The Day We Lost the H-Bomb: Cold War, Hot Nukes, and the Worst Nuclear Weapons Disaster in History

Memo, W O. Rainnie to Files. “Weekly Report of Field Activity of ALVIN, March 8 through March 14, 1966,” March 29, 1966. Directors Collection, P. Fye. Folder, Vessels: Alvin, “Adventures in Spain,” 1966. (WHOI.)

Memo, W O. Rainnie to Office of Naval Research. “Quarterly Informal Letter Status Report of Contract Nonr 3834(00), Deep Submergence Research Vehicle Project, January 1, 1966 through April 9, 1966,” June 10, 1966. Alvin Ops, DSV Alvin Records AC18, Box 17, Folder 3: Quarterly Reports. (WHOI.)

Memo, 16AF Torrejón AB Spain to US Embassy Spain and JUSMG Madrid Spain. February 2, 1966. (USAF, FOIA.)

Memo, Bromley Smith to Bill Moyers, January 19, 1966. National Security File, Country File, Spain 1/17/66, TS/RD B-52/KC-135 Accident, Box 204.(LBJ.)

Memo, U.S. Information Agency to All Principal USIS Posts. “Talking Paper No. 28—‘The Bomb in Spain,’” March 4, 1966. Limited Official Use. (LBJ.)

Memo, Allyn C. Vine to Paul Fye, “ASW,” October 10, 1960. ODR 26/35 Folder: Personnel, Allyn C. Vine, 1960–61. (WHOI.)

Memo, White House Situation Room to President Johnson, January 17, 1966, 7:05 A.M. National Security File, Country File, Spain 1/17/66, TS/RD B-52/KC-135 Accident, Box 204. Top Secret.

(LBJ.)

Memo, White House Situation Room to President Johnson, January 17, 1966, 9:00 P.M. National Security File, Country File, Spain 1/17/66, TS/RD B-52/KC-135 Accident, Box 204. (LBJ.) Memo, White House Situation Room to President Johnson, January 18, 1966, 7:00 A.M. National Security File, Country File, Spain, vol 1. Secret. (LBJ.)

Memo, White House Situation Room to President Johnson, January 18, 1966, 9:05 P.M. National Security File, Country File, Spain, vol 1. Secret. (LBJ.)

Memo, White House Situation Room to President Johnson, January 22, 1966, 7:15 A.M. National Security File, Country File, Spain, vol 1. Secret.(LBJ.)

Memo, White House Situation Room to President Johnson, January 23,1966, 7:00 A.M. National Security File, Country File, Spain, vol 1. Secret. (LBJ.)

Memo, White House Situation Room to President Johnson. “Report on Nuclear Weapon in Spain,” March 17, 1966. National Security File, Country File, Spain, vol 1. Confidential. (LBJ.) Memo, Delmar E. Wilson to SAC (Gen. John D. Ryan). “Search Operations, Palomares, Spain,” February 13, 1966. (DOD, FOIA.)

Memorandum of Conversation, January 25, 1966. “Spanish Government Position on Overflights of Spain by Military Aircraft of NATO Countries Bound for or Going to Gibraltar.” RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 19 GIB. Confidential. (NARA.)

Memorandum of Conversation, January 28, 1966. “Gibraltar.” RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL

19 GIB. Confidential. (NARA.)

Memorandum of Conversation, November 13, 1967. “Base Negotiations.” RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, DEF 15-4 SP-US. Confidential. (NARA.)

Memorandum for the Files, December 5, 1967. “Spanish Base Negotiations and Palomares.” RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, DEF 15-4 SP-US. Secret. (NARA.)

AUDIOVISUAL

“Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay on Missing Bomb.” CBS News, March 12, 1966.

“American Experience: Victory in the Pacific.” Directed by Austin Hoyt. Documentary, 2005.

“Angier Biddle Duke radio interview with Jay Rutherfurd.” Audio recording, 1966. Angier Biddle Duke Papers, Box 65. (Duke.)

“Cold War.” Television documentary, CNN, 1998.

A Gathering of Eagles. Directed by Delbert Mann. Feature film, Universal Pictures, 1963.

“H-Bomb Lost in Spain.” CBS News, January 23, 1966.

“H-Bomb Recovered.” CBS News, April 8, 1966.

“The Mission of SAC: SAC Film Report No. 2.” U.S. Air Force, January 1961.

“Navy on Search for Bomb.” CBS News, March 10, 1966.

“Noticias NO-DO 1210 B” (Manuel Fraga Iribane visit to Palomares). Newsreel, Filmoteca Española, undated.

“Noticias NO-DO 1253 C” (Simó Orts receives award). Newsreel, Filmoteca Española, undated.

“Operación Flecha Rota: Accidente nuclear de Palomares (Almería).” Directed by José Herrera Plaza. Documentary, 2007.

“Palomares Recovery Operations.” CBS News, March 25, 1966.

“Palomares Revisited re: Atom Bomb.” CBS News, December 20, 1966.

“Search for H-Bomb.” CBS News, March 14, 1966.

“Search for Missing Bomb.” CBS News, March 7, 1966.

“Special Report: Lost and Found, One H-Bomb.” CBS News, March 22, 1966.

Strategic Air Command. Directed by Anthony Mann. Feature film, Paramount Pictures Corp., 1955.

Thunderball. Directed by Terence Young. Feature film, United Artists, 1965.

“US Envoy Swims in Mediterranean.” CBS News, March 9, 1966.

“William S. Guest Press Conference.” Audio recording, April 8, 1966.

INTERVIEWS AND ORAL HISTORIES

All interviews were conducted by author unless otherwise noted. Most interviews were taped and transcribed, and many were followed up with additional interviews and/or correspondence.

Allsopp, Steven. Personal interview. August 17, 2006.

Andersen, Oliver. Telephone interview. January 22, 2007. Personal interview. March 31, 2007.

Andrews, Frank. Telephone interview. November 10, 2006.