991 --> 00:27:40,991 WALTHER: David stopped them and said, "Don't touch it! 522 00:27:41,027 --> 00:27:43,394 It's highly radioactive." 523 00:27:43,529 --> 00:27:47,264 The police didn't know what they were confronting, 524 00:27:47,300 --> 00:27:49,399 thinking maybe it was an atomic bomb. 525 00:27:49,435 --> 00:27:52,002 They arrested David. 526 00:27:52,071 --> 00:27:55,272 WILDMAN: When police prod him on the contents of the toolbox, 527 00:27:55,308 --> 00:27:58,009 he confesses to everything. 528 00:27:58,011 --> 00:28:01,145 Federal investigators are rushed in. 529 00:28:02,916 --> 00:28:05,349 WILDMAN: On June 26, 1995, 530 00:28:05,351 --> 00:28:08,752 the EPA embarks upon a $60,000 cleanup 531 00:28:08,788 --> 00:28:10,887 of David's back yard, 532 00:28:10,924 --> 00:28:13,558 hauling everything away in drums. 533 00:28:13,693 --> 00:28:16,827 Meanwhile, the overly ambitious Boy Scout 534 00:28:16,829 --> 00:28:19,096 nervously awaits his fate. 535 00:28:19,165 --> 00:28:22,166 Because he purchased all of his materials legally, 536 00:28:22,235 --> 00:28:24,969 police are unable to charge him with a crime, 537 00:28:24,971 --> 00:28:27,171 and he is released. 538 00:28:29,342 --> 00:28:31,709 David is relieved, 539 00:28:31,844 --> 00:28:34,578 and despite nearly destroying the town, 540 00:28:34,581 --> 00:28:37,047 his nuclear know-how is rewarded 541 00:28:37,083 --> 00:28:39,516 with the coveted status of Eagle Scout. 542 00:28:39,586 --> 00:28:42,720 Today, this atomic energy badge, 543 00:28:42,789 --> 00:28:46,457 safely housed at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 544 00:28:46,459 --> 00:28:48,993 reminds us of one eager Boy Scout's 545 00:28:49,062 --> 00:28:51,429 radioactive ambition. 546 00:28:56,936 --> 00:28:58,602 Deep in the heart of South Carolina 547 00:28:58,605 --> 00:29:01,005 is the old railroad city of Florence, 548 00:29:01,074 --> 00:29:03,540 and on a quiet street downtown, 549 00:29:03,610 --> 00:29:06,610 is the institution dedicated to preserving its heritage -- 550 00:29:06,679 --> 00:29:08,545 the Florence Museum. 551 00:29:08,581 --> 00:29:12,083 Here, crude surgical instruments, 552 00:29:12,085 --> 00:29:15,019 Civil War uniforms, and an early steam engine 553 00:29:15,021 --> 00:29:19,690 trace the over 150-year history of this Dixieland hub. 554 00:29:19,759 --> 00:29:21,892 But for many visitors, 555 00:29:22,028 --> 00:29:26,430 one curious, mangled artifact stands out from the rest. 556 00:29:26,466 --> 00:29:29,767 It's an eerie reminder of the day a nearby town 557 00:29:29,902 --> 00:29:32,303 was nearly wiped off the map. 558 00:29:32,438 --> 00:29:36,040 It's about 6 1/2 inches at its longest point, 559 00:29:36,175 --> 00:29:39,377 and it weighs about 1 1/2 pounds, 560 00:29:39,512 --> 00:29:41,979 and it's probably the object in the museum 561 00:29:42,048 --> 00:29:44,515 that gets more attention than anything else. 562 00:29:44,584 --> 00:29:46,983 WILDMAN: So, what is this gnarled fragment, 563 00:29:47,020 --> 00:29:51,388 and what part did it play in a near-catastrophic accident 564 00:29:51,424 --> 00:29:54,458 that brought terror to Main Street, America? 565 00:29:54,494 --> 00:29:56,794 It's 1958. 566 00:29:56,796 --> 00:29:58,195 Political tension 567 00:29:58,231 --> 00:30:00,264 between the United States and the Soviet Union 568 00:30:00,266 --> 00:30:02,266 is reaching a boiling point. 569 00:30:02,335 --> 00:30:04,268 To prepare for the possibility of war, 570 00:30:04,270 --> 00:30:07,471 the American military routinely conducts 571 00:30:07,473 --> 00:30:09,473 simulated combat drills. 572 00:30:09,475 --> 00:30:12,310 But one of these missions is about to go horribly wrong. 