Declassified U.S. Nuclear Test Film #32

0800032 - U.S. Army Presents MF20 9811, Ivy Flats Film Report - 1962 - 17:35 - Black&White - Ivy Flats, a 1962 tactical military exercise at the Nevada Test Site, involved the detonation of live nuclear rounds fired from the Davy Crockett artillery piece. The Davy Crockett was developed to give U.S. Army units an effective nuclear capability against potentially larger units of Soviet armored forces.

The Davy Crockett, a recoilless launcher, was the third artillery piece deployed, those earlier being a l55 mm piece designed to fire a nuclear round and a 288 mm mobile piece, commonly called an "atomic cannon." Nuclear-capable ground artillery pieces were gradually replaced by increasingly accurate, nuclear carrying missiles and aircraft.

The Ivy Flats video shows an Army exercise that was observed by visiting dignitaries, including U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy and General Maxwell Taylor, a Presidential military adviser. Participating in the exercise were members of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Division from Ft. Lewis, Washington.

Ivy Flats was a "battle" between a large simulated enemy armored force and a smaller U.S. force consisting of conventional artillery pieces, which could not stop the pending onslaught. U.S. Army squads then arrive in armored personnel carriers and set up the heavy (l55 mm) and light (120 mm) versions of recoilless launchers. The Davy Crockett fired a nuclear round that decimated the mock opposing force.

The Davy Crockett was deployed from 1961 to 1971. The heavy version was transported by either an armored personnel carrier or a large truck. The light version was generally carried on and fired from an Army jeep, but could be carried for a short distance and fired by a 3-man team.

The W-54 nuclear warhead in a projectile was launched by the Davy Crockett and had a subkiloton yield. The projectile was 30 inches long, 11 inches in diameter, and weighed 76 pounds. The l55 mm launcher had a maximum range of 13,000 feet, and the 120 mm could reach a distance of 6,561 feet.

• Category

  News & Politics

[ThreeCharlieKilo]

Must...hold back...urge...to make...Fallout 3...reference...

[frebo3]

No, the Davy Crockett was not used in Vietnam. In 1963 I was the commander of the security platoon for the 4th Infantry Division Davy Crockett team, the one depicted in this film. I was reassigned to Europe for several years and rejoined the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1967-68. By that time the Davy Crockett was gone from the Division.

[whitesmith bonesdark]

Forgiveness is divine;But Kids like War, And old people need, But don't LIKE Kids,when do we get a bigger weapon? likew a weapon that can destroy the whole planetary system?

[sharedbyus1]

From the lunatic conspiracy theorist.

[Andy H]

Peace in middle east countries? Torture? Drones? Sanctions? 911 = Mossad and C.I.A? WMD Lies? C.I.A smuggles Afgan Heroin into U.S? Must be so proud

[Andy Ewen]

I think it should be mentioned that the Davy Crockett was soon deemed useless because of the proximity to radiation lethality. This, along with the Tsar Bomba, was a weapon without a future.

[Mastercheif1179]

Nellis!!! Fallout New Vegas baby.

[Andres Guerrero]

Major Zero.. is that you?

[Kristopher Vires]

Peace, through superior firepower... :)

[am74343]

"Here... Just put these dosimeter badges on, boys... We wanna see how much you get zapped with today..."

[powertoolification]

1.4KM, about, I would say. Way beyond safe distances.

[PMW3]

they're lucky they weren't sprayed down with irradiated sea water