Operation PLUMBBOB Weapon-Related Events, 1957

Event

Date

Type

Yield

BOLTZMANN

28 May

Tower

12 kilotons

FRANKLIN

2 June

Tower

LASSEN

5 June

Balloon

WILSON

18 June

Balloon

10 kilotons

PRISCILLA

24 June

Balloon

37 kilotons

5 July

Balloon

74 kilotons

HOOD

0.5 tons

DIABLO

15 July

Tower

17 kilotons

JOHN

19 July

Air to air
missile

about 2
kilotons

KEPLER

24 July

Tower

10 kilotons

OWENS

25 July

Balloon

STOKES

7 August

SHASTA

9.7 kilotons

Balloon

19 kilotons

18 August

Tower

17 kilotons

DOPPLER

23 August

Balloon

11 kilotons

FRANKLIN PRIME

30 August

Balloon

SMOKY

31 August

Tower

44 kilotons
11 kilotons

t

4.7 kilotons

GALILEO

2 September

Tower

WHEELER

6 September

Balloon

LAPLACE

8 September

Balloon

FIZEAU

14 September

Tower

11 kilotons

NEWTON

16 September

Balloon

12 kilotons

RAINIER

19 September

Tunnel

WHITNEY

23 September

Tower

19 kilotons

CHARLESTON

28 September

Balloon

12 kilotons

7 October

Balloon

8 kilotons

MORGAN

4.14.1

140 tons

197 tons
1 kilotons

1.7 kilotons

Background and Objectives of Operation PLUMBBOB.

Largely a joint AEC/DOD effort, Operation PLUMBBOB was planned as an
integral part of the continuing U.S. program for developing the means to
conduct nuclear warfare in defense of the Nation.

117

The AEC wanted to test a

Select target paragraph3