573 00:30:14,213 --> 00:30:18,549 On the afternoon of March 11th, a B-47 bomber takes off 574 00:30:18,551 --> 00:30:21,885 from Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah, Georgia, 575 00:30:21,954 --> 00:30:25,222 en route to England, on one such training run. 576 00:30:25,224 --> 00:30:28,025 Along for the ride are three crew members 577 00:30:28,027 --> 00:30:31,828 and one extremely sensitive piece of cargo. 578 00:30:31,864 --> 00:30:36,033 The military needed to be ready in case of an actual war, 579 00:30:36,035 --> 00:30:40,304 and so there was a nuclear bomb on board the plane. 580 00:30:40,373 --> 00:30:42,306 WILDMAN: Called the MK 6, 581 00:30:42,375 --> 00:30:47,111 this 10-foot-long bomb weighs 7,600 pounds 582 00:30:47,180 --> 00:30:49,980 and is designed to house a plutonium core 583 00:30:50,016 --> 00:30:52,649 capable of creating utter devastation. 584 00:30:52,685 --> 00:30:54,985 If the bomb dropped, 585 00:30:54,987 --> 00:30:59,790 everything within 5 miles of the impact site 586 00:30:59,859 --> 00:31:02,860 would be completely destroyed. 587 00:31:04,397 --> 00:31:06,797 But less than an hour into the flight, 588 00:31:06,833 --> 00:31:10,000 while the B-47 is flying over South Carolina, 589 00:31:10,136 --> 00:31:12,402 a crew member notices something wrong. 590 00:31:12,438 --> 00:31:15,739 A flashing control-panel light indicates 591 00:31:15,775 --> 00:31:18,342 that the nuclear bomb's locking mechanism, 592 00:31:18,344 --> 00:31:21,412 which ensures the device's safety during the flight, 593 00:31:21,414 --> 00:31:24,281 is not properly engaged. 594 00:31:24,317 --> 00:31:28,085 MOTTE: He instructed the navigator, Captain Bruce Kulka 595 00:31:28,087 --> 00:31:31,222 to go and investigate the situation. 596 00:31:31,357 --> 00:31:34,625 WILDMAN: Captain Kulka heads back to the aircraft's bomb bay 597 00:31:34,694 --> 00:31:38,095 to figure out what could be causing the malfunction. 598 00:31:38,164 --> 00:31:40,097 Because he wasn't too much taller than the bomb, 599 00:31:40,099 --> 00:31:44,101 it was very hard for him to have a line of sight anywhere 600 00:31:44,103 --> 00:31:47,571 to look around for where the locking mechanism might be. 601 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,040 In an attempt to get a better look, 602 00:31:50,176 --> 00:31:54,845 Kulka decides to hoist himself up onto the deadly detonator. 603 00:31:54,980 --> 00:31:56,647 MOTTE: As he leaned forward onto the bomb, 604 00:31:56,649 --> 00:31:58,849 he pulled something to stabilize himself. 605 00:31:58,885 --> 00:32:02,519 It's the bomb's emergency-release handle. 606 00:32:02,622 --> 00:32:04,522 In an instant, 607 00:32:04,524 --> 00:32:06,857 the massive nukes drops to the plane floor, 608 00:32:06,992 --> 00:32:10,594 landing squarely on top of the bomb-bay doors. 609 00:32:10,729 --> 00:32:13,730 Seconds later, the bomb-bay doors burst open, 610 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,034 and the bomb fell from the plane. 611 00:32:18,638 --> 00:32:21,005 WILDMAN: It seems Captain Bruce Kulka 612 00:32:21,140 --> 00:32:26,177 has just dropped a nuclear bomb on South Carolina. 613 00:32:36,689 --> 00:32:38,755 March 11, 1958. 614 00:32:38,791 --> 00:32:41,759 United States Air Force Captain Bruce Kulka 615 00:32:41,761 --> 00:32:44,895 has just made an inconceivable mistake. 616 00:32:45,030 --> 00:32:48,699 Flying 15,000 feet over the East Coast in a B-47, 617 00:32:48,768 --> 00:32:51,635 he has accidentally dropped a nuclear bomb 618 00:32:51,704 --> 00:32:53,437 on South Carolina. 619 00:32:53,572 --> 00:32:56,239 So what will it take to contain the fallout 620 00:32:56,275 --> 00:32:58,842 from this domestic detonation? 