Lingering nuclear myste remains By JEFF NAGEL MILITARY explosives ex- - perts flew into the Kispiox mountains last weekend in a new attempt to detonate unexploded material left - behind at the 1950 crash ‘site of a U.S. nuclear bom- ber. athe work, which in- volved Canadian Armed Forces Rangers and other personnel aboard a pair of military Griffon helicop- ters, was a continuation of a 2000 exercise to rid the site of hazardous material, said local Rangers Master Corporal Pierre Cote. The U.S. Air Force B-36 ‘bomber crashed high on ‘Kologet Mountain after jettisoning its atomic bomb over Hecate Strait. The bomb exploded over -the water ~ a high explo- sive not a nuclear detona- ‘tion because its plutonium capsule was not installed. “The crew bailed out over Princess Royal Is- ~ land, ‘but the plane ~- with ’ three of six engines afire — somehow’ flew 360 kilo- “metres further north before "crashing. High explosives were abandoned at the crash site in 1954 after U.S. en- gineers blew up most of the plane to keep its se- crets from failing into enemy hands. » Cate -said Canadian ‘Armed Forces personnel continued the work of de- stroying those explosives ‘last weekend. They were also to de- -stroy any remaining deto- “-nators — small gold and stainless steel devices to trigger the nuclear explo- sion in-the 11,000-pound _ Mark. [V. “Fat Man” A- . bomb the plane carried. Most of the 36 detona- ‘tors on board went down _ With the bomb, but same “. Spares have been found at the crash site. - -. Cote*said one detonator was taken away as a. ‘Sou- venir and was in the pri- Yate collection of a Me- ziadin area man until a few wecks ago, He said RCMP officers seized and exploded the device last month. Had it detonated, it could have flattened the man’s home, Cote said. “He didn’t know thal it was such a dangerous device,” Cote said. “He didn’t know what it was.” Also still at the site are rounds of 20-mm ammuni- tion for the bomber’s anti- aircraft guns. Last weekend’s mission was dubbed “Misplaced Arrow.” That’s a nod to the ori- ginal crash’s designation as a “Broken Arrow” — the U.S. military’s code word for an accident involving a nuclear weapon. The 1950 incident over northwestern B.C, was the first ever loss of a U.S. nuke, Besides a cleanup, the Rangers also used it to si- mulate their emergency response to a military plane crash. Past testing by Environ- ment Canada has conclu- ded there’s no radiation danger at the site. But one of the lingering mysteries of the crash is whether a plutonium core for the bomb was aboard the B-36. The craft was flying a training mission, simula- ting a bombing run of San Francisco from Alaska. Some Broken Arrow watchers say it likely didn’t carry the plutonium core. Others disagree. The Soviet Union had detonated its first atomic bomb just six months be- fore the crash, Cote said, heightening the Cold War tensions of the time. “There was no way they were flying without a live core,” he said. The crew may have bailed out with it or jetti- soned it. may have tetrieved it in 1954. Or it could still be in the debris — possibly under snow or rock —on the re- U.S. engineers mote mountainside. If it was still at the site, Cote said, it might not be detectable because it was housed in a shielded case. He said more clues aren’t expected to come to light until 2010 and 2015, when more U.S. military documents are due to be | declassified, Cote is also a member of the Broken Arrow Ajir- craft Society — a local group that eventually wants to establish a north-. em aviation museum that would commemorate the crash. The B-36 was an unus- ual plane. It was the lar- gest bomber the U.S. ever built, larger than a 747 passenger jet. And its six pusher-type propellers faced backward rather than forward. The mililary helicopters and explosive ordnance disposal team came in from Wainwright, Alberta. Helicopters from La- kelse Air also assisted in the advance work for the mission. Rangers from around the northwest region as well as the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group out of Victoria participated. xperts fly to crash site PIERRE COTE, a Master Corporal with ihe Cana- dian Armed Forces Rangers in Terrace, reviews a declassified document on the 1950 crash of a U.S. B-36 bomber north of Terrace. CREWS aboard Griffon Helicopters flew to 0 Kolaget Mountain last weekend to destroy ammunition and explosives at the historic crash site of a U.S, B-36 bomber. This photo is from a similar mission conducted two years ago. Come in to see us about a Consolidation or Home Equity loan. We are here to help resolve your financial problems and reduce the stress in your life. Terrace & District Credit Union Phone for an appointment today 635-7282 Open: Tuesday-Thursday 10:00 - 5:00 Fridays 10:00 - 7:00 & Saturdays 9:00 ~ 1:00 Everything we do, we do for YOU i. ‘Her parents suspect you're out to steal their daughter This removes any doubt about it. + A (omage Huse mi Lb) \ £50 Publishing ‘ “were all of your printing and copying needs are completed with fast service at reasonable prices. WE SPECIALIZE IN COLOUR PAINTING Business Cards - Office Stationary Advertising Layout & Design - Brochures Flyers - Posters - Newsletters - Menus - Absolutely Anything on Paper - Give us a call today at 635-1872 or Fax us at 635-1868 PALA AL AL LALA LaLa AA A A AAA AS The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 2, 2002 -A3 News In Brief Private health the topic A PUBLIC forum takes place tanight on the topic of health care privatization and lessons from On- tario’s experience in that arena, Ross Sutherland, a registered nurse and member of the Ontario Health Coalition, will speak at the forum beginning at 7:30 p.m. It’s at the Best West- ern Terrace Inn. The event is sponsored by the Action Coalition of Terrace and the B.C. Nurses’ Unisn, Boaters carded A NEW federal regulation means hunters and an- glers operating engine-powered boats this fall must carry a special card. The Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) is part of new iegislation passed in 1999 and is being gradually implemented over the next seven years. The new rules mean all operators of power boats under four metres in length must carry the card. Operators looking to gel a card must complete a study program available throughout the Canadian Red Cross and then write an exam at an authorized site. There are three authorized sites in Terrace in- cluding the Terrace Aquatic Centre, First Re- sponse First Aid and Northwest Community Col- lepe. Hunters and anglers may be fined up to $200 if they do not have their PCOC with them. Terrace to back Kitimat MAYOR JACK Talstra says he thinks Terrace council will support Kitimat in its drive to restrict power sales by Alcan. He said Terrace counciliars seem generally sup- portive of the Kitimat position that allowing power exports threatens jobs in Kilimat. “| think there’s some support for the idea that this power was supposed to create jobs in the northwest,” Talstra said. “And that’s why the com- pany was able to flood a reservoir.” Kitimat officials fear Atcan will be allowed to modernize its smelter so it employs up to 1,000 fewer workers and uses much less energy, freeing up power for export. They blame the provincial government for not taking a firm stand against power sales by Alcan. Several communities around the province have come out in support of the Kitimat position, but Terrace isn’t yet among them. Looking for lost gear TERRACE RCMP hope some camping equipment may be found after it was lost Sept. 18 near the Exchamsiks boat launch. Police say the equipment was lost due to rising waters on the Skeena. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Terrace RCMP detachment at 638-7400. 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