Broken Arrow: How the U.S. Navy Lost a Nuclear Bomb

by Jim Winchester

This “unnerving exposé” of a lost American nuclear bomb “is a valuable contribution to the history of the navy, the cold war, and nuclear weapons” (Booklist).   On December 5th, 1965, the USS Ticonderoga was on its way from Vietnam to Japan, practicing nuclear combat procedures along the way. A young pilot from Ohio strapped into an A-4 Skyhawk bomber for a routine simulated mission. But after mishandling the maneuver, the plane and its pilot sunk to the bottom of the South China sea, along with a live B43 one-megaton thermonuclear bomb. A cover-up mission began as rumors of sabotage began to circulate.    The incident, known as a ‘Broken Arrow’, was kept under wraps for twenty-five years. The details that emerged caused a diplomatic incident, revealing that the U.S. had violated agreements not to bring nuclear weapons into Japan.   Broken Arrow tells the story of Ticonderoga’s sailors and airmen, the dangers of combat missions and shipboard life, and the accident that threatened to wipe her off the map and blow US-Japanese relations apart. For the first time, through previously classified documents, never before published photos of the accident aircraft and the recollections of those who were there, the story of carrier aviation’s only ‘Broken Arrow’ is told in full.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Military Fiction

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 19, 2019

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is obstensibly about an accident that took place on the Ticonderoga in December, 1965, while the carrier was off Vietnam. The first chapter describes the accident, the tragic death of Lieutenant Douglas Webster, and the loss of a nuclear bomb when the A-4 went over the side, but the next several chapters deal with Webster's life, and what life was like aboard an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War. I learned a great deal about the latter. Interestingly enough, there were many injuries aboard ship and while the men were on liberty. Fighting between sailors seems to be a way of life in a wartime navy.

One chapter dealt with the Bob Hope Show that performed aboard to give the sailors a break from the tensions of war. But most of the book discussed the investigation into the accident, and the ramifications when, over a decade later, many of the true facts came out. Because of Japan's objections to ships with nuclear weapons having a home port in Japan, much was made of the secrecy and seeming cover-up of the accident.

One other aspect that caused great pain for Webster's relatives, besides the hint that Webster's inattention caused the accident, was the fact that his name was left off the Vietnam Wall Memorial.

This is an interesting book about a time I remember well. What a naive nation we were to believe that firepower and military might could win any war. The young men who fought on the ground, in the air, and at sea learned the truth the hard way--often with their lives.

[Shrike58 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite the book I was expecting, but that might be a commentary on the nature of the incident in question, as on December 5, 1965, pilot Douglas Webster rolled tail-first off the carrier "Ticonderoga" while participating in an exercise involving an actual atomic weapon. In barely a minute the pilot, the plane, and the weapon were lost, with the event, as was typical for the period, being suppressed.

From there, Winchester gives you a grab bag of supporting stories, this book being a biography of Webster, a chronicle of the carrier "Ticonderoga" (particularly her war cruise of 1965-66), an examination of the operational theory of the nuclear arsenals carried on the U.S. Navy's carriers, the publicity impact of what happened once the incident was finally uncovered, and a coda about the lingering impact.

As for what the U.S. Navy made of this whole event, it did lead to a certain tightening of procedures in terms of deck-handling of aircraft on carriers. One consistent theme in Winchester's chronicle is the high level of physical menace on a carrier during an operational deployment.

So, not the most scintillating book I've ever read, but it was certainly informative. Call it sober reportage.

[NRVOUTDOORSMAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit slow...

...and not what I expected from the blurb. The "Broken Arrow," the loss of an atomic bomb in an accident, is almost a minor event in the endless litany of events extracted from the ship's logbooks: what seaman cut his nose and who got drunk on shore leave, which sailor broke a rib, on and on in needless and extraneous detail. The author is certainly knowledgeable about aviation and naval matters, but it's also obvious he has an axe to grind: a New Zealander, he not so subtly conveys his contempt for those who risk their lives and who in doing so potentially employ nuclear weapons. Not unusual among Kiwis. New Zealand has a policy that ships which might carry such weapons may not visit the country. All well and good but they should reflect on the fact that were it not for the US Navy and the weapons used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, their official language would probably be Japanese. It seems to be gratuitous ingratitude to condemn the nation and service that ensure New Zealand's freedom. Should the Chinese come knocking on the door it will--again--be Americans who keep them out, because pseudo-pacifist NZ can't. The deep anti-Vietnam War sentiments expressed in various comments I found offensive as well, since I am a Vietnam veteran.

Technically competent but somewhat disjointed in its narrative elements, which made it hard to follow at times.

[Scott Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Audiobook) (2.5 stars) This work attempts to shed light on the crash of an A-4 bomber in 1965 from the deck of the carrier Ticonderoga, which was loaded with a nuclear weapon as part of a training sortie. From this incident, Winchester attempts to unveil the full story, from the aircrew involved, to the plane used, to the war in which the players were involved to the post-crash history. It spans a great many topics and a number of well-known individuals have their small roles to play. However, it is still an incident that does get a lot of play in the history of nuclear weapons mishaps/accidents.

Overall, it is a solid tale, but aside from some interesting moments describing life aboard the carrier, it reads much like a chronological synopsis of after action reports from the carrier and from subsequent investigations. It can be a little dry, and it feels like Winchester goes on tangents beyond just what happened with the main pilots and players involved. Was it really necessary to relay the full story of the Ticonderoga's deployment, even long after the accident? Perhaps in modern times, the ship would be immediately recalled, but with Vietnam being what it was, it was important to keep assets in place. Still, it goes away from the main point of the work, the story of a lost nuclear weapon.

The reader is solid, but not spectacular. Overall, a decent read, but not one dwelt upon.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I was listening I was thinking this book should really be called life on the air carrier Ticonderoga deployment 1965. It was mind numbingly boring and tedious. What could this alleged coverup be? I guess it was brought up a little that the bomb went over the deck in a plane but the outrage over the fucking bomb was expressed quite a lot more that the pour soul lost inside the plane, Lt. (jg) Webster.

The direction this author chose to go in after the deployment ended and he wanted to address the “cover up” which actually didn’t seem that much of a coverup to me. It was only brought up because greenpeace made a stink. Let me just say I could care less about greenpeace and even less about environmental bullshit people. Buuuuuuut if that wasn’t bad enough, next I’m supposed to feel bad because the JAPS are outraged a bomb accidentally fell in the ocean 500 miles from their land?!? Mother fucker, don’t even with that. The japs have no place to be “outraged” at Americans, remember the Bataan death March and the extremely abhorrent POW camps oh and not to mentioned the war they ACTUALLY INSTIGATED?!?! Anyway, that’s just me.

I only gave this two stars for the respect of the navy and especially Lt. Webster. His memory deserves a better testament and this one was just shit in my opinion.

[Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nukes Oberboard

Broken Arrow the book is more complicated than Broken Arrow the movie. I bought this book because I was interested in the “accident.” Little did I know that Mr Winchester (not the movie) was going to include 3 or 4 books in this one volume. It may be more information than you signed up for, but Jim Winchester gives the reader the whole story. And I think by the time I finished his opus I was glad he did. And even through those parts that should be dry he manages to create an interest with his style coupled with his research. I believe the reader will close the book with the question, what have we done? Winchester offers an insight into the many nuclear accidents our military has had, and those yet to come. We are a careless nation who hides its transgressions.

[Bob Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets Remain … Business As Usual

This book is interesting and revealing of some quiet truths about the military and its secrets. But is also rife with meaningless details about who banged his head on a bulkhead and who cut himself with his own knife. But why is that included?
I suspect it is because the U.S. Navy isn’t excited to share much about losing a qualified pilot, an expensive war plane and a hydrogen bomb over the side of a war-active aircraft carrier in what was essentially a training accident. Even nearly 60 years later, the Navy is tight-lipped and prickly about it. The author did the best he could with what he could get.
That nuke, probably in pieces, in more than 16,000 feet of water is still there and largely forgotten in the here-and-now news cycle. I’ll bet the military prefers it that way. I’m glad this author reminded us.

[Stephen L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Simplistic description of a broken arrow incident.

It strikes me, as a former member of the 1967 Ticonderoga crew, that the author is not at all familiar with the Navy. For instance aviators are not normally commissioned as Lieutenant JGs. Although the book does contain information on the actual event, most of the content consists of anecdotal tales of Westpac cruisers. I found the book to be a waste of time

[G Lee Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historically accurate. A compilation of data as one would amass data before making a report. This is a clinical recitation. I gave it 4 stars because it did include 2 obscure references. Other than that it would have gotten only 2 stars. It was like reading a shopping list and about as entertaining.

I would recommend this essay solely to military buffs (as am I) or to researchers looking for something specific. Stock up on no-doze.

[Stuart Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

The little in the book actually detailing the accident and the follow-up was quite interesting. However, most of the book deals with the usual incidents of life aboard a carrier.
Given the title, I was expecting an in-depth analysis of the incident and its repercussions. I was very disappointed with the little that was presented and how superficial it was.

[Gene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way to much detail. Who care what color their eyes are?

Who cares what color their eyes are? It is like reading a navy report. I goes on and on details that don't mean anything.

[Paul Kratochwill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well researched book

This was a well written and thoroughly researched book. It brought back to my time serving on an aircraft carrier.

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book learned a few things, which may surprise those that know me.

[Robin J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much a chronological listing of events of what documents eventually showed what happened.

[paerras · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much irrelevant biografies

[Sam Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good reference book

I was somewhat disappointed in the book. As a retired army person, I hoped to learn about the aircraft carriers, but I do not learn much about the ships. I needed a picture or diagram of the ship to follow how the accident happened and how it could have been prevented. The book was hard to follow and was disconnected as to many subjects were covered without being introduced. Average book.


Ointed

[John McNair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost gave up on this book. After all, the accident - the premise of the book - was covered adequately in the first pages (or seemingly so). The incredible detail thereafter was at times hugely interesting (especially routine of a carrier at sea during that time, at that place) and at times excruciatingly dull (I really didn't have to learn about Webster's parents' life together, and detail on his grandparents and schooling). But there was enough really interesting detail that could only have come from careful and time consuming research that I of course pressed on. I'm glad I did, as I learned many new "things" (the mark of a good day). One has to pluck out what interests one the most from the latter chapters on accidents, cover-ups, the response of the Japanese when it was discovered that not only was a nuclear weapon lost not far off their coats but that American naval vessels routinely carried nucs when visiting Japan. There is a lot of detail, but the human aspects of carrier flight ops, sea-going routine, shore leave, home life and all that was really well done and enjoyable to read.

[Mary Lee Sprague · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating account of a nuclear bomb lost at sea

This book is a thorough telling of a freakish accident aboard the USS Ticonderoga during the Vietnam war and the unusual events that followed. The complications of the way the Navy handled the incident, the delayed (by many years) outcry from the Japanese, and the struggle to get the lost pilots name on the Vietnam war memorial wall all add to the political mystery.

[Goodread_ton · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book about such an interesting event, I found the book exceedingly boring because of too much biographical material about the major players.