621 00:32:58,845 --> 00:33:02,713 Mortified, Captain Kulka scrambles back 622 00:33:02,715 --> 00:33:04,848 to alert his fellow airmen. 623 00:33:04,917 --> 00:33:10,787 So, their next step was to radio back to Hunter Air Force Base. 624 00:33:10,823 --> 00:33:14,524 WILDMAN: As the B-47 is diverted back to Savannah, 625 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:17,261 authorities in Florence County, South Carolina, 626 00:33:17,263 --> 00:33:20,998 are inundated with reports about a massive explosion. 627 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:24,735 Several calls started coming in to the police 628 00:33:24,804 --> 00:33:27,404 from people who were in the city of Florence. 629 00:33:27,406 --> 00:33:31,341 They describe seeing two plumes of smoke about 6 miles away 630 00:33:31,377 --> 00:33:33,944 in the rural town called Mars Bluff. 631 00:33:34,013 --> 00:33:38,882 WILDMAN: Soon, the media picks up on the explosive story, 632 00:33:38,885 --> 00:33:40,817 sending Florence County residents 633 00:33:40,853 --> 00:33:42,686 into a panicked frenzy. 634 00:33:42,821 --> 00:33:45,822 There was a lot of fear that there was a potential 635 00:33:45,892 --> 00:33:48,926 for radiological contamination. 636 00:33:51,230 --> 00:33:53,964 WILDMAN: But when news outlets finally release images 637 00:33:53,966 --> 00:33:56,500 from the bomb's impact site in Mars Bluff, 638 00:33:56,569 --> 00:33:59,036 local citizens are confounded. 639 00:33:59,038 --> 00:34:02,973 There seem to be no signs of nuclear devastation. 640 00:34:03,108 --> 00:34:08,044 In fact, the damage seems confined to a single property, 641 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:09,646 where the bomb has created 642 00:34:09,682 --> 00:34:12,048 a 75-foot-wide crater in the earth 643 00:34:12,084 --> 00:34:14,985 and knocked a small house off its foundation. 644 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:18,855 The yard has also been sprayed with tiny bomb fragments 645 00:34:18,891 --> 00:34:22,660 just like this one, on display at the Florence Museum. 646 00:34:22,662 --> 00:34:25,195 Astonishingly, 647 00:34:25,264 --> 00:34:28,699 the blast has caused only a handful of minor injuries 648 00:34:28,768 --> 00:34:30,534 but no one has been killed. 649 00:34:30,603 --> 00:34:34,538 Mars Bluff seems to have been spared. 650 00:34:34,540 --> 00:34:35,672 But how? 651 00:34:35,708 --> 00:34:37,808 The policy of the Air Force at the time 652 00:34:37,943 --> 00:34:42,212 was that the actual nuclear core of the bomb 653 00:34:42,248 --> 00:34:44,214 had to be on the plane, 654 00:34:44,250 --> 00:34:47,618 but it was not inserted into the bomb 655 00:34:47,620 --> 00:34:51,755 unless it became necessary to arm the weapon. 656 00:34:51,757 --> 00:34:55,291 That core was not loaded into the bomb 657 00:34:55,328 --> 00:34:57,428 that fell on Mars Bluff. 658 00:34:57,563 --> 00:35:00,297 In the wake of the extraordinary blast, 659 00:35:00,366 --> 00:35:03,433 authorities conduct a thorough cleanup of the area, 660 00:35:03,469 --> 00:35:04,702 and eventually, 661 00:35:04,704 --> 00:35:06,236 the government compensates the victims 662 00:35:06,272 --> 00:35:09,106 for their hardships. 663 00:35:09,108 --> 00:35:11,508 But for some Mars Bluff residents, 664 00:35:11,577 --> 00:35:17,514 the memories of March 11, 1958, continue to linger. 665 00:35:17,583 --> 00:35:20,717 MOTTE: You know, it's been 54 years since the event, 666 00:35:20,786 --> 00:35:22,319 but it still does live on 667 00:35:22,321 --> 00:35:25,055 in the minds of the people who experienced it. 668 00:35:25,190 --> 00:35:27,590 WILDMAN: And today, at the Florence Museum, 669 00:35:27,627 --> 00:35:29,726 this bomb fragment remains on display, 670 00:35:29,762 --> 00:35:33,063 a mangled relic from a tragic accident 671 00:35:33,099 --> 00:35:36,233 that brought the Cold War to America's doorstep. 