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

1 00:00:01,935 --> 00:00:05,005 A backyard experiment insights a nuclear panic. 2 00:00:05,105 --> 00:00:07,273 WALTHER: When the investigators examine the shed, 3 00:00:07,374 --> 00:00:09,943 they find that it's highly radioactive. 4 00:00:10,043 --> 00:00:12,579 Mail delivery at rocket speed. 5 00:00:12,679 --> 00:00:15,849 And they're thinking, "Oh, God, please don't crash." 6 00:00:15,949 --> 00:00:19,853 And an atomic bombing in South Carolina. 7 00:00:19,953 --> 00:00:23,289 Eyewitness reports said there were plumes of smoke 8 00:00:23,390 --> 00:00:25,625 from the explosion. 9 00:00:25,725 --> 00:00:28,361 These are the mysteries at the museum. 10 00:00:33,967 --> 00:00:36,903 Set on the banks of the Santa Cruz River, 11 00:00:37,003 --> 00:00:38,672 the City of Sahuarita, Arizona, 12 00:00:38,772 --> 00:00:41,608 is known for its adobe buildings, 13 00:00:41,708 --> 00:00:43,476 jagged cacti, 14 00:00:43,576 --> 00:00:46,379 and magnificent desert panoramas. 15 00:00:48,615 --> 00:00:51,217 But buried beneath this sun-scorched terrain 16 00:00:51,317 --> 00:00:52,318 is an institution 17 00:00:52,419 --> 00:00:55,922 that recalls the region's darker side, 18 00:00:56,022 --> 00:00:57,991 The Titan Missile Museum. 19 00:01:00,093 --> 00:01:03,630 Housed in what was once a Cold War nuclear silo, 20 00:01:03,730 --> 00:01:04,931 the facility is home 21 00:01:05,031 --> 00:01:09,002 to a massive 103-foot-tall decommissioned missile. 22 00:01:13,673 --> 00:01:16,643 But there's another object here that is much smaller 23 00:01:16,743 --> 00:01:19,746 but was equally deadly. 24 00:01:19,846 --> 00:01:23,483 MORRIS: The artifact is rectangular in shape. 25 00:01:23,583 --> 00:01:26,019 It has 16 thumb wheels on it. 26 00:01:26,119 --> 00:01:30,824 It's got a couple of on-off switches 27 00:01:30,924 --> 00:01:34,661 and the words "code entry" are etched into the front. 28 00:01:37,831 --> 00:01:41,001 WILDMAN: This intricate machine recalls a chilling tale 29 00:01:41,101 --> 00:01:45,739 of two global superpowers on the brink of Armageddon... 30 00:01:45,839 --> 00:01:48,108 and the brave soul caught in the middle. 31 00:01:48,208 --> 00:01:51,644 This is a story about one of the most important decisions 32 00:01:51,745 --> 00:01:53,480 in mankind's history. 33 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:01,074 34 00:02:02,789 --> 00:02:06,593 WILDMAN: 1983. It's the height of the Cold War. 35 00:02:06,693 --> 00:02:09,529 The threat of nuclear war between the United States 36 00:02:09,629 --> 00:02:12,599 and the Soviet Union looms large. 37 00:02:12,699 --> 00:02:15,068 The U.S. possesses a massive arsenal 38 00:02:15,168 --> 00:02:17,570 of Titan II atomic missiles. 39 00:02:19,673 --> 00:02:22,308 Not to be outmatched, the USSR 40 00:02:22,409 --> 00:02:25,645 has their own inventory of nuclear warheads 41 00:02:25,745 --> 00:02:27,981 as well as an advanced satellite system 42 00:02:28,081 --> 00:02:29,916 that can detect American missiles 43 00:02:30,016 --> 00:02:32,285 entering Soviet airspace. 44 00:02:32,385 --> 00:02:35,522 Tasked with monitoring this early warning system 45 00:02:35,622 --> 00:02:39,993 is a 44-year-old Lieutenant named Stanislav Petrov. 46 00:02:40,093 --> 00:02:43,797 MORRIS: His specific purpose was to notify his superiors 47 00:02:43,897 --> 00:02:46,866 of missile launches from the United States 48 00:02:46,966 --> 00:02:50,236 directed towards the Soviet Union. 49 00:02:50,337 --> 00:02:51,938 WILDMAN: Should Petrov detect 50 00:02:52,038 --> 00:02:54,207 an incoming American nuclear missile, 51 00:02:54,307 --> 00:02:55,809 he's under strict orders 52 00:02:55,909 --> 00:02:58,144 to alert his commanders immediately 53 00:02:58,244 --> 00:03:00,413 so they can launch a counter attack. 54 00:03:00,513 --> 00:03:03,116 It had to be a crushing burden. 55 00:03:03,216 --> 00:03:04,718 WILDMAN: And his responsibilities 56 00:03:04,818 --> 00:03:07,520 are about to be put to the ultimate test. 57 00:03:10,824 --> 00:03:13,059 On the night of September 26th, 58 00:03:13,159 --> 00:03:16,563 Petrov is conducting routine satellite observations 59 00:03:16,663 --> 00:03:19,299 when suddenly... 60 00:03:21,034 --> 00:03:23,770 ...the early warning alarm bell sounds. 61 00:03:23,870 --> 00:03:25,538 When Petrov checks the system, 62 00:03:25,638 --> 00:03:29,976 it shows an American missile is headed straight for Russia. 63 00:03:30,076 --> 00:03:34,481 MORRIS: Your heart stops, your mouth gets dry, 64 00:03:34,581 --> 00:03:35,949 your mind is telling you 65 00:03:36,049 --> 00:03:37,884 this can't possibly be happening. 66 00:03:37,984 --> 00:03:41,121 This is not happening. 67 00:03:41,221 --> 00:03:43,957 WILDMAN: Minutes later, the warning system signals 68 00:03:44,057 --> 00:03:47,360 that a second American missile is on its way. 69 00:03:48,862 --> 00:03:51,197 MORRIS: There's a second alarm 70 00:03:51,297 --> 00:03:54,267 and then a third and a fourth 71 00:03:54,367 --> 00:03:58,271 and finally in total, there were supposedly five missiles 72 00:03:58,371 --> 00:04:02,308 incoming towards the Soviet Union. 73 00:04:02,409 --> 00:04:05,779 WILDMAN: To Petrov and his men, it can mean only one thing. 74 00:04:05,879 --> 00:04:09,849 The United States has initiated a nuclear war. 75 00:04:09,949 --> 00:04:13,987 MORRIS: Everyone's sort of frozen. 76 00:04:14,087 --> 00:04:17,590 They are under attack. 77 00:04:17,691 --> 00:04:19,025 WILDMAN: According to protocol, 78 00:04:19,125 --> 00:04:21,928 Petrov must inform his superiors immediately 79 00:04:22,028 --> 00:04:24,397 so the Soviets can retaliate. 80 00:04:24,497 --> 00:04:26,266 But just as the veteran lieutenant 81 00:04:26,366 --> 00:04:28,168 is about to pick up the phone, 82 00:04:28,268 --> 00:04:31,738 he realizes something doesn't add up. 83 00:04:31,838 --> 00:04:32,872 MORRIS: If the United States 84 00:04:32,972 --> 00:04:35,475 were going to launch a pre-emptive strike 85 00:04:35,575 --> 00:04:37,277 against the Soviet Union, 86 00:04:37,377 --> 00:04:39,546 they would use more than five missiles. 87 00:04:39,646 --> 00:04:42,115 It would be hundreds of missiles, maybe thousands. 88 00:04:42,215 --> 00:04:46,753 His gut was telling him this is a mistake. 89 00:04:46,853 --> 00:04:50,423 WILDMAN: Petrov knows that time is running out. 90 00:04:50,523 --> 00:04:53,760 It only takes 23 minutes for an American Titan Missile 91 00:04:53,860 --> 00:04:56,629 to reach the USSR. 92 00:04:56,730 --> 00:05:00,700 The lieutenant faces an unimaginable choice. 93 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,904 Follow protocol or trust his instincts. 94 00:05:05,005 --> 00:05:06,006 MORRIS: If he's wrong, 95 00:05:06,106 --> 00:05:09,676 the repercussions would be astronomic. 96 00:05:11,311 --> 00:05:13,913 WILDMAN: Petrov opens a secure communications link 97 00:05:14,014 --> 00:05:16,683 with Soviet Military Headquarters. 98 00:05:16,783 --> 00:05:19,319 He knows that what he tells his commanders 99 00:05:19,419 --> 00:05:22,122 could usher in a nuclear Armageddon. 100 00:05:22,222 --> 00:05:26,393 MORRIS: Petrov was afraid of making the wrong decision 101 00:05:26,493 --> 00:05:29,763 and contributing to the start of World War III. 102 00:05:31,064 --> 00:05:33,533 WILDMAN: With the fate of the entire world in his hands, 103 00:05:33,633 --> 00:05:35,802 Petrov makes his decision. 104 00:05:35,902 --> 00:05:38,505 He tells his superiors that there has been a mistake. 105 00:05:38,605 --> 00:05:41,675 He reported that the system was malfunctioning. 