Misplacing your house keys can be infuriating, but misplacing a nuclear bomb is an entirely different story. During the Cold War, the U.S. lost a few of these enormously deadly bombs—some of which remain undiscovered. These incidents are referred to as “Broken Arrow” accidents and are more than mere historical curiosities; they’re sobering reminders of just how dodgy it is to manage the world’s most lethal weapons. Five of the most mystifying missing U.S. nuclear bombs culminate in the most notorious case.
5. Thule, Greenland B-52 Crash (1968)
At the depths of an Arctic winter, a U.S. Air Force B-52 loaded with four hydrogen bombs crashed near the Thule Air Base in Greenland. The bomber was engaged in a routine patrol under Operation Chrome Dome when a fire erupted in the cockpit, and the crew had to abandon it. Most of them survived, but the accident left radioactive debris on miles of sea ice.
While save for one nuclear weapon, most of the bomb components were recovered, one nuclear weapon was never found. The event brought about tension with Denmark, whose government was not notified that nuclear weapons were overhead. To this day, the fate of the missing bomb remains unclear—whether it lies under the ice or sank into North Star Bay is a mystery.
4. Palomares, Spain Incident (1966)
On 17 January 1966, a B-52 and a refueling tanker crashed into each other in mid-air over the Spanish village of Palomares. The bomber disintegrated, jettisoning four hydrogen bombs. Two exploded on impact, dispersing radioactive material over the countryside. One fell intact in a riverbed, and the fourth went into the Mediterranean, triggering an 80-day search with ships and submersibles.
The bomb was later recovered from about 3,000 feet below water. It was the initial nuclear accident on foreign soil, affecting civilians, and drew international attention. Although it was thoroughly cleaned, traces of radiation are still present in some areas, a clear indication of the risks posed by these weapons.
3. USS Ticonderoga Skyhawk Loss (1965)
Accidents are possible even in routine operations. On 5 December 1965, an A-4E Skyhawk loaded with a one-megaton nuclear bomb slid off the deck of the USS Ticonderoga in the Philippine Sea. The aircraft, along with its pilot and the bomb, was lost approximately 60 miles from Okinawa, Japan, which resulted in diplomatic complaints. Neither the plane nor the weapon was recovered despite search parties, and the incident was kept secret for decades.
2. Goldsboro, North Carolina Accident (1961)
January 24, 1961, came close to disaster above Goldsboro, North Carolina, when a B-52 disintegrated in the air, sending two Mark 39 hydrogen bombs crashing. One’s parachute opened, hanging it from a tree, and the other buried itself deep in a muddy field after crashing.
Recovery teams were able to recover most of the components, but some parts are still missing. Worst of all, one bomb nearly exploded. Three of four safety devices malfunctioned, leaving only a lone low-voltage switch standing in the way of a nuclear explosion. The close call prompted sweeping reforms in nuclear weapons safety and control.
1. Tybee Island, Georgia Bomb (1958)
The most notorious incident is a lost bomb off Tybee Island. A B-47 bomber had a midair collision with a fighter plane while conducting an exercise off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, on February 5, 1958. The crew had to drop a 7,500-pound thermonuclear bomb into the shallow waters of Wassaw Sound to prevent disaster. The Air Force and Navy scoured for two months but could not find it.
Private searches subsequently detected radiation alarms, which were blamed by officials on natural background radiation. The location of the bomb is unknown, but it is most likely that it was buried in sediment. Experts add that the government has never fully disclosed the number of nuclear weapons lost or where they went.
These accidents aren’t simply about lost bombs—they’re cautionary stories on the risks of working with nuclear arsenals. Each accident spurred safety measures, weapons design, and operating procedure improvements. Today’s controls, such as environmental sensors, the two-man rule, and sophisticated detonation controls, all have their roots in these close calls. To this day, the shadow of misplaced bombs still lurks over oceans, swamps, and the cold war-era memory.