672 00:35:39,271 --> 00:35:41,071 Washington, D.C. 673 00:35:41,107 --> 00:35:43,407 America's capital city is the headquarters 674 00:35:43,476 --> 00:35:45,875 for hundreds of Federal agencies, 675 00:35:45,911 --> 00:35:48,078 including the Postal Service, 676 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:50,747 and this institution's illustrious history 677 00:35:50,816 --> 00:35:54,184 is celebrated at the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum. 678 00:35:56,188 --> 00:35:58,355 Its collection features such rare items 679 00:35:58,424 --> 00:36:00,957 as an envelope that was sent to the moon, 680 00:36:00,993 --> 00:36:04,628 a postmark dating back to America's independence, 681 00:36:04,630 --> 00:36:07,498 and a 1918 stamp, 682 00:36:07,633 --> 00:36:10,367 which was famously printed upside-down. 683 00:36:10,369 --> 00:36:13,504 But among these postal anomalies 684 00:36:13,639 --> 00:36:16,573 sits an object that appears rather ordinary. 685 00:36:16,709 --> 00:36:18,709 HARTZMAN: It's a metal box. 686 00:36:18,844 --> 00:36:20,911 It's about a foot long, foot wide, 687 00:36:20,913 --> 00:36:24,114 and a foot deep, and it's painted red, white, and blue. 688 00:36:24,116 --> 00:36:26,650 WILDMAN: This simple container embarked 689 00:36:26,652 --> 00:36:29,920 on an unprecedented, gravity-defying journey. 690 00:36:30,055 --> 00:36:33,056 HARTZMAN: This looks like a pretty ordinary post office box, 691 00:36:33,059 --> 00:36:36,593 but this box had ambitions that were completely out of this world. 692 00:36:36,729 --> 00:36:38,862 WILDMAN: What futuristic first 693 00:36:38,898 --> 00:36:40,730 did this box deliver, 694 00:36:40,766 --> 00:36:42,700 and how did it help safeguard the nation? 695 00:36:45,537 --> 00:36:48,205 It's 1957 in Washington, D.C. 696 00:36:48,340 --> 00:36:51,008 In the years following World War II, 697 00:36:51,143 --> 00:36:54,011 the country has been growing by leaps and bounds. 698 00:36:54,013 --> 00:36:57,414 And one institution is struggling to keep up-- 699 00:36:57,549 --> 00:36:59,883 the Postal Service. 700 00:36:59,952 --> 00:37:02,552 HARTZMAN: Their mail influx is increasing by 30 percent. 701 00:37:02,621 --> 00:37:05,355 They have to figure out new ways to handle all the mail. 702 00:37:05,424 --> 00:37:08,358 WILDMAN: The man tasked with tackling this challenge 703 00:37:08,494 --> 00:37:11,562 is the highly motivated national postmaster general, 704 00:37:11,697 --> 00:37:13,696 Arthur Summerfield. 705 00:37:13,733 --> 00:37:16,232 HARTZMAN: He said, "I've got to figure out new ways 706 00:37:16,268 --> 00:37:19,169 "to advance the postal service, to bring new information, 707 00:37:19,205 --> 00:37:21,704 new ideas into this business." 708 00:37:21,741 --> 00:37:24,841 WILDMAN: Summerfield begins by focusing on the sorting process. 709 00:37:24,910 --> 00:37:28,378 For decades, it has been executed by hand 710 00:37:28,414 --> 00:37:30,447 and is wildly inefficient, 711 00:37:30,449 --> 00:37:33,050 so he introduces a mechanized system 712 00:37:33,185 --> 00:37:35,385 that is exceptionally fast. 713 00:37:35,387 --> 00:37:38,288 It would sort 15,000 letters per hour. 714 00:37:40,926 --> 00:37:43,126 WILDMAN: Then Summerfield turns his attention 715 00:37:43,129 --> 00:37:45,262 to mail transport. 716 00:37:45,264 --> 00:37:47,597 Increased demand across longer distances 717 00:37:47,633 --> 00:37:51,334 has put a strain on the aging door-to-door delivery system. 