106 00:05:41,775 --> 00:05:43,343 And that the Soviet Union 107 00:05:43,443 --> 00:05:46,713 was not actually under missile attack. 108 00:05:46,813 --> 00:05:49,649 WILDMAN: All Petrov can do now is wait. 109 00:05:51,918 --> 00:05:55,588 And as the clock ticks down, 110 00:05:55,689 --> 00:05:57,791 it seems that his gut was correct. 111 00:06:00,794 --> 00:06:04,497 The alarm system suddenly returns to normal. 112 00:06:04,597 --> 00:06:08,101 MORRIS: Petrov must have been euphoric. 113 00:06:08,201 --> 00:06:10,170 He'd made the right call. 114 00:06:12,706 --> 00:06:15,108 WILDMAN: Stanislav Petrov's bold decision 115 00:06:15,208 --> 00:06:19,646 has saved the planet from nuclear devastation. 116 00:06:19,746 --> 00:06:21,648 But one question remains. 117 00:06:21,748 --> 00:06:24,084 What caused the system to malfunction 118 00:06:24,184 --> 00:06:27,220 and detect an American attack? 119 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:28,455 MORRIS: It was revealed 120 00:06:28,555 --> 00:06:31,491 that the satellite had misinterpreted sunlight 121 00:06:31,591 --> 00:06:35,595 bouncing off of clouds as a missile launch. 122 00:06:35,695 --> 00:06:38,131 WILDMAN: In the wake of his nuclear near-miss, 123 00:06:38,231 --> 00:06:41,568 the Soviets fine-tuned their early warning system 124 00:06:41,668 --> 00:06:45,739 so it can't be thrown off like this again. 125 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:47,574 The story of the world's brush 126 00:06:47,674 --> 00:06:51,945 with accidental annihilation remains a secret for years. 127 00:06:52,045 --> 00:06:54,614 But when the Cold War eventually thaws, 128 00:06:54,714 --> 00:06:55,882 the stunning incident 129 00:06:55,982 --> 00:06:58,418 is finally revealed to the world 130 00:06:58,518 --> 00:07:01,221 and Petrov is hailed as a hero. 131 00:07:01,321 --> 00:07:04,457 MORRIS: He could have taken the easy way out. 132 00:07:04,557 --> 00:07:06,092 But he took the high road 133 00:07:06,192 --> 00:07:10,663 and had the courage to listen to his gut. 134 00:07:10,764 --> 00:07:12,866 WILDMAN: Today this weapons launch dial 135 00:07:12,966 --> 00:07:15,802 that could have initiated nuclear Armageddon 136 00:07:15,902 --> 00:07:19,039 sits on display at the Titan Missile Museum. 137 00:07:19,139 --> 00:07:21,207 It recalls the story of a quick-thinking 138 00:07:21,307 --> 00:07:24,611 and cool-headed man who saved the world. 139 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,316 Located on the grounds of West Virginia's luxurious 140 00:07:30,417 --> 00:07:33,953 Greenbrier Hotel is the Presidents' Cottage Museum -- 141 00:07:34,054 --> 00:07:37,924 a shrine commemorating the 26 American Heads of State 142 00:07:38,024 --> 00:07:41,194 who have visited this palatial resort. 143 00:07:41,294 --> 00:07:44,264 But far removed from the timeless photos 144 00:07:44,364 --> 00:07:45,598 and elegant paintings 145 00:07:45,699 --> 00:07:48,601 sits one particularly pedestrian artifact 146 00:07:48,702 --> 00:07:52,038 that tells a riveting tale of power and paranoia 147 00:07:52,138 --> 00:07:54,207 in a world on the brink of destruction. 148 00:07:54,307 --> 00:08:01,014 WALLS: This may look like an old, ordinary television, 149 00:08:01,114 --> 00:08:03,783 but now we know this object represents 150 00:08:03,883 --> 00:08:05,885 something much, much bigger -- 151 00:08:05,985 --> 00:08:09,155 something very top-secret. 152 00:08:09,255 --> 00:08:13,193 WILDMAN: So what insight does this common appliance provide 153 00:08:13,293 --> 00:08:16,262 into one of the most dramatic and intriguing episodes 154 00:08:16,363 --> 00:08:17,630 in our nation's history? 155 00:08:19,232 --> 00:08:22,469 West Virginia -- 1958. 156 00:08:22,569 --> 00:08:25,171 Deep in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains lies 157 00:08:25,271 --> 00:08:27,540 the elegant Greenbrier Hotel, 158 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,144 a popular destination with Washington insiders 159 00:08:31,244 --> 00:08:33,813 and even President Dwight Eisenhower. 160 00:08:35,115 --> 00:08:36,316 On December 12th, 161 00:08:36,416 --> 00:08:38,985 the high-profile getaway announces plans 162 00:08:39,085 --> 00:08:41,855 for the construction of an opulent new wing 163 00:08:41,955 --> 00:08:47,427 featuring 88 new guest rooms and an underground exhibit hall. 164 00:08:47,527 --> 00:08:50,663 WALLS: It could be used by the guests for exhibits 165 00:08:50,764 --> 00:08:54,668 and also for parties, for huge dinner functions. 166 00:08:54,768 --> 00:08:57,604 WILDMAN: In late December, 167 00:08:57,704 --> 00:09:00,173 a crew breaks ground on the project, 168 00:09:00,273 --> 00:09:02,709 excavating a hole for the building's foundation. 169 00:09:05,812 --> 00:09:09,749 And by the spring of 1959, the workers have carved out 170 00:09:09,849 --> 00:09:13,553 a massive cavity in the Earth roughly the size 171 00:09:13,653 --> 00:09:17,424 of two football fields stacked underground. 172 00:09:18,758 --> 00:09:21,928 Soon, an endless procession of trucks arrives 173 00:09:22,028 --> 00:09:25,665 hauling an astonishing 50,000 tons of concrete 174 00:09:25,765 --> 00:09:28,001 to the cavernous site. 175 00:09:28,101 --> 00:09:29,336 WALLS: As you would guess, 176 00:09:29,436 --> 00:09:31,738 there were whispers about this project. 177 00:09:31,838 --> 00:09:33,907 People said, "What are they building," 178 00:09:34,007 --> 00:09:37,444 because there was a huge amount of square footage 179 00:09:37,544 --> 00:09:40,447 that was unknown. 180 00:09:40,547 --> 00:09:42,849 WILDMAN: Adding to the speculation, 181 00:09:42,949 --> 00:09:45,885 it's revealed that a few select workers charged 182 00:09:45,985 --> 00:09:48,288 with hanging gigantic steel doors 183 00:09:48,388 --> 00:09:51,991 at underground entrances have been vetted by the FBI 184 00:09:52,092 --> 00:09:55,128 and forced to sign nondisclosure agreements 185 00:09:55,228 --> 00:09:57,197 about their involvement in the project. 186 00:09:57,297 --> 00:09:59,366 WALLS: Some of the local gossip said 187 00:09:59,466 --> 00:10:02,569 there was something here for the government. 188 00:10:03,770 --> 00:10:06,673 WILDMAN: Finally, in October 1962, 189 00:10:06,773 --> 00:10:10,010 the new annex, dubbed "The West Virginia Wing," 190 00:10:10,110 --> 00:10:11,578 opens its doors. 191 00:10:11,678 --> 00:10:13,847 It was beautifully, beautifully done. 192 00:10:13,947 --> 00:10:17,384 There was the exhibit hall, the Mountaineer Room, 193 00:10:17,484 --> 00:10:21,454 good, theatre-style conference rooms. 194 00:10:21,554 --> 00:10:24,758 WILDMAN: And there is also a new office set up to tend 195 00:10:24,858 --> 00:10:27,060 to one important guest amenity. 196 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,729 There was a television repair shop 197 00:10:29,829 --> 00:10:32,932 that maintained all of the Greenbrier's televisions. 198 00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:37,570 WILDMAN: For the next 30 years, the West Virginia Wing becomes 199 00:10:37,671 --> 00:10:39,372 a boon for the Greenbrier, 200 00:10:39,472 --> 00:10:41,608 playing host to hundreds of events 201 00:10:41,708 --> 00:10:43,943 and entertaining thousands of guests. 202 00:10:44,044 --> 00:10:46,913 And eventually, the rumors surrounding the addition 203 00:10:47,013 --> 00:10:49,449 become a distant memory. 204 00:10:50,784 --> 00:10:55,388 Then, in 1992, a journalist named Ted Gup is 205 00:10:55,488 --> 00:10:57,924 researching the history of The Cold War 206 00:10:58,024 --> 00:11:00,694 and how the United States would have handled the fallout 207 00:11:00,794 --> 00:11:03,763 from a nuclear catastrophe. 