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october 1999

  

World-Wide Deployment of U.S. Strategic Air Command Nuclear Bombs (mid-1958)

 Four years before the Cuban missile crisis erupted over Soviet deployment of nuclear weapons in Cuba, the U.S. Strategic Air Command had nuclear bombs deployed in 41 locations worldwide. The locations included 14 bases on the territories of six foreign countries: Canada, Greenland (Denmark), Japan (Okinawa), Morocco, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The bomb-arsenal included nine different versions of five basic bomb-types: Mk-6, Mk-7, Mk-15, Mk-36, and Mk-39. Most of these versions were not surprisingly stored on one or more bases within the United States. Interestingly, however, two versions were not stored in the United States at all but only on bases abroad. This included the Mk-7 Mod 4 and Mod 5 versions that were deployed to Lakenheath Air Base in the United Kingdom and Nouasseur Air Base in Morocco. These bombs were earmarked for use by CINCEUR in the European Theater:

Obtained under provisions of the
U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
by Hans M. Kristensen
June 1999

  
* 		 

FOIA Documents

Source:
United States Strategic Air Command, "History of the Strategic Air Command, 1 January 1958-30 June 1958," Historical Study No. 73, Volume I, [1958], pp. 88-90. Top Secret. Partially declassified and released under FOIA.

pdf format

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Full Text:

Status of Nuclear Weapons Storage. As of 30 June 1958 the status of weapons storage in the ZI [zone of interior] and overseas was as follows:

ADS PARENT
ORGANIZATION		 AFB LOCATION TYPE OF WEAPON STORED
18th 11th ABG Altus MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0
35th 810th ABG Biggs MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
28th 7th ABG Carswell MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
22nd 93rd ABG Castle MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0
31st 803rd ABG Davis-Monthan MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 39 Mod 1 SP, MK 36 Mod 1
42nd 819th ABG Dyess MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 15 Mod 2 SP
29th 823rd ABG Homestead MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 36 Mod 1
30th 804th ABG Hunter MK 36 Mod 1
32nd 806th ABG Lake Charles MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 36 Mod 1
34th 818th ABG Lincoln MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 36 Mod 1
27th 825th ABG Little Rock MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
33rd 809th ABG MacDill MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 36 Mod 1
38th 807th ABG March MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 36 Mod 1
39th 321st ABG McCoy MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
17th 9th ABG Mt Home MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 15 Mod 2 SP, MK 36 Mod 1
41st 817th ABG Peace MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 39 Mod 1 SP, MK 36 Mod 1
40th 820th ABG Plattsburgh MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 39 Mod 1 SP, MK 36 Mod 1
21st 72nd ABG Ramey MK-6
36th 802nd ABG Schilling MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 36 Mod 1
37th 812th ABG Walker MK-6, MK 36 Mod 1
16th 340th ABG Whiteman MK 36 Mod 1
14th 15th AF Eielson MK-6, MK 39 Mod 0, MK 36 Mod 1
7th 15th AF Goose MK-6*
11th 4083rd ABG Thule MK-6*, MK 36 Mod 1
2nd 7th AD Brize Norton MK-6, MK 36 Mod 1
Det 1, 4th 7th AD Fairford MK-6, MK 36 Mod 1
4th 7th AD Greenham Common MK-6, MK 39 Mod 0, MK 36 Mod 1
34th 818th ABG Lincoln MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 36 Mod 1
8th 7th AD Lakenheath MK-6, MK 7 Mod 5**
Det 1, 8th 7th AD Mildenhall MK 39 Mod 0
10th 16th AF Ben Guerir MK-6, MK 36 Mod 1
6th 16th AF Nouasseur MK-6, MK 36 Mod 1, MK 7 Mod 4 and 5**
5th 16thABG Sidi Slimane MK-6, MK 36 Mod 1
3rd 3rd AD Andersen MK-6, MK 39 Mod 0, MK 36 Mod 1
12th 3rd AD Kadena MK-6, MK 39 Mod 0
15th 3973rd ABG Moron MK 36 Mod 1
1st 3970th ABG Torrejon MK-6, MK 36 Mod 1
13th 16th AF Zaragoza MK-6, MK-39 Mod 0
23rd 42nd ABG Loring*** MK-6, MK 39 Mod 0
MK 15 Mod 2 SP, MK 39 Mod 1 SP
43rd 28th ABG Ellsworth*** MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 1 SP
MK 36 Mod 1
26th 92nd ABG Fairchild*** MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 1
24th 814th ABG Westover*** MK-6, MK 15 Mod 0, MK 39 Mod 1
------------------------

* No nuclear material.
** Stored for CINCEUR.
*** Weapons are stored in adjacent AMC OSS; SAC ADS furnishes loading capability only.

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Source: United States Strategic Air Command, "History of the Strategic Air Command, 1 January 1958-30 June 1958," Historical Study No. 73, Volume I, [1958], pp. 88-90. Top Secret. Partially declassified and released under FOIA.

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