718 00:37:51,370 --> 00:37:54,604 Summerfield is struck with inspiration 719 00:37:54,673 --> 00:37:57,140 from the strangest of sources -- 720 00:37:57,143 --> 00:38:00,410 America's Cold War defense technology. 721 00:38:00,446 --> 00:38:02,146 HARTZMAN: So he starts thinking, 722 00:38:02,281 --> 00:38:05,215 "Maybe we can deliver mail through missiles." 723 00:38:05,350 --> 00:38:07,217 With a guided missile, you could send 724 00:38:07,352 --> 00:38:09,219 a lot of mail really, really fast. 725 00:38:09,354 --> 00:38:11,822 WILDMAN: Summerfield knows it's a long shot, 726 00:38:11,824 --> 00:38:14,491 but nonetheless, he pitches Missile Mail 727 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:16,493 to the Defense Department. 728 00:38:16,562 --> 00:38:18,495 HARTZMAN: And to his surprise, they actually agree. 729 00:38:18,564 --> 00:38:22,132 Top Navy brass says, "Yeah, let's send mail by missiles." 730 00:38:22,201 --> 00:38:25,569 WILDMAN: Over the next few weeks, Summerfield eagerly works 731 00:38:25,638 --> 00:38:28,104 with the Navy to flesh out the idea. 732 00:38:28,174 --> 00:38:31,642 The plan is to use a specialized version 733 00:38:31,777 --> 00:38:34,377 of a Regulus 1 nuclear missile. 734 00:38:34,446 --> 00:38:36,847 Instead of equipping it with a warhead, 735 00:38:36,982 --> 00:38:39,116 the projectile will be packed with mail 736 00:38:39,251 --> 00:38:41,651 and guided by remote control. 737 00:38:41,687 --> 00:38:43,987 It had a parachute, it had wheels, 738 00:38:44,056 --> 00:38:47,324 so when there was impact, it would actually land. 739 00:38:47,393 --> 00:38:49,593 It wouldn't just hit the ground and explode. 740 00:38:49,662 --> 00:38:51,595 WILDMAN: But if they simply place mail 741 00:38:51,664 --> 00:38:53,864 directly in the missile's empty chamber, 742 00:38:53,933 --> 00:38:55,999 it would incinerate during takeoff, 743 00:38:56,001 --> 00:38:58,735 so Summerfield and Navy technicians 744 00:38:58,871 --> 00:39:01,572 create a container to house the letters 745 00:39:01,673 --> 00:39:04,007 and position it where the nuclear warhead 746 00:39:04,009 --> 00:39:06,142 would typically lie. 747 00:39:06,212 --> 00:39:08,678 On June 8, 1959, 748 00:39:08,747 --> 00:39:11,014 this metal box, today on display 749 00:39:11,149 --> 00:39:14,818 at the National Postal Museum, is filled with mail. 750 00:39:14,820 --> 00:39:17,087 It's then loaded into the Regulus 1 751 00:39:17,089 --> 00:39:19,423 on a submarine that ventures dozens of miles 752 00:39:19,558 --> 00:39:22,025 off the Florida coast. 753 00:39:22,127 --> 00:39:25,228 HARTZMAN: The missile is carefully aimed at Naval Auxiliary Air Station, 754 00:39:25,231 --> 00:39:27,631 about 100 miles out in Mayport, Florida. 755 00:39:27,700 --> 00:39:29,566 WILDMAN: Waiting at the landing strip, 756 00:39:29,701 --> 00:39:32,302 the anxious Summerfield holds his breath. 757 00:39:32,371 --> 00:39:36,273 They put the missile mail into the payload and fire it off. 758 00:39:38,277 --> 00:39:40,377 WILDMAN: Then the postmaster and his team 759 00:39:40,512 --> 00:39:42,712 fervently scan the horizon. 760 00:39:42,781 --> 00:39:45,916 HARTZMAN: And they're thinking, "Oh, God, please don't crash," 761 00:39:45,918 --> 00:39:48,852 hoping, praying that this thing is actually gonna work. 762 00:39:48,854 --> 00:39:51,521 WILDMAN: Will this revolutionary flight deliver success, 763 00:39:51,590 --> 00:39:53,256 or will Summerfield's dream 764 00:39:53,325 --> 00:39:55,359 of mail by missile crash and burn? 765 00:40:04,069 --> 00:40:06,737 It's 1959 off the coast of Florida. 