H
THE SECOND BOMB
The second bomb presented a different and very chilling
possibility. The parachute activated, meaning that the bomb
had started the process of arming itself. But for one simple
electrical switch, what happened next might have led to a
nuclear explosion in North Carolina.
The parachute allowed the bomb to land upright and
undamaged in trees bordering Shackleford Road near the
small rural town of Faro in Wayne County. After diagnos-ing
the bomb with high performance sensors, an anxious
explosive ordinance disposal team determined the device
was not armed and transported it back to Seymour Johnson,
releasing little information.
Details of what happened in the arming process were a
closely guarded secret for more than 50 years. Then in 2013,
information was released confirming that of the six arming
devices within the bomb, only the failure of a single switch
that was the final step in the arming process prevented deto-nation.
In a now-declassified 1969 report titled Goldsboro
Revisited, Parker F. Jones, a supervisor of nuclear safety at
Sandia National Laboratories, wrote “One simple low volt-age
switch stood between the United States and a nuclear
Eureka
Faro
Goldsboro
Cutline for all photos here.
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com 27
WBM
catastrophe.”
The parachute on one of the Mark 39 bombs activated, resulting in only the bomb’s nose being buried upon impact. T-249 switches
like this one were installed in Strategic Air Command bombers.
U.S. AIR FORCE
GLENN’S COMPUTER MUSEUM