208 00:11:03,863 --> 00:11:05,932 In the course of his investigation, 209 00:11:06,032 --> 00:11:08,301 a political insider tips him off 210 00:11:08,401 --> 00:11:11,304 to an ongoing, covert government operation 211 00:11:11,404 --> 00:11:14,274 being carried out at the Greenbrier Hotel's 212 00:11:14,374 --> 00:11:15,742 West Virginia Wing. 213 00:11:15,842 --> 00:11:19,946 What clandestine activity could this exclusive resort 214 00:11:20,046 --> 00:11:22,415 possibly be concealing? 215 00:11:27,187 --> 00:11:30,290 In 1958, the Greenbrier Hotel, 216 00:11:30,390 --> 00:11:32,726 an upscale resort in the mountains of West Virginia, 217 00:11:32,826 --> 00:11:35,929 was expanded to include an elaborate new wing 218 00:11:36,029 --> 00:11:38,264 and an underground exhibit hall, 219 00:11:38,365 --> 00:11:40,533 but the high level of security surrounding the project 220 00:11:40,633 --> 00:11:43,269 soon gives rise to rumors of a top-secret 221 00:11:43,370 --> 00:11:45,472 government operation. 222 00:11:45,572 --> 00:11:47,774 It's 30 years before an investigative journalist 223 00:11:47,874 --> 00:11:51,544 uncovers the truth on this subterranean mystery. 224 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,915 On May 31, 1992, 225 00:11:56,016 --> 00:11:58,885 journalist Ted Gup publishes a shocking article 226 00:11:58,985 --> 00:12:01,821 in The Washington Post that lifts the shroud of mystery 227 00:12:01,921 --> 00:12:03,990 that surrounds the Greenbrier Hotel's 228 00:12:04,090 --> 00:12:05,658 West Virginia Wing. 229 00:12:05,759 --> 00:12:08,695 Interviews with various construction contractors, 230 00:12:08,795 --> 00:12:11,698 hotel executives, and former government officials 231 00:12:11,798 --> 00:12:16,069 confirm rumors that began spreading back in the 1950s. 232 00:12:17,470 --> 00:12:19,039 WALLS: Leading from the Greenbrier 233 00:12:19,139 --> 00:12:22,776 into the exhibit hall was a false wall, 234 00:12:22,876 --> 00:12:25,712 and no one knew that, behind this cover door, 235 00:12:25,812 --> 00:12:29,349 was an 18-ton blast door. 236 00:12:29,449 --> 00:12:32,052 This door could have been closed, 237 00:12:32,152 --> 00:12:34,888 sealing the huge bunker. 238 00:12:36,423 --> 00:12:38,758 WILDMAN: This extraordinary bunker, 239 00:12:38,858 --> 00:12:40,927 kept secret for over 30 years, 240 00:12:41,027 --> 00:12:45,799 is revealed to be a 153-room nuclear fallout shelter 241 00:12:45,899 --> 00:12:49,336 built as a safeguard for the 535 members 242 00:12:49,436 --> 00:12:53,239 of the United States Congress in case of nuclear attack. 243 00:12:53,340 --> 00:12:55,742 WALLS: During the period of The Cold War, 244 00:12:55,842 --> 00:12:59,846 President Eisenhower had bunkers built to ensure 245 00:12:59,946 --> 00:13:02,315 that our government would have continued 246 00:13:02,415 --> 00:13:05,251 in the event of an emergency. 247 00:13:05,352 --> 00:13:08,154 The Greenbrier was chosen as one location for this 248 00:13:08,254 --> 00:13:10,590 because it's nestled in the mountains 249 00:13:10,690 --> 00:13:14,894 within a 250-mile radius of Washington, D.C. 250 00:13:17,797 --> 00:13:20,934 WILDMAN: In addition to its strategic and secluded location, 251 00:13:21,034 --> 00:13:25,805 this enormous refuge, buried 720 feet into a hillside, 252 00:13:25,905 --> 00:13:29,676 houses all the conveniences of life above-ground. 253 00:13:29,776 --> 00:13:32,245 WALLS: There were 18 dormitories. 254 00:13:32,345 --> 00:13:35,448 There was a huge communications area, 255 00:13:35,548 --> 00:13:39,953 a huge infirmary complete with operating rooms, 256 00:13:40,053 --> 00:13:42,922 and a huge power plant. 257 00:13:43,023 --> 00:13:46,292 And thousands of guests have been in the conference rooms. 258 00:13:46,393 --> 00:13:49,529 Little did they know that they were actually seated 259 00:13:49,629 --> 00:13:53,033 in rooms that would have been used as chambers 260 00:13:53,133 --> 00:13:56,169 for the House of Representatives and for the Senate. 261 00:13:56,269 --> 00:13:58,972 WILDMAN: But the question remains -- 262 00:13:59,072 --> 00:14:01,408 how did the United States government maintain 263 00:14:01,508 --> 00:14:05,645 this immense bunker without the hotel staff catching on? 264 00:14:07,347 --> 00:14:11,785 The answer lies in an object so mundane and ordinary 265 00:14:11,885 --> 00:14:13,486 it provided the perfect cover. 266 00:14:13,586 --> 00:14:16,256 WALLS: The people who were running the bunker 267 00:14:16,356 --> 00:14:18,558 were disguised as television repairmen, 268 00:14:18,658 --> 00:14:23,029 but they were actually employees of the United States government. 269 00:14:23,129 --> 00:14:26,966 Many of them were individuals with military experience. 270 00:14:27,067 --> 00:14:31,738 They maintained this bunker on a daily basis and ensured 271 00:14:31,838 --> 00:14:34,741 that all of the equipment in the power plant 272 00:14:34,841 --> 00:14:37,110 and all of the communications equipment 273 00:14:37,210 --> 00:14:40,747 was in ready condition. 274 00:14:42,282 --> 00:14:44,951 WILDMAN: Following the exposé in The Washington Post, 275 00:14:45,051 --> 00:14:48,888 the U.S. government ceases operations at the shelter. 276 00:14:48,988 --> 00:14:50,623 After three decades, 277 00:14:50,724 --> 00:14:53,326 the television repairmen leave their posts, 278 00:14:53,426 --> 00:14:56,796 and the bunker is made open to the public for tours. 279 00:14:58,965 --> 00:15:02,102 But today, the Greenbrier Hotel still clings 280 00:15:02,202 --> 00:15:06,439 to this old television set, one last vestige left behind 281 00:15:06,539 --> 00:15:09,009 by the men who worked behind-the-scenes 282 00:15:09,109 --> 00:15:12,712 to ensure the government's stability in time of crisis. 283 00:15:15,715 --> 00:15:17,717 New Orleans, Louisiana, 284 00:15:17,817 --> 00:15:19,719 the city's grand mansions, 285 00:15:19,819 --> 00:15:23,123 stately gardens, and historic French Quarter 286 00:15:23,223 --> 00:15:26,059 all date back to the 18th century. 287 00:15:26,159 --> 00:15:28,928 But those seeking to experience a different slice 288 00:15:29,029 --> 00:15:32,732 of history can head to the National WWII Museum. 289 00:15:36,202 --> 00:15:39,472 Its collection includes an amphibious landing boat, 290 00:15:39,572 --> 00:15:42,409 a 33-ton armored tank, 291 00:15:42,509 --> 00:15:44,811 and a four-engine bomber plane. 292 00:15:47,180 --> 00:15:49,516 But in the midst of these enormous machines 293 00:15:49,616 --> 00:15:52,318 of war is a much smaller object. 294 00:15:52,419 --> 00:15:55,889 DAVIS: The artifact is a metal cylinder. 295 00:15:55,989 --> 00:15:58,158 It's about 4 feet tall 296 00:15:58,258 --> 00:16:01,061 by about 3 feet in diameter. 297 00:16:01,161 --> 00:16:03,396 There's some black paint, 298 00:16:03,496 --> 00:16:07,934 but also there is the red color of corrosion. 299 00:16:10,337 --> 00:16:13,573 WILDMAN: This steel keg once contained an ingredient 300 00:16:13,673 --> 00:16:15,542 that had the explosive power 301 00:16:15,642 --> 00:16:18,411 to change the course of history forever. 302 00:16:18,511 --> 00:16:23,016 DAVIS: This is a story of patriotism, courage, 303 00:16:23,116 --> 00:16:27,120 sabotage, and the race to build the atomic bomb. 304 00:16:32,826 --> 00:16:38,431 WILDMAN: February 27th, 1943 -- Nazi-occupied Europe. 305 00:16:38,531 --> 00:16:40,567 A team of crack Allied commandos 306 00:16:40,667 --> 00:16:43,870 are headed to Norway on a top-secret mission -- 307 00:16:43,970 --> 00:16:48,174 to sabotage the Nazi's nuclear weapons program. 308 00:16:48,274 --> 00:16:49,709 The Allies have intelligence 309 00:16:49,809 --> 00:16:52,045 that the German's have built a plant 310 00:16:52,145 --> 00:16:55,615 that will make a key ingredient for an atomic bomb. 311 00:16:55,715 --> 00:16:58,651 It's called heavy water. 312 00:16:58,752 --> 00:17:03,189 DAVIS: Heavy water was a vital component in a nuclear reaction. 313 00:17:03,289 --> 00:17:08,595 It could significantly influence the course of the war. 314 00:17:08,695 --> 00:17:09,963 WILDMAN: The Allies need to destroy 315 00:17:10,063 --> 00:17:13,733 the heavy water plant at all costs. 316 00:17:13,833 --> 00:17:18,571 Leading the mission is 23-year-old Joachim Ronneberg. 317 00:17:18,672 --> 00:17:21,775 DAVIS: Joachim Ronneberg is an explosives expert. 318 00:17:21,875 --> 00:17:23,810 He was very skilled in techniques 319 00:17:23,910 --> 00:17:26,713 of marksmanship, camouflage skills, 320 00:17:26,813 --> 00:17:30,717 so he was the ideal special warfare operative. 321 00:17:33,019 --> 00:17:36,089 WILDMAN: Ronneberg has a tricky task ahead of him. 322 00:17:36,189 --> 00:17:38,625 DAVIS: The plant was well-defended by guards, 323 00:17:38,725 --> 00:17:40,960 floodlights, and a minefield. 324 00:17:41,061 --> 00:17:46,199 It was extremely difficult to enter into the plant. 325 00:17:46,299 --> 00:17:49,202 WILDMAN: The key to success will be a Norwegian mole 326 00:17:49,302 --> 00:17:51,504 who's working for the Allies. 327 00:17:51,604 --> 00:17:54,541 On the night of the mission, the mole will unlock the doors 328 00:17:54,641 --> 00:17:56,209 to the basement so that Ronneberg 329 00:17:56,309 --> 00:17:58,812 and his team can slip inside the facility, 330 00:17:58,912 --> 00:18:01,815 plant the bombs, and get out unseen. 331 00:18:01,915 --> 00:18:05,819 The fate of the free world could rest in their hands. 332 00:18:05,919 --> 00:18:07,487 DAVIS: They prepared meticulously, 333 00:18:07,587 --> 00:18:11,391 but on the night itself, anything could happen. 334 00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:15,995 WILDMAN: Just after midnight, Ronneberg and his men 335 00:18:16,096 --> 00:18:18,665 touched down in occupied Norway. 336 00:18:18,765 --> 00:18:20,967 The air is bitterly cold. 337 00:18:21,067 --> 00:18:24,671 But the frigid temperatures work to the team's advantage. 338 00:18:24,771 --> 00:18:27,340 DAVIS: Most of the guards inside the plant 339 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,142 remained under shelter 340 00:18:29,242 --> 00:18:33,213 and were not paying close attention to their duties. 341 00:18:33,313 --> 00:18:36,783 WILDMAN: Ronneberg's group stealthily approaches the building. 342 00:18:36,883 --> 00:18:38,885 But when they reach the basement doors, 343 00:18:38,985 --> 00:18:43,023 their plan is stopped in its tracks. 344 00:18:43,123 --> 00:18:46,059 The doors were locked. They were firmly shut. 345 00:18:46,159 --> 00:18:47,827 WILDMAN: For reasons unknown, 346 00:18:47,927 --> 00:18:51,464 the mole hasn't unlocked the doors. 347 00:18:51,564 --> 00:18:53,700 Ronneberg is at a loss. 348 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,503 DAVIS: Failure to get into the plant 349 00:18:56,603 --> 00:18:58,672 would alter the course of the war. 350 00:18:58,772 --> 00:19:00,607 WILDMAN: So will Ronneberg and his men 351 00:19:00,707 --> 00:19:02,709 complete their dangerous mission, 352 00:19:02,809 --> 00:19:05,845 or will their plan blow up in their faces? 353 00:19:10,784 --> 00:19:14,387 It's 1943 in Nazi-occupied Norway. 354 00:19:14,487 --> 00:19:17,490 Norwegian resistance fighter Joachim Ronneberg 355 00:19:17,590 --> 00:19:19,826 and a gang of brave saboteurs 356 00:19:19,926 --> 00:19:22,395 are on a mission to destroy a Nazi facility 357 00:19:22,495 --> 00:19:24,197 that contains heavy water, 358 00:19:24,297 --> 00:19:27,167 a key ingredient in making an atomic bomb. 359 00:19:27,267 --> 00:19:28,568 According to their intel, 360 00:19:28,668 --> 00:19:32,038 an entrance to the Nazi plant will be left unlocked. 361 00:19:32,138 --> 00:19:34,207 But when the group reaches the building, 362 00:19:34,307 --> 00:19:37,177 they find the doors are bolted shut. 363 00:19:37,277 --> 00:19:39,646 So will Ronneberg and his men succeed, 364 00:19:39,746 --> 00:19:41,981 or is this mission impossible? 365 00:19:44,284 --> 00:19:47,821 Ronneberg and his men have to act fast. 366 00:19:47,921 --> 00:19:49,522 They desperately search the grounds 367 00:19:49,622 --> 00:19:51,858 for another way in. 368 00:19:51,958 --> 00:19:54,427 Then Ronneberg spies a small vent leading 369 00:19:54,527 --> 00:19:55,962 into the facility. 370 00:19:56,062 --> 00:19:58,631 The team tentatively crawls through the chute. 371 00:19:58,732 --> 00:20:01,601 They had no idea what might be waiting for them 372 00:20:01,701 --> 00:20:06,072 once they got into the production facility itself. 373 00:20:06,172 --> 00:20:09,409 WILDMAN: By chance, they end up in an abandoned basement. 374 00:20:09,509 --> 00:20:11,644 From there, they make their way to the chamber 375 00:20:11,745 --> 00:20:13,813 where the heavy water is stored. 376 00:20:13,913 --> 00:20:16,983 There, they overpower a guard at gunpoint. 377 00:20:20,020 --> 00:20:21,421 Ronneberg places the explosives 378 00:20:21,521 --> 00:20:24,124 around the heavy water barrels, 379 00:20:24,224 --> 00:20:27,861 like this one at the National WWII Museum, 380 00:20:27,961 --> 00:20:30,530 and sets the timer. 381 00:20:30,630 --> 00:20:35,235 The men run out of the building and into the woods. 382 00:20:35,335 --> 00:20:38,004 Moments later, there is a deafening explosion. 383 00:20:43,276 --> 00:20:46,613 DAVIS: The operation was completely successful. 384 00:20:46,713 --> 00:20:49,616 They knew they'd done something significant. 385 00:20:49,716 --> 00:20:51,117 WILDMAN: Ronneberg and his men flee 386 00:20:51,217 --> 00:20:53,620 Norway and make their way to safety. 387 00:20:56,022 --> 00:20:58,291 After the war, Ronneberg and his team 388 00:20:58,391 --> 00:21:01,061 are hailed as heroes for helping to cripple 389 00:21:01,161 --> 00:21:03,596 Germany's nuclear weapons program. 390 00:21:03,697 --> 00:21:05,598 It was the perfect sabotage. 391 00:21:05,699 --> 00:21:07,367 It's a tremendous example 392 00:21:07,467 --> 00:21:09,936 of what humans can achieve 393 00:21:10,036 --> 00:21:14,374 in the face of a very evil enemy. 394 00:21:14,474 --> 00:21:18,244 WILDMAN: Today, this heavy water barrel at the National WWII Museum 395 00:21:18,345 --> 00:21:19,546 in New Orleans 396 00:21:19,646 --> 00:21:22,849 recalls a heroic band of saboteurs 397 00:21:22,949 --> 00:21:26,786 and the explosive plot to change the course of history. 398 00:21:30,523 --> 00:21:32,726 The desert west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 399 00:21:32,826 --> 00:21:35,295 possesses one of the highest concentrations 400 00:21:35,395 --> 00:21:37,397 of uranium deposits in the world. 401 00:21:39,399 --> 00:21:41,735 So it's no surprise that the city has been dubbed 402 00:21:41,835 --> 00:21:44,471 the nuclear capital of the nation. 403 00:21:44,571 --> 00:21:47,207 And celebrating this rich legacy 404 00:21:47,307 --> 00:21:50,310 is the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. 405 00:21:52,479 --> 00:21:55,682 Here, visitors can view devices that have affected human life, 406 00:21:55,782 --> 00:21:58,885 from a decommissioned British nuclear bomb 407 00:21:58,985 --> 00:22:01,154 to a gamma ray camera 408 00:22:01,254 --> 00:22:04,657 and even a shoe store's foot x-ray machine. 409 00:22:06,793 --> 00:22:08,762 But tucked away in a glass case 410 00:22:08,862 --> 00:22:11,765 is one item devoid of technical function. 411 00:22:11,865 --> 00:22:14,668 The artifact is only about 412 00:22:14,768 --> 00:22:16,670 the size of a silver dollar, 413 00:22:16,770 --> 00:22:19,472 woven of cloth, brightly-colored, 414 00:22:19,572 --> 00:22:22,609 and it was worn on a uniform. 415 00:22:22,709 --> 00:22:24,878 WILDMAN: This unassuming emblem speaks to 416 00:22:24,978 --> 00:22:27,213 an inconceivable experiment. 417 00:22:27,313 --> 00:22:29,215 It reveals a brush with disaster 418 00:22:29,315 --> 00:22:31,384 that placed a small town in grave danger. 419 00:22:31,484 --> 00:22:33,753 WILDMAN: What is this badge, 420 00:22:33,853 --> 00:22:36,923 and what role did it play in an explosive tale 421 00:22:37,023 --> 00:22:39,259 of atomic intrigue? 422 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:41,528 1994, 423 00:22:41,628 --> 00:22:44,197 Commerce Township Michigan -- 424 00:22:44,297 --> 00:22:47,600 17-year-old David Hahn is a chemistry whiz kid. 425 00:22:47,701 --> 00:22:50,370 Using his parents' shed as a lab, 426 00:22:50,470 --> 00:22:53,773 he has conducted dozens of highly-advanced experiments. 427 00:22:53,873 --> 00:22:57,477 But now, David is doggedly pursuing 428 00:22:57,577 --> 00:22:59,713 a singular goal. 429 00:22:59,813 --> 00:23:01,981 David is a Boy Scout, and he wants 430 00:23:02,082 --> 00:23:04,384 to become an Eagle Scout. 431 00:23:04,484 --> 00:23:06,619 WILDMAN: To achieve Eagle rank, 432 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:08,822 David must accomplish two things -- 433 00:23:08,922 --> 00:23:11,658 earn 21 merit badges of his choosing, 434 00:23:11,758 --> 00:23:14,427 one of which is the atomic energy badge, 435 00:23:14,527 --> 00:23:18,198 like this one on display at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 436 00:23:18,298 --> 00:23:21,167 and demonstrate leadership 437 00:23:21,267 --> 00:23:23,536 by completing a special project. 438 00:23:23,636 --> 00:23:27,073 For this, most Scouts pursue traditional activities, 439 00:23:27,173 --> 00:23:30,243 like planting trees or constructing park benches. 440 00:23:30,343 --> 00:23:34,214 But David has something far more ambitious in mind. 441 00:23:34,314 --> 00:23:37,650 David planned to build a nuclear reactor. 442 00:23:40,053 --> 00:23:42,922 This is a fairly ludicrous idea. 443 00:23:43,023 --> 00:23:46,159 With millions and millions of dollars at their disposal, 444 00:23:46,259 --> 00:23:49,929 scientists still had trouble creating these reactors, 445 00:23:50,030 --> 00:23:52,065 and here David was going to try and make one 446 00:23:52,165 --> 00:23:54,501 in his mother's potting shed. 447 00:23:54,601 --> 00:23:57,904 WILDMAN: David, however, is confident in his abilities. 448 00:23:58,004 --> 00:24:01,307 He just needs to find the right materials. 449 00:24:01,408 --> 00:24:04,377 A reactor creates nuclear energy 450 00:24:04,477 --> 00:24:07,247 by splitting atoms with the help of radioactive elements, 451 00:24:07,347 --> 00:24:09,249 like plutonium or uranium. 452 00:24:09,349 --> 00:24:11,251 WALTHER: Luckily for all of us, 453 00:24:11,351 --> 00:24:13,453 these materials are extremely hard to get. 454 00:24:13,553 --> 00:24:15,955 WILDMAN: But David has a plan. 455 00:24:16,056 --> 00:24:19,793 He learns that everyday items, like smoke detectors, 456 00:24:19,893 --> 00:24:22,128 gas lanterns, and old clocks, 457 00:24:22,228 --> 00:24:25,198 often contain minute amounts of radioactive material. 458 00:24:25,298 --> 00:24:27,367 WALTHER: David orders 459 00:24:27,467 --> 00:24:29,936 a large quantity of smoke detectors, 460 00:24:30,036 --> 00:24:33,273 and he takes the little tiny piece of americium out of them. 461 00:24:33,373 --> 00:24:35,575 WILDMAN: He gathers gas lanterns for their thorium, 462 00:24:35,675 --> 00:24:37,811 and old clocks for their radium. 463 00:24:37,911 --> 00:24:41,581 Then, using a Geiger counter to monitor radiation levels, 464 00:24:41,681 --> 00:24:45,018 he combines the elements together in tin foil blocks, 465 00:24:45,118 --> 00:24:48,555 creating his own version of a nuclear core. 466 00:24:48,655 --> 00:24:52,492 Inside it were things that were highly radioactive. 467 00:24:52,592 --> 00:24:55,628 WILDMAN: Next, he fashions a contraption to trigger fission. 468 00:24:55,729 --> 00:24:58,131 WALTHER: David built a device with a lead block, 469 00:24:58,231 --> 00:25:00,133 placing radium inside it. 470 00:25:00,233 --> 00:25:04,137 The radium emitted radiation that could be pointed at 471 00:25:04,237 --> 00:25:06,840 the other materials that he had on hand. 472 00:25:06,940 --> 00:25:09,009 This became a neutron gun. 473 00:25:09,109 --> 00:25:11,845 WILDMAN: When the radium neutrons bombard the blocks, 474 00:25:11,945 --> 00:25:15,115 he expects to see a dramatic increase in radiation, 475 00:25:15,215 --> 00:25:17,517 but much to David's disappointment, 476 00:25:17,617 --> 00:25:19,586 it doesn't seem to work. 477 00:25:19,686 --> 00:25:22,756 While small amounts of heat are being generated, 478 00:25:22,856 --> 00:25:24,791 his Geiger counter indicates 479 00:25:24,891 --> 00:25:27,460 that there is no sustained nuclear reaction. 480 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,529 WALTHER: David is becoming frustrated. 481 00:25:29,629 --> 00:25:31,831 In his mind, it should work. 482 00:25:31,931 --> 00:25:35,402 WILDMAN: He sets aside the experiment to rethink his approach. 483 00:25:37,404 --> 00:25:39,673 A few days later, David is driving home 484 00:25:39,773 --> 00:25:42,242 when he notices something odd. 485 00:25:42,342 --> 00:25:44,844 WALTHER: The Geiger counter that he had in his car 486 00:25:44,944 --> 00:25:47,180 began to ping way before 487 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:49,315 he reached his house. 488 00:25:49,416 --> 00:25:51,951 He knew something was terribly wrong. 489 00:25:52,052 --> 00:25:55,655 WILDMAN: David rushes back to the shed, and his Geiger counter confirms 490 00:25:55,755 --> 00:25:58,558 that radiation levels have skyrocketed. 491 00:25:58,658 --> 00:26:00,593 The material that he was assembling 492 00:26:00,694 --> 00:26:04,064 was far more radioactive than he understood. 493 00:26:04,164 --> 00:26:06,199 WILDMAN: Now, the entire neighborhood is in danger, 494 00:26:06,299 --> 00:26:09,035 and there is no way to turn off the reactor. 495 00:26:09,135 --> 00:26:12,038 So what will it take to contain the fallout 496 00:26:12,138 --> 00:26:14,474 from this teen's nuclear experiment? 497 00:26:17,977 --> 00:26:20,947 It's 1994 in the suburbs of Detroit. 498 00:26:21,047 --> 00:26:24,084 Ambitious Boy Scout, David Hahn, is attempting 499 00:26:24,184 --> 00:26:26,553 to build a miniature nuclear reactor 500 00:26:26,653 --> 00:26:28,321 in his parents' shed. 501 00:26:28,421 --> 00:26:30,657 At first, the teen's convinced that his experiment 502 00:26:30,757 --> 00:26:33,626 has failed, but then, he detects dangerous levels 503 00:26:33,727 --> 00:26:35,962 of radiation and panics. 504 00:26:36,062 --> 00:26:38,631 So can David save his neighborhood from 505 00:26:38,732 --> 00:26:41,134 a major meltdown? 506 00:26:41,234 --> 00:26:43,536 It seems the teenager's only option 507 00:26:43,636 --> 00:26:46,506 is to undo all of his hard work. 508 00:26:46,606 --> 00:26:49,142 WALTHER: David disassembled his cores. 509 00:26:49,242 --> 00:26:51,444 He put them in a toolbox, 510 00:26:51,544 --> 00:26:53,780 locked it, and put it in the trunk of his car. 511 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,616 WILDMAN: He is desperately searching for a place 512 00:26:56,716 --> 00:26:58,852 to dispose of the toxic materials 513 00:26:58,952 --> 00:27:01,621 when, at 2:40 a.m. on August 31st... 514 00:27:03,723 --> 00:27:06,059 police lights flash in his rearview mirror. 515 00:27:06,159 --> 00:27:08,928 WALTHER: The officers asked David what he was doing 516 00:27:09,029 --> 00:27:11,064 at 2:40 in the morning. 517 00:27:11,164 --> 00:27:13,500 David replied that he was waiting for a friend. 518 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:15,802 WILDMAN: But the police don't buy it, 519 00:27:15,902 --> 00:27:18,071 and while searching his trunk, 520 00:27:18,171 --> 00:27:20,240 they discover the toolbox. 521 00:27:23,043 --> 00:27:25,011 WALTHER: David stopped them and said, "Don't touch it! 522 00:27:25,111 --> 00:27:27,480 It's highly radioactive." 523 00:27:27,580 --> 00:27:31,284 The police didn't know what they were confronting, 524 00:27:31,384 --> 00:27:33,453 thinking maybe it was an atomic bomb. 525 00:27:33,553 --> 00:27:36,089 They arrested David. 526 00:27:36,189 --> 00:27:39,325 WILDMAN: When police prod him on the contents of the toolbox, 527 00:27:39,426 --> 00:27:42,028 he confesses to everything. 528 00:27:42,128 --> 00:27:45,198 Federal investigators are rushed in. 529 00:27:46,966 --> 00:27:49,302 WILDMAN: On June 26, 1995, 530 00:27:49,402 --> 00:27:52,739 the EPA embarks upon a $60,000 cleanup 531 00:27:52,839 --> 00:27:54,874 of David's back yard, 532 00:27:54,974 --> 00:27:57,610 hauling everything away in drums. 533 00:27:57,711 --> 00:28:00,780 Meanwhile, the overly ambitious Boy Scout 534 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:03,116 nervously awaits his fate. 535 00:28:03,216 --> 00:28:06,219 Because he purchased all of his materials legally, 536 00:28:06,319 --> 00:28:08,955 police are unable to charge him with a crime, 537 00:28:09,055 --> 00:28:11,257 and he is released. 538 00:28:13,426 --> 00:28:15,795 David is relieved, 539 00:28:15,895 --> 00:28:18,565 and despite nearly destroying the town, 540 00:28:18,665 --> 00:28:21,067 his nuclear know-how is rewarded 541 00:28:21,167 --> 00:28:23,570 with the coveted status of Eagle Scout. 542 00:28:23,670 --> 00:28:26,773 Today, this atomic energy badge, 543 00:28:26,873 --> 00:28:30,443 safely housed at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 544 00:28:30,543 --> 00:28:33,046 reminds us of one eager Boy Scout's 545 00:28:33,146 --> 00:28:35,515 radioactive ambition. 546 00:28:41,021 --> 00:28:42,622 Deep in the heart of South Carolina 547 00:28:42,722 --> 00:28:45,025 is the old railroad city of Florence, 548 00:28:45,125 --> 00:28:47,560 and on a quiet street downtown, 549 00:28:47,660 --> 00:28:50,630 is the institution dedicated to preserving its heritage -- 550 00:28:50,730 --> 00:28:52,532 the Florence Museum. 551 00:28:52,632 --> 00:28:56,036 Here, crude surgical instruments, 552 00:28:56,136 --> 00:28:58,972 Civil War uniforms, and an early steam engine 553 00:28:59,072 --> 00:29:03,710 trace the over 150-year history of this Dixieland hub. 554 00:29:03,810 --> 00:29:05,945 But for many visitors, 555 00:29:06,046 --> 00:29:10,417 one curious, mangled artifact stands out from the rest. 556 00:29:10,517 --> 00:29:13,853 It's an eerie reminder of the day a nearby town 557 00:29:13,953 --> 00:29:16,389 was nearly wiped off the map. 558 00:29:16,489 --> 00:29:20,126 It's about 6 1/2 inches at its longest point, 559 00:29:20,226 --> 00:29:23,463 and it weighs about 1 1/2 pounds, 560 00:29:23,563 --> 00:29:26,032 and it's probably the object in the museum 561 00:29:26,132 --> 00:29:28,568 that gets more attention than anything else. 562 00:29:28,668 --> 00:29:31,004 WILDMAN: So, what is this gnarled fragment, 563 00:29:31,104 --> 00:29:35,408 and what part did it play in a near-catastrophic accident 564 00:29:35,508 --> 00:29:38,478 that brought terror to Main Street, America? 565 00:29:38,578 --> 00:29:40,780 It's 1958. 566 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:42,215 Political tension 567 00:29:42,315 --> 00:29:44,250 between the United States and the Soviet Union 568 00:29:44,351 --> 00:29:46,353 is reaching a boiling point. 569 00:29:46,453 --> 00:29:48,288 To prepare for the possibility of war, 570 00:29:48,388 --> 00:29:51,491 the American military routinely conducts 571 00:29:51,591 --> 00:29:53,493 simulated combat drills. 572 00:29:53,593 --> 00:29:56,429 But one of these missions is about to go horribly wrong. 573 00:29:58,298 --> 00:30:02,569 On the afternoon of March 11th, a B-47 bomber takes off 574 00:30:02,669 --> 00:30:05,972 from Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah, Georgia, 575 00:30:06,072 --> 00:30:09,242 en route to England, on one such training run. 576 00:30:09,342 --> 00:30:12,045 Along for the ride are three crew members 577 00:30:12,145 --> 00:30:15,882 and one extremely sensitive piece of cargo. 578 00:30:15,982 --> 00:30:20,086 The military needed to be ready in case of an actual war, 579 00:30:20,186 --> 00:30:24,424 and so there was a nuclear bomb on board the plane. 580 00:30:24,524 --> 00:30:26,426 WILDMAN: Called the MK 6, 581 00:30:26,526 --> 00:30:31,231 this 10-foot-long bomb weighs 7,600 pounds 582 00:30:31,331 --> 00:30:34,067 and is designed to house a plutonium core 583 00:30:34,167 --> 00:30:36,736 capable of creating utter devastation. 584 00:30:36,836 --> 00:30:39,039 If the bomb dropped, 585 00:30:39,139 --> 00:30:43,910 everything within 5 miles of the impact site 586 00:30:44,010 --> 00:30:46,946 would be completely destroyed. 587 00:30:48,481 --> 00:30:50,817 But less than an hour into the flight, 588 00:30:50,917 --> 00:30:54,120 while the B-47 is flying over South Carolina, 589 00:30:54,220 --> 00:30:56,456 a crew member notices something wrong. 590 00:30:56,556 --> 00:30:59,793 A flashing control-panel light indicates 591 00:30:59,893 --> 00:31:02,362 that the nuclear bomb's locking mechanism, 592 00:31:02,462 --> 00:31:05,432 which ensures the device's safety during the flight, 593 00:31:05,532 --> 00:31:08,335 is not properly engaged. 594 00:31:08,435 --> 00:31:12,105 MOTTE: He instructed the navigator, Captain Bruce Kulka 595 00:31:12,205 --> 00:31:15,342 to go and investigate the situation. 596 00:31:15,442 --> 00:31:18,712 WILDMAN: Captain Kulka heads back to the aircraft's bomb bay 597 00:31:18,812 --> 00:31:22,182 to figure out what could be causing the malfunction. 598 00:31:22,282 --> 00:31:24,117 Because he wasn't too much taller than the bomb, 599 00:31:24,217 --> 00:31:28,154 it was very hard for him to have a line of sight anywhere 600 00:31:28,254 --> 00:31:31,691 to look around for where the locking mechanism might be. 601 00:31:31,791 --> 00:31:34,194 In an attempt to get a better look, 602 00:31:34,294 --> 00:31:38,998 Kulka decides to hoist himself up onto the deadly detonator. 603 00:31:39,099 --> 00:31:40,700 MOTTE: As he leaned forward onto the bomb, 604 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:42,936 he pulled something to stabilize himself. 605 00:31:43,036 --> 00:31:46,606 It's the bomb's emergency-release handle. 606 00:31:46,706 --> 00:31:48,508 In an instant, 607 00:31:48,608 --> 00:31:50,944 the massive nukes drops to the plane floor, 608 00:31:51,044 --> 00:31:54,681 landing squarely on top of the bomb-bay doors. 609 00:31:54,781 --> 00:31:57,784 Seconds later, the bomb-bay doors burst open, 610 00:31:57,884 --> 00:32:01,154 and the bomb fell from the plane. 611 00:32:02,756 --> 00:32:05,125 WILDMAN: It seems Captain Bruce Kulka 612 00:32:05,225 --> 00:32:10,296 has just dropped a nuclear bomb on South Carolina. 613 00:32:15,502 --> 00:32:17,504 March 11, 1958. 614 00:32:17,604 --> 00:32:20,473 United States Air Force Captain Bruce Kulka 615 00:32:20,573 --> 00:32:23,710 has just made an inconceivable mistake. 616 00:32:23,810 --> 00:32:27,514 Flying 15,000 feet over the East Coast in a B-47, 617 00:32:27,614 --> 00:32:30,450 he has accidentally dropped a nuclear bomb 618 00:32:30,550 --> 00:32:32,285 on South Carolina. 619 00:32:32,385 --> 00:32:35,021 So what will it take to contain the fallout 620 00:32:35,121 --> 00:32:37,590 from this domestic detonation? 621 00:32:37,691 --> 00:32:41,394 Mortified, Captain Kulka scrambles back 622 00:32:41,494 --> 00:32:43,596 to alert his fellow airmen. 623 00:32:43,697 --> 00:32:49,502 So, their next step was to radio back to Hunter Air Force Base. 624 00:32:49,602 --> 00:32:53,239 WILDMAN: As the B-47 is diverted back to Savannah, 625 00:32:53,340 --> 00:32:55,942 authorities in Florence County, South Carolina, 626 00:32:56,042 --> 00:32:59,679 are inundated with reports about a massive explosion. 627 00:32:59,779 --> 00:33:03,516 Several calls started coming in to the police 628 00:33:03,616 --> 00:33:06,119 from people who were in the city of Florence. 629 00:33:06,219 --> 00:33:10,090 They describe seeing two plumes of smoke about 6 miles away 630 00:33:10,190 --> 00:33:12,726 in the rural town called Mars Bluff. 631 00:33:12,826 --> 00:33:17,597 WILDMAN: Soon, the media picks up on the explosive story, 632 00:33:17,697 --> 00:33:19,566 sending Florence County residents 633 00:33:19,666 --> 00:33:21,501 into a panicked frenzy. 634 00:33:21,601 --> 00:33:24,604 There was a lot of fear that there was a potential 635 00:33:24,704 --> 00:33:27,741 for radiological contamination. 636 00:33:30,043 --> 00:33:32,679 WILDMAN: But when news outlets finally release images 637 00:33:32,779 --> 00:33:35,315 from the bomb's impact site in Mars Bluff, 638 00:33:35,415 --> 00:33:37,784 local citizens are confounded. 639 00:33:37,884 --> 00:33:41,755 There seem to be no signs of nuclear devastation. 640 00:33:41,855 --> 00:33:46,760 In fact, the damage seems confined to a single property, 641 00:33:46,860 --> 00:33:48,361 where the bomb has created 642 00:33:48,461 --> 00:33:50,764 a 75-foot-wide crater in the earth 643 00:33:50,864 --> 00:33:53,767 and knocked a small house off its foundation. 644 00:33:53,867 --> 00:33:57,570 The yard has also been sprayed with tiny bomb fragments 645 00:33:57,671 --> 00:34:01,341 just like this one, on display at the Florence Museum. 646 00:34:01,441 --> 00:34:03,943 Astonishingly, 647 00:34:04,044 --> 00:34:07,447 the blast has caused only a handful of minor injuries 648 00:34:07,547 --> 00:34:09,315 but no one has been killed. 649 00:34:09,416 --> 00:34:13,253 Mars Bluff seems to have been spared. 650 00:34:13,353 --> 00:34:14,421 But how? 651 00:34:14,521 --> 00:34:16,623 The policy of the Air Force at the time 652 00:34:16,723 --> 00:34:20,960 was that the actual nuclear core of the bomb 653 00:34:21,061 --> 00:34:22,962 had to be on the plane, 654 00:34:23,063 --> 00:34:26,332 but it was not inserted into the bomb 655 00:34:26,433 --> 00:34:30,470 unless it became necessary to arm the weapon. 656 00:34:30,570 --> 00:34:34,040 That core was not loaded into the bomb 657 00:34:34,140 --> 00:34:36,242 that fell on Mars Bluff. 658 00:34:36,343 --> 00:34:39,079 In the wake of the extraordinary blast, 659 00:34:39,179 --> 00:34:42,148 authorities conduct a thorough cleanup of the area, 660 00:34:42,248 --> 00:34:43,383 and eventually, 661 00:34:43,483 --> 00:34:44,951 the government compensates the victims 662 00:34:45,051 --> 00:34:47,787 for their hardships. 663 00:34:47,887 --> 00:34:50,256 But for some Mars Bluff residents, 664 00:34:50,357 --> 00:34:56,262 the memories of March 11, 1958, continue to linger. 665 00:34:56,363 --> 00:34:59,466 MOTTE: You know, it's been 54 years since the event, 666 00:34:59,566 --> 00:35:01,001 but it still does live on 667 00:35:01,101 --> 00:35:03,837 in the minds of the people who experienced it. 668 00:35:03,937 --> 00:35:06,306 WILDMAN: And today, at the Florence Museum, 669 00:35:06,406 --> 00:35:08,441 this bomb fragment remains on display, 670 00:35:08,541 --> 00:35:11,778 a mangled relic from a tragic accident 671 00:35:11,878 --> 00:35:15,048 that brought the Cold War to America's doorstep. 672 00:35:18,084 --> 00:35:19,819 Washington, D.C. 673 00:35:19,919 --> 00:35:22,188 America's capital city is the headquarters 674 00:35:22,288 --> 00:35:24,624 for hundreds of Federal agencies, 675 00:35:24,724 --> 00:35:26,793 including the Postal Service, 676 00:35:26,893 --> 00:35:29,529 and this institution's illustrious history 677 00:35:29,629 --> 00:35:32,999 is celebrated at the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum. 678 00:35:35,001 --> 00:35:37,137 Its collection features such rare items 679 00:35:37,237 --> 00:35:39,706 as an envelope that was sent to the moon, 680 00:35:39,806 --> 00:35:43,276 a postmark dating back to America's independence, 681 00:35:43,376 --> 00:35:46,246 and a 1918 stamp, 682 00:35:46,346 --> 00:35:49,049 which was famously printed upside-down. 683 00:35:49,149 --> 00:35:52,285 But among these postal anomalies 684 00:35:52,385 --> 00:35:55,355 sits an object that appears rather ordinary. 685 00:35:55,455 --> 00:35:57,490 HARTZMAN: It's a metal box. 686 00:35:57,590 --> 00:35:59,592 It's about a foot long, foot wide, 687 00:35:59,693 --> 00:36:02,796 and a foot deep, and it's painted red, white, and blue. 688 00:36:02,896 --> 00:36:05,331 WILDMAN: This simple container embarked 689 00:36:05,432 --> 00:36:08,702 on an unprecedented, gravity-defying journey. 690 00:36:08,802 --> 00:36:11,738 HARTZMAN: This looks like a pretty ordinary post office box, 691 00:36:11,838 --> 00:36:15,375 but this box had ambitions that were completely out of this world. 692 00:36:15,475 --> 00:36:17,577 WILDMAN: What futuristic first 693 00:36:17,677 --> 00:36:19,446 did this box deliver, 694 00:36:19,546 --> 00:36:21,514 and how did it help safeguard the nation? 695 00:36:24,317 --> 00:36:27,020 It's 1957 in Washington, D.C. 696 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:29,823 In the years following World War II, 697 00:36:29,923 --> 00:36:32,726 the country has been growing by leaps and bounds. 698 00:36:32,826 --> 00:36:36,229 And one institution is struggling to keep up-- 699 00:36:36,329 --> 00:36:38,665 the Postal Service. 700 00:36:38,765 --> 00:36:41,267 HARTZMAN: Their mail influx is increasing by 30 percent. 701 00:36:41,368 --> 00:36:44,070 They have to figure out new ways to handle all the mail. 702 00:36:44,170 --> 00:36:47,107 WILDMAN: The man tasked with tackling this challenge 703 00:36:47,207 --> 00:36:50,310 is the highly motivated national postmaster general, 704 00:36:50,410 --> 00:36:52,379 Arthur Summerfield. 705 00:36:52,479 --> 00:36:54,948 HARTZMAN: He said, "I've got to figure out new ways 706 00:36:55,048 --> 00:36:57,884 "to advance the postal service, to bring new information, 707 00:36:57,984 --> 00:37:00,420 new ideas into this business." 708 00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:03,590 WILDMAN: Summerfield begins by focusing on the sorting process. 709 00:37:03,690 --> 00:37:07,093 For decades, it has been executed by hand 710 00:37:07,193 --> 00:37:09,129 and is wildly inefficient, 711 00:37:09,229 --> 00:37:11,831 so he introduces a mechanized system 712 00:37:11,931 --> 00:37:14,067 that is exceptionally fast. 713 00:37:14,167 --> 00:37:17,070 It would sort 15,000 letters per hour. 714 00:37:19,673 --> 00:37:21,808 WILDMAN: Then Summerfield turns his attention 715 00:37:21,908 --> 00:37:23,943 to mail transport. 716 00:37:24,044 --> 00:37:26,312 Increased demand across longer distances 717 00:37:26,413 --> 00:37:30,083 has put a strain on the aging door-to-door delivery system. 718 00:37:30,183 --> 00:37:33,386 Summerfield is struck with inspiration 719 00:37:33,486 --> 00:37:35,855 from the strangest of sources -- 720 00:37:35,955 --> 00:37:39,159 America's Cold War defense technology. 721 00:37:39,259 --> 00:37:40,894 HARTZMAN: So he starts thinking, 722 00:37:40,994 --> 00:37:43,963 "Maybe we can deliver mail through missiles." 723 00:37:44,064 --> 00:37:45,965 With a guided missile, you could send 724 00:37:46,066 --> 00:37:47,967 a lot of mail really, really fast. 725 00:37:48,068 --> 00:37:50,470 WILDMAN: Summerfield knows it's a long shot, 726 00:37:50,570 --> 00:37:53,206 but nonetheless, he pitches Missile Mail 727 00:37:53,306 --> 00:37:55,208 to the Defense Department. 728 00:37:55,308 --> 00:37:57,210 HARTZMAN: And to his surprise, they actually agree. 729 00:37:57,310 --> 00:38:00,847 Top Navy brass says, "Yeah, let's send mail by missiles." 730 00:38:00,947 --> 00:38:04,317 WILDMAN: Over the next few weeks, Summerfield eagerly works 731 00:38:04,417 --> 00:38:06,853 with the Navy to flesh out the idea. 732 00:38:06,953 --> 00:38:10,423 The plan is to use a specialized version 733 00:38:10,523 --> 00:38:13,126 of a Regulus 1 nuclear missile. 734 00:38:13,226 --> 00:38:15,628 Instead of equipping it with a warhead, 735 00:38:15,729 --> 00:38:17,897 the projectile will be packed with mail 736 00:38:17,997 --> 00:38:20,367 and guided by remote control. 737 00:38:20,467 --> 00:38:22,736 It had a parachute, it had wheels, 738 00:38:22,836 --> 00:38:26,072 so when there was impact, it would actually land. 739 00:38:26,172 --> 00:38:28,341 It wouldn't just hit the ground and explode. 740 00:38:28,441 --> 00:38:30,343 WILDMAN: But if they simply place mail 741 00:38:30,443 --> 00:38:32,612 directly in the missile's empty chamber, 742 00:38:32,712 --> 00:38:34,714 it would incinerate during takeoff, 743 00:38:34,814 --> 00:38:37,550 so Summerfield and Navy technicians 744 00:38:37,650 --> 00:38:40,286 create a container to house the letters 745 00:38:40,387 --> 00:38:42,655 and position it where the nuclear warhead 746 00:38:42,756 --> 00:38:44,858 would typically lie. 747 00:38:44,958 --> 00:38:47,394 On June 8, 1959, 748 00:38:47,494 --> 00:38:49,763 this metal box, today on display 749 00:38:49,863 --> 00:38:53,466 at the National Postal Museum, is filled with mail. 750 00:38:53,566 --> 00:38:55,735 It's then loaded into the Regulus 1 751 00:38:55,835 --> 00:38:58,171 on a submarine that ventures dozens of miles 752 00:38:58,271 --> 00:39:00,774 off the Florida coast. 753 00:39:00,874 --> 00:39:03,877 HARTZMAN: The missile is carefully aimed at Naval Auxiliary Air Station, 754 00:39:03,977 --> 00:39:06,346 about 100 miles out in Mayport, Florida. 755 00:39:06,446 --> 00:39:08,348 WILDMAN: Waiting at the landing strip, 756 00:39:08,448 --> 00:39:11,051 the anxious Summerfield holds his breath. 757 00:39:11,151 --> 00:39:15,055 They put the missile mail into the payload and fire it off. 758 00:39:17,057 --> 00:39:19,159 WILDMAN: Then the postmaster and his team 759 00:39:19,259 --> 00:39:21,461 fervently scan the horizon. 760 00:39:21,561 --> 00:39:24,597 HARTZMAN: And they're thinking, "Oh, God, please don't crash," 761 00:39:24,698 --> 00:39:27,534 hoping, praying that this thing is actually gonna work. 762 00:39:27,634 --> 00:39:30,270 WILDMAN: Will this revolutionary flight deliver success, 763 00:39:30,370 --> 00:39:32,005 or will Summerfield's dream 764 00:39:32,105 --> 00:39:34,140 of mail by missile crash and burn? 765 00:39:37,577 --> 00:39:40,146 It's 1959 off the coast of Florida. 766 00:39:40,246 --> 00:39:42,449 Arthur Summerfield, the nation's new 767 00:39:42,549 --> 00:39:45,385 postmaster general, has what would seem to be 768 00:39:45,485 --> 00:39:49,622 a preposterous idea -- use missiles to deliver the mail. 769 00:39:49,723 --> 00:39:51,891 Amazingly, the Defense Department 770 00:39:51,991 --> 00:39:54,127 supports his endeavor and has just launched 771 00:39:54,227 --> 00:39:56,129 the first delivery. 772 00:39:56,229 --> 00:39:59,232 So can this explosive plan ever take off? 773 00:40:01,134 --> 00:40:03,570 WILDMAN: Twenty-two minutes into its maiden voyage 774 00:40:03,670 --> 00:40:06,206 the Regulus 1 comes into view. 775 00:40:06,306 --> 00:40:07,874 HARTZMAN: And finally, it comes down 776 00:40:07,974 --> 00:40:10,076 as a beautiful, soft precision landing. 777 00:40:11,578 --> 00:40:13,513 WILDMAN: Summerfield runs to the landing area 778 00:40:13,613 --> 00:40:15,615 and retrieves the mail container. 779 00:40:15,715 --> 00:40:17,851 And when he opens it up, 780 00:40:17,951 --> 00:40:20,186 he is elated. 781 00:40:20,286 --> 00:40:24,190 HARTZMAN: All the mail is there, nothing's been burnt, it's all nicely intact. 782 00:40:24,290 --> 00:40:26,993 His grand plan has worked perfectly. 783 00:40:27,093 --> 00:40:29,763 WILDMAN: The postmaster general proudly releases a statement 784 00:40:29,863 --> 00:40:31,765 that his institution is ready 785 00:40:31,865 --> 00:40:33,767 to blast off into the future, 786 00:40:33,867 --> 00:40:36,670 and the news spreads around the globe. 787 00:40:36,770 --> 00:40:40,573 He's ready to start launching missiles all across the world filled with mail. 788 00:40:40,674 --> 00:40:44,244 WILDMAN: But his lofty ambitions are about to come crashing down. 789 00:40:44,344 --> 00:40:47,113 HARTZMAN: The U.S. Navy says, 790 00:40:47,213 --> 00:40:50,183 "Hang on a second, we can't do this thing all the time." 791 00:40:50,283 --> 00:40:52,519 This was just way too expensive. 792 00:40:52,619 --> 00:40:55,055 WILDMAN: Summerfield is stunned. 793 00:40:55,155 --> 00:40:57,090 Why was his mail missile concept 794 00:40:57,190 --> 00:41:00,026 even tested if it was deemed unfeasible? 795 00:41:00,126 --> 00:41:02,829 He soon discovers the truth. 796 00:41:02,929 --> 00:41:04,898 They have ulterior motives. 797 00:41:04,998 --> 00:41:06,900 The Navy was just using this as a stunt 798 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:09,869 to show the world, its enemies, Russia and the Cold War, 799 00:41:09,969 --> 00:41:12,072 that it could send a missile anywhere it wanted 800 00:41:12,172 --> 00:41:14,240 with perfect precision. 801 00:41:14,341 --> 00:41:16,643 The missile mail program was a one and done. 802 00:41:16,743 --> 00:41:18,645 It's over. 803 00:41:18,745 --> 00:41:20,847 WILDMAN: Summerfield is devastated, 804 00:41:20,947 --> 00:41:23,550 but over time, he refocuses his energies 805 00:41:23,650 --> 00:41:26,252 and spends his tenure as postmaster general 806 00:41:26,353 --> 00:41:29,089 industriously refining operations. 807 00:41:31,391 --> 00:41:33,593 And today, this simple metal box 808 00:41:33,693 --> 00:41:35,595 that was shot through the sky 809 00:41:35,695 --> 00:41:38,031 is on display at the National Postal Museum 810 00:41:38,131 --> 00:41:40,500 because of one man's improbable scheme 811 00:41:40,600 --> 00:41:44,304 to rocket the nation's mail system into a fast-moving future. 812 00:41:47,474 --> 00:41:49,609 From a radioactive Boy Scout 813 00:41:49,709 --> 00:41:51,911 to the man who saved the world. 814 00:41:52,012 --> 00:41:54,080 An upscale underground bunker 815 00:41:54,180 --> 00:41:56,316 to rocket-powered mail. 816 00:41:56,416 --> 00:41:59,119 I'm Don Wildman, and these are 817 00:41:59,219 --> 00:42:00,954 the mysteries at the museum. 817 00:42:01,305 --> 00:43:01,324