766 00:40:06,739 --> 00:40:08,939 Arthur Summerfield, the nation's new 767 00:40:09,074 --> 00:40:11,875 postmaster general, has what would seem to be 768 00:40:12,010 --> 00:40:16,213 a preposterous idea -- use missiles to deliver the mail. 769 00:40:16,215 --> 00:40:18,482 Amazingly, the Defense Department 770 00:40:18,484 --> 00:40:20,683 supports his endeavor and has just launched 771 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:22,685 the first delivery. 772 00:40:22,721 --> 00:40:25,722 So can this explosive plan ever take off? 773 00:40:27,626 --> 00:40:30,093 WILDMAN: Twenty-two minutes into its maiden voyage 774 00:40:30,162 --> 00:40:32,696 the Regulus 1 comes into view. 775 00:40:32,831 --> 00:40:34,430 HARTZMAN: And finally, it comes down 776 00:40:34,466 --> 00:40:36,533 as a beautiful, soft precision landing. 777 00:40:38,037 --> 00:40:40,036 WILDMAN: Summerfield runs to the landing area 778 00:40:40,072 --> 00:40:42,105 and retrieves the mail container. 779 00:40:42,174 --> 00:40:44,308 And when he opens it up, 780 00:40:44,443 --> 00:40:46,709 he is elated. 781 00:40:46,745 --> 00:40:50,713 HARTZMAN: All the mail is there, nothing's been burnt, it's all nicely intact. 782 00:40:50,749 --> 00:40:53,550 His grand plan has worked perfectly. 783 00:40:53,552 --> 00:40:56,252 WILDMAN: The postmaster general proudly releases a statement 784 00:40:56,322 --> 00:40:58,254 that his institution is ready 785 00:40:58,324 --> 00:41:00,256 to blast off into the future, 786 00:41:00,326 --> 00:41:03,259 and the news spreads around the globe. 787 00:41:03,295 --> 00:41:07,197 He's ready to start launching missiles all across the world filled with mail. 788 00:41:07,199 --> 00:41:10,734 WILDMAN: But his lofty ambitions are about to come crashing down. 789 00:41:10,869 --> 00:41:13,669 HARTZMAN: The U.S. Navy says, 790 00:41:13,706 --> 00:41:16,739 "Hang on a second, we can't do this thing all the time." 791 00:41:16,775 --> 00:41:19,009 This was just way too expensive. 792 00:41:19,144 --> 00:41:21,545 WILDMAN: Summerfield is stunned. 793 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:23,613 Why was his mail missile concept 794 00:41:23,682 --> 00:41:26,549 even tested if it was deemed unfeasible? 795 00:41:26,618 --> 00:41:29,352 He soon discovers the truth. 796 00:41:29,421 --> 00:41:31,488 They have ulterior motives. 797 00:41:31,490 --> 00:41:33,490 The Navy was just using this as a stunt 798 00:41:33,492 --> 00:41:36,360 to show the world, its enemies, Russia and the Cold War, 799 00:41:36,495 --> 00:41:38,628 that it could send a missile anywhere it wanted 800 00:41:38,664 --> 00:41:40,831 with perfect precision. 801 00:41:40,833 --> 00:41:43,166 The missile mail program was a one and done. 802 00:41:43,202 --> 00:41:45,168 It's over. 803 00:41:45,204 --> 00:41:47,304 WILDMAN: Summerfield is devastated, 804 00:41:47,439 --> 00:41:50,040 but over time, he refocuses his energies 805 00:41:50,109 --> 00:41:52,775 and spends his tenure as postmaster general 806 00:41:52,811 --> 00:41:55,545 industriously refining operations. 807 00:41:57,850 --> 00:42:00,116 And today, this simple metal box 808 00:42:00,152 --> 00:42:02,119 that was shot through the sky 809 00:42:02,254 --> 00:42:04,587 is on display at the National Postal Museum 810 00:42:04,656 --> 00:42:07,124 because of one man's improbable scheme 811 00:42:07,126 --> 00:42:10,827 to rocket the nation's mail system into a fast-moving future. 812 00:42:13,999 --> 00:42:16,199 From a radioactive Boy Scout 813 00:42:16,201 --> 00:42:18,402 to the man who saved the world. 814 00:42:18,537 --> 00:42:20,603 An upscale underground bunker 815 00:42:20,672 --> 00:42:22,806 to rocket-powered mail. 816 00:42:22,941 --> 00:42:25,609 I'm Don Wildman, and these are 817 00:42:25,744 --> 00:42:27,444 the mysteries at the museum. 817 00:42:28,305 --> 00:43:28,327 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm