Atomic America: How a Deadly Explosion and a Feared Admiral Changed the Course of Nuclear History

by Todd Tucker

On January 3, 1961, nuclear reactor SL-1 exploded in rural Idaho, spreading radioactive contamination over thousands of acres and killing three John Byrnes, Richard McKinley, and Richard Legg. The Army blamed "human error" and a sordid love triangle. Though it has been overshadowed by the accident at Three Mile Island, SL-1 is the only fatal nuclear reactor incident in American history, and it holds serious lessons for a nation poised to embrace nuclear energy once again. Historian Todd Tucker, who first heard the rumors about the Idaho Falls explosion as a trainee in the Navy's nuclear program, suspected there was more to the accident than the rumors suggested. Poring over hundreds of pages of primary sources and interviewing the surviving players led him to a tale of shocking negligence and subterfuge. The Army and its contractors had deliberately obscured the true causes of this terrible accident, the result of poor engineering as much as uncontrolled passions. A bigger story opened up before him about the frantic race for nuclear power among the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force -- a race that started almost the moment the nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The National Reactor Testing Station (NRTS), where the meltdown occurred, had been a proving ground where engineers, generals, and admirals attempted to make real the Atomic Age dream of unlimited power. Some of their most ambitious plans bore fruit -- like that of the nation's unofficial nuclear patriarch, Admiral Rickover, whose "true submarine," the USS Nautilus , would forever change naval warfare. Others, like the Air Force's billion dollar quest for a nuclear-powered airplane, never came close. The Army's ultimate goal was to construct small, portable reactors to power the Arctic bases that functioned as sentinels against a Soviet sneak attack. At the height of its program, the Army actually constructed a nuclear powered city inside a glacier in Greenland. But with the meltdown in Idaho came the end of the Army's program and the beginning of the Navy's longstanding monopoly on military nuclear power. The dream of miniaturized, portable nuclear plants died with McKinley, Legg, and Byrnes. The demand for clean energy has revived the American nuclear power industry. Chronic instability in the Middle East and fears of global warming have united an unlikely coalition of conservative isolationists and fretful environmentalists, all of whom are fighting for a buildup of the emission-free power source that is already quietly responsible for nearly 20 percent of the American energy supply. More than a hundred nuclear plants generate electricity in the United States today. Thirty-two new reactors are planned. All are descendants of SL-1. With so many plants in operation, and so many more on the way, it is vitally important to examine the dangers of poor design, poor management, and the idea that a nuclear power plant can be inherently safe. Tucker sets the record straight in this fast-paced narrative history, advocating caution and accountability in harnessing this feared power source.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science, Military Fiction, American History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Josh Liller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun fast read about the history of atomic energy in the US military, with particular the Idaho Falls SL-1 reactor explosion in 1961 (which I'd never heard of before) and "Father Of The Nuclear Navy" Admiral Hyman Rickover.

At less than 300 pages this is certainly introductory reading only, but informative and enjoyable. The author does seem a bit of a Rickover apologist, but since he's an ex-Navy nuke that is to be expected.

It's a little surprising some of the careless behavior toward nuclear energy in the past and the amount of time and money the Air Force sank into trying to create a nuclear-powered airplane (an idea which I think should be rejected out of hand as stupid).

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thoroughly researched examination of a fatal nuclear power accident in Idaho in 1961 is graphic and gruesome in its details.

It also covers some wild ideas proposed for nuclear power: Project Plowshare, a project to build a harbor for oil tankers in northern Alaska by blasting the ocean with 5 simultaneous nuclear explosions. It cost $770 million in research for the government to decide not to pursue the idea. And an atomic-powered bomber. The research on that one -- before JFK pulled the plug shortly after becoming President -- cost $13 billion.

This book is fascinating and valuable for its thorough look at the early days of nuclear research.

[Gramarye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caught between 3 and 4 stars, I bumped it up to 4 because of the author's clean prose and engaging writing style. It's pretty clear that as a former Navy nuke, he's a fan of the titular Admiral Rickover, but isn't shy about pointing the admiral's personal faults as well as his drive and devotion to the nuclear service. The tale that Tucker tells is often gruesome and disturbing (especially when it comes to the abysmal safety conditions and lack of experience that much of the US military tolerated in its nuclear programmes), yet he still manages to avoid making his story too lurid or salacious -- though a tighter edit might've smoothed over a few moments of excessive editorializing. A fine and fast-paced read for anyone with even a shred of interest in nuclear history.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fast read, both from a light touch on the material and the well written chapters. I wanted a bit more about how the SL-1 really changed the view on atomic power within the military.

This is essentially a story about the SL-1 accident, with Admiral Rickover woven through, along with mentions of failed Air Force projects and the desert of Idaho. The SL-1 portions were fascinating in themselves, as the author shows that the Army conducted itself in an unsafe fashion when it came to nuclear power. I am familiar with the safety procedures of Navy nuclear vessels and what the works on SL-1 were doing was crazy. That was the genius and intense focus of Rickover: make things safe. To which the Navy hasn't had a reactor problem at sea.

The findings of the author will shock those of the modern day. It throws light onto how the officials of the 1950's & 1960's treated atomic power. It had to be the people not the machines at fault. He does show that myths surrounding the SL-1 accident perpetuate the supposed flaws of the people, but don't want to focus on the poor training, minimal oversight and a really bad reactor design.

I wanted more analysis on how Rickover's push for nuclear submarines changed the balance of power in the world. The carrier Enterprise is given a chapter name, but little is said of her. Rickover's submarines changed naval warfare. If one wanted to dig a bit deeper into Rickover, there is an excellent book on his pet project, the NR-1. It is the smallest nuclear submarine in the world. And one of the deepest diving.

[Kiesha Encarnacion · Rating 4 out of 5]

I encourage anyone who’s thinking of reading/has read this book to watch Kyle Hill’s Half-Life Histories series on YouTube, especially the episode “SL-1: America’s First Nuclear Disaster” for visuals (safe for work, and from official reports) of the accident as well as the heavily mentioned flaws of the nuclear reactor. It’s a great accompaniment to this book.

Todd Tucker made a complicated science and several issues easy to understand and follow even for readers who have a limited background on nuclear physics, the politics behind it and controversies. He makes no claims on who’s to blame for the SL-1 reactor accident and remained equally critical of it being an accident or murder-suicide, I appreciate that he had no agenda to push publishing this book even if he’s served as an officer with the US Navy’s nuclear submarine force — he simply wants to inform and possibly help a curious reader untangle all the word, politics and science of SL-1. I wish this book came with some diagrams and visual aid, but for anyone feeling the same, I suggest the above mentioned.

[bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tragedy of SL-1’s meltdown is often mythologized, presented with an assumption that a reader knows the dangers of the field of nuclear energy. Tucker assumes no such knowledge and delivers (and corrects) information concisely, while still maintaining a constant acknowledgement that Byrnes, Legg, and McKinley were all real people, deserving of respect. He weaves the story of Admiral Rickover with the rise (and eventual fall) of the age of nuclear power, bringing us back, moment by moment, to the night SL-1 went supercritical. The story unfolds methodically, appealing to those interested in nuclear energy, the anatomy of disasters, and the triumphs (but more often failures) of the American military in one fell swoop. Safe to say, if Admiral Rickover had been in charge of SL-1, this book would not need to exist.

[Mark Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read this book I was devouring everything I could find on the Cold War and the nuclear age. Yes, it is NU-CLEAR, not NUK-U-lar. Anyway, I was astounded that this event had happened in my lifetime and I had never heard of it. Shocking and very scary. What were they thinking in those days? Unfortunately they are still thinking it.
Anyway, Tucker goes way beyond the main topic examines many parallel aspects of nuclear power that still resound to this day. Good work and thanks for telling it at last.

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick yet incredibly detailed book on how simple misunderstanding and the long ongoing fear of nuclear energy is plagued by accidents and disasters. Amazing read, highly recommend for a greater understanding of how big a moral panic we are in over nuclear.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was way more interesting than I thought it would be. Well written and a different and overarching view of the military use and advancements of nuclear power alongside a narrative of a disaster I've heard very little about.

[Chase Boni · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only criticism is that at times it felt like the biography of Rickover was interwoven with the story of the SL-1 disaster solely to make the book a viable length. Rickover's actual reaction to the accident was covered in only a couple of pages.

[carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rickover reigns supreme amidst so much foolishness.

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enlightening summary of the history of U.S. nuclear programs centered around the fatal SL-1 reactor disaster.

[Andy Plonka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book to get an over all summary of the beginning of the nuclear crisis.

