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

90 DeWitt “Red” Moody: Red Moody's personal history comes from author's interviews with Moody, November 7, 2006, and July 17, 2007.

91 Admiral Guest paid a visit: Author's interview with Red Moody, November 7, 2006; Memo, Commander Task Group 65.3 to Commander Task Force 65, “Report of Inshore Search,” March 13, 1966 (NHC).

92 He had been thrown: Admiral Guest arrived in Palomares on January 24, 1966. Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, p. C2.

92 Guest was a no-nonsense man: The description of Guest comes primarily from author's interviews with Douglas Kingsbery, July 27, 2007, and Robert Kingsbery, July 19, 2007. Additional information is from U.S. Department of the Navy, Biography of Rear Admiral William S. Guest (Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, undated), and author's interviews with Red Moody, November 7, 2006, and July 17, 2007; Horace Page, April 3, 2007; and J. Bradford Mooney, March 30, 2007.

93 Guest hit the ground running:Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, pp. 9, 11.

93 The wedge measured: Using the map shown in Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, p. 9, the author calculated the area of the initial search area to be 51.03 square miles. Manhattan is 22.7 square miles.

93 Oliver Andersen, left in charge: The description of the inshore searching comes primarily from author's interviews with Oliver Andersen, January 22, 2007, and March 31, 2007.

93 The divers found a lot of debris: Memo, Commander Task Group 65.3 to Commander Task Force 65, “Report of Inshore Search,” March 13, 1966 (NHC).

94 Underwater searching is complicated: The description of a jackstay search and other EOD diving background comes from the author's visit with the divers of EOD 6 on March 20–21, 2007, and interviews with Brad Andros and Ron Ervin during that time.

95 and there were no decent charts:Aircraft Salvops Med, pp. 17, 75.

95 One Navy captain named Lewis Melson: Author's interview with Lewis Melson, August 23, 2006.

95 On January 27, the USSKiowaarrived: The background on the Decca hi-fix and its installation problems are from Aircraft Salvops Med, Interim Report, p. 18; Aircraft Salvops Med, Final Report, vol. 1, p. 24; Aircraft Salvops Med, Final Report, February 15, 1967, vol. 4, appendix B, pp. 3–11; and SAC Historical Study #109, pp. 295, 304.

96 “like going up here in the hills”: “William S. Guest Press Conference,” April 8, 1966.

96 “throwing a needle”: Author's interview with Gaylord White, March 3, 2007.

96 “finding a needle in a haystack”: “The Bomb Is Found,” Time, March 25, 1966, p. 77.

96 “This must be the devil's”: Szulc, The Bombs of Palomares, p. 172.

FEBRUARY

CHAPTER 7: VILLA JARAPA

99 “The once-deserted Mediterranean coast”: Richard Oulahan, “The Case of the Missing H-Bomb,” Life, February 25, 1966, p. 106B.

99 Wilson decided that the barren:SAC Historical Study #109, p. 82.

99 Camp Wilson served as home and office: Details on Camp Wilson can be found in SAC

Historical Study #109, pp. 83–93. General Wilson's reports to SAC and the “Red-Eye Special” are discussed on pp. 72–74.

100 Robert Finkel, the squadron commander: Robert Finkel interview, April 4, 2007.

100 Joe Ramirez, also rooming happily: Joe Ramirez interviews, January 27, 2007, and April 27, 2007.

101 they called Camp Wilson “Villa Jarapa”: Miguel Olid, “Luz sobre Palomares,” El País (Sunday supplement), April 22, 2007, p. 32.

101 the military remained tight-lipped:SAC Historical Study #109, pp. 321–323; Szulc, The Bombs of Palomares, pp. 200–204.

101 The Navy was ordered:Aircraft Salvops Med, Final Report, vol. 1, part I, chap. 2, p. 7.

101 “There are no denials”: “H-Bomb Lost in Spain,” CBS News, January 23, 1966.

101 A rumor circulated: Author's interview with Malcolm MacKinnon, December 4, 2006.