Tybee Bomb
The Tybee Bomb is a 7,600 pound Mark 15, Mod 0 hydrogen bomb that was lost in the waters off of Savannah, Georgia on February 5,1958. The bomb was jettisoned during a practice exercise after a B-47 bomber carrying it collided in mid-air with an F-86 fighter plane. It is presumed lost somewhere in Wassaw Sound off the shores of Tybee Island. The bomb is one of eleven known missing nuclear weapons from the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
The accident
The B-47 bomber was on a simulated combat mission from Homestead Air Force Base in Florida. It was carrying a single 7,600 pound bomb. At about 2:00 AM, the B-47 collided with an F-86. The F-86 crashed after the pilot parachuted out. The B-47 was damaged but still operational. The crew made three unsuccessful attempts to land at Hunter Air Force Base in Georgia. The crew then requested permission to jettison the bomb. Permission was granted and the bomb was jettisoned at 7,200 feet while traveling about 200 knots. The crew did not see an explosion upon impact. They then managed to land the B-47 safely at Hunter Air Force Base.
Recovery Efforts
Starting on February 6, 1958, the Air Force 2700th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron and 100 Navy personnel equipped with hand held sonar and galvanic drag and cable sweeps mounted a search. On April 16,1958 the announcement was made that the search efforts had been unsuccessful. Based upon a hydrologic survey, the bomb is thought to lay buried under 5-15 feet of silt at the bottom of Wassaw Sound.
Recent recovery efforts have been spearheaded by retired Air Force Colonel Derek Duke. In 2004, Duke claimed to have found the possible resting spot of the bomb in just twelve feet of water less than one mile from shore. He and his partner located the spot by trolling the area in their boat with a geiger counter in tow. The spot that Duke believes is the final resting place of the bomb reads seven to ten times as high on the geiger counter as do the surrounding areas. Interest in recovery of the bomb has resurfaced among residents of nearby Tybee Island and the Air Force is reportedly sending a team to investigate Duke's claim.
The bomb
The 12 foot long Mark 15 bomb weighs 7,600 pounds and bears the serial number "No. 47782". It contains 400 pounds of conventional high explosives, a removable plutonium trigger capsule, and highly enriched uranium. The Air Force maintains that the bomb's nuclear capsule was removed prior to its flight aboard the B-47. However, this is the subject of some controversy due to a letter that indicates the capsule was present. The bomb's explosive yield is between 1.9 and 3.6 megatons.
Potential Threat
In 2001, the United States Air Force conducted a study to determine whether the bomb posed a threat to residents of the surrounding area. The study (available ) concluded that the bomb does not pose a significant threat because it is missing the nuclear capsule which is used to initiate the nuclear reaction. However, the bomb does contain conventional explosives and highly enriched uranium which could pose an environmental or proliferation threat. The Air Force determined that it was prudent to leave the bomb entombed in mud at the bottom of the sea floor rather than disturb it and risk the potential of detonation or contamination.
Notable Quotes
- "I don't like this story at all. If it poses any danger to the people, it ought to be found and removed. But I don't think any of this attention is good for Tybee." - Tybee Mayor Walter Parker
- "I wish they'd forget about the whole thing. They're just wasting their time. It ain't going to hurt anybody. And it scares the hell out of the tourists." - Tybee City Council member Jack Youmans
- "I'm pleased to see the attention this is getting. There are too many questions and inconsistencies that still need to be addressed. When others in government say they would prefer to put their heads in the sand and forget about it, they should remember that it is the same sand that the bomb is buried in." - Tybee City Council member Pam O'Brien
- "You tell me this: 40 years ago, why did they spend two months looking for a bomb if it was a fake?" - Tybee City Manager Tom Cannon
- "We still believe it is completely safe and entombed ... but we felt it was a prudent step in today's day and age to look at all information that might pinpoint the location of the bomb." - Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Frank Smolinsky
- "I thought that if we landed short, the plane would catch the front of the runway and the bomb would shoot through the plane like a bullet through a gun barrel." - B-47 pilot Howard Richardson
- "If we're so worried about terrorists getting ahold of nuclear weapons, why aren't we doing anything about this? Right down there, somewhere, is the material to make a dirty bomb." - Air Force Colonel Derek Duke, retired
- "Derek Duke just doesn't know what he's talking about. I keep telling him he's wrong. The paper says no [plutonium] capsule on board. I think I know what I signed for." - B-47 pilot Howard Richardson
- "The biggest danger would be just digging could cause damage to the environment." - Air Force Public Affairs Officer Major Cheryl Law
- "We began working with the Air Force immediately after I learned about the potential existence of the old bomb last year. Today I feel confident that the experts did their job. I'm happy to hear that the people living, working and playing on Tybee Island are safe." - U. S. Representative Jack Kingston, R-Ga
References
- Air Force Nuclear Weapons and Counterproliferation Agency (12 April 2001).
- Shaughnessy, Larry (Sep. 13, 2004). . CNN.
- Bell, Brett (Sep. 14, 2004). . SavannahNOW.
- Carter, Chelsea (May 03, 2004). . The Seattle Times.
- Welsh, Edward (Aug. 21, 2001). . Common Dreams News Center.
- Werner, Ben (Jul. 12, 2001). . Free Republic.
- Uncredited (Sep. 16, 2004). . ABC News.
See Also
External Links
- Informational site about the Tybee Bomb:
- Chart of nuclear bombs, including the Mark 15:
