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

82 According to intelligence experts:National Intelligence Estimate 11-4-61: Main Trends in Soviet Capabilities and Policies, 1961–1966, U.S. Director of Central Intelligence (RG 263, Box 16, Folder 9, NARA).

83 The three bombs found on land: There are some minor disagreements about the speed at which bombs numbers one to three hit the ground. These numbers come from Randall Maydew, oral history, conducted by Necah Furman, December 1991, p. 3 (SNL).

84 Since bomb number four's tail plate: Randall Maydew, oral history, August 22, 1985, pp. 11–12 (SNL); Maydew, America's Lost H-Bomb, pp. 53–54. Maydew's chronology is somewhat jumbled; the tail plate was found by January 20, well before Maydew left for Spain.

84 37° 13.9′ N, 01° 42.3' W:SAC Historical Study #109, p. 48. The author typed these coordinates into atlas.mapquest.com/maps/latlong.adp to verify that they were in the Mediterranean, closer to Africa than to Spain.

84 On January 27, General Wilson requested: Memo, Maydew and Barton to Fowler, March 29, 1966 (SNL).

84 “furnishing data to unseeing computers”:SAC Historical Study #109, p. 49.

84 ultimately generating a three-foot stack: “Vital Contributions Made by Sandia in Locating Lost Nuclear Weapon,” Sandia Lab News, April 22, 1966, pp. 4–5.

84 a forked stick: Maydew, America's Lost H-Bomb, p. 52.

84 Ramirez had another lead: Ramirez's first meeting with Simó comes from author's interview with Joe Ramirez, January 27, 2007.

86 he found himself on the USSPinnacle: SAC Historical Study #109, pp. 45–46; Department of the Navy, Naval Ship Systems Command, Aircraft Salvage Operation Mediterranean (Aircraft Salvops Med). Sea Search and Recovery of an Unarmed Nuclear Weapon by Task Force 65, Interim Report (Reston, Va.: Ocean Systems, 1966), pp. 7, C2; Joe Ramirez interview, January 27, 2007.

86 The water was just over two thousand feet: The water depth was 340 fathoms, which converts to 2,041 feet. Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, p. 7.

86 “sharp and hazy”:SAC Historical Study #109, p. 46.

86 President Johnson sat down: President's daily diary, January 22, 1966 (Box 5, LBJ).

87 In the film: The description of Thunderball comes from the author's viewing of the film.

87 When Jack Howard called Alan Pope: Maydew, America's Lost H-Bomb, ix.

87 And early reports noted that real Soviets: Cable, Embassy in Madrid to the Department of State, January 21, 1966, #869 (LBJ).

CHAPTER 6: CALL IN THE NAVY

88 Red Moody sat in the cockpit: Author's interview with DeWitt (hence forth “Red”) Moody, November 7, 2006; D. H. Moody, “40th Anniversary of Palomares,” Faceplate 10, no. 2 (September 2006), p. 15. The arrival of the divers in Spain and the early days of the search are chronicled in Memo, Commander Task Group 65.3 to Commander Task Force 65, “Report of In shore Search, Identification and Recovery Unit,” March 13, 1966 (NHC).

88 On January 22: Maydew, America's Lost H-Bomb, pp. ix-x.

88 the CNO had established a task force:Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, 1966, p. C2.

89 Four U.S. Navy minesweepers: The ships were the USS Sagacity (MSO-469), USS Pinnacle (MSO-462), USS Skill (MSO-471), USS Nimble (MSO-459), USNS Dutton (T-AGS-22), and USS Macdonough (DLG-8). Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, pp. C1–C2.

89 A small team of EOD divers: Author's interviews with Oliver Andersen, January 22, 2007, and March 31, 2007, and Red Moody, November 7, 2006. Also Memo, Commander Task Group 65.3 to Commander Task Force 65, “Report of Inshore Search,” March 13, 1966 (NHC).

89 “His sole purpose in life”: Oliver Andersen interview, January 22, 2007.

90 Then Moody made an announcement: The story of Red Moody's first visit to the Macdonough is from Red Moody interview, November 7, 2006.