[Donald Kratt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best written or edited book, but this is an interesting read. This is especially interesting if you have some knowledge of cold war politics and military history.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story of the SL-1 accident with that of famed Navy Admiral Hyman Rickover. Based on the book summary, you would think the main focus of the book would be SL-1, but a good deal of the book was spent discussing Rickover. I didn’t know much about him before reading this book, except for his moniker as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy.” This book did a great job of showing just how complex a character he really was. But I really read the book to find out how the SL-1 accident is treated.
This book was published after Idaho Falls, but it has a much more authoritative voice. This book tries to deal with the facts of the accident, instead of the personal opinions and gossip found in Idaho Falls. The author does a great job of dismissing the murder/suicide/love triangle rumors and really shows that the accident was simply the result of a poorly designed and badly maintained nuclear reactor.
This was an enjoyable read that covers most of the same information found in Idaho Falls. If I had to recommend one book to read on the subject, I would recommend this one, simply because it focuses more on fact, not rumors and gossip.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting look at the origins of Rickover's nuclear Navy and the efforts of the other military branches to hone in on the technology.

I thought the author was almost writing two different books here -- one on the Idaho Falls nuclear accident and one on Rickover's Navy, but he deftly wove the two stories together by the end of the book. Tucker maintains that our current civilian nuclear safety standards are very much a result of Rickover's intense safety requirements. It is also quite obvious that the Navy pretty much "owns" the civilian nuclear industry.

I was intrigued by Rickover's own opinions re nuclear power. He considered it a necessary evil but said if it was to be used it should be only in times of peace and under the strictest of safety measures. Like him or not, it is clear that Rickover left his mark on the military AND civilian world.

NOTE: It is really helpful to have read William McKeown's book Idaho Falls or to have a working knowledge of that nuclear accident before reading this book.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using as a framing device the only accident in the US involving an atomic reactor which resulted in outright fatalities, this is a breezy non-technical read which also includes a vivid portrait of the seemingly hell-driven Admiral Hyman Rickover, an account of the USAF's quixotic and ultimately futile attempt to develop atomic jet engines and the story of Camp Century, the US Army's nuclear powered city buried in a Greenland glacier. Take one badly-designed reactor for the Army, three poorly-trained techs with SERIOUS personal issues, a single control rod whose removal would result in an explosion, and thereby hangs the tale. Gruesome impalements, cover-ups, accusations of a love triangle - all that plus atoms! To quote Dr Seuss's THE 5000 FINGERS OF DR T: "Is it atomic?" "Very!"

[David Streb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book about the early days of nuclear power, particularly as the military used it. It revolves around the SL1 reactor in rural Idaho operated by the Army and an accident in 1960 that killed three people. But it also goes into Admiral Rickover's long career and development of nuclear powered submarines.

It's crazy pro-nuclear at the end, which I find really puzzling in light of the rest of the book, but it's a great history lesson in any event. I long ago drew a different conclusion about nuclear power, and this book didn't change it.

[Neil Crocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent history of the early days of nuclear energy in the US with particular focus on the army, navy and air force programs. In particular the author (an ex nuclear submariner) describes and explains the accident at SL-1 at the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho, which killed 3 workers in 1961. Also well covered is the amazingly successful and safe navy nuclear program, lead by Hyman Rickover. I'm not sure what the author's purpose is, but at the very least he provides a balanced view of the promise and challenges of nuclear power production.

[A.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb, quick history of the SL-1 accident; this book puts to rest with authority the many rumors of what happened in the Idaho desert in 1961. It would be interesting to hear what Tucker thinks now that the Japanese tsunami destroyed the Fukishima Daiichi nuclear power station and the resulting widespread release of radioactive contamination.

[Terrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. A great overview of the nuclear program and post WWII US military history, and full of facts I never knew. Used the SL1 meltdown as a jumping off point to provide the background and context while thoroughly covering the meltdown itself.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent recounting of a tale more people need to know about and understand.

[Roger]

A very interesting collection of facts relating to military and civilian uses of nuclear power. I was not aware of much of the contents of this book.

[sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sparked my interest in nuclear energy!!!

[Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The explosion of nuclear reactor SL-1 at the Nuclear Reactor Testing Station in Idaho in 1961 provides the backbone of this interesting book (one I picked up for $2 at the Hood County Library sale in Granbury.) The story of the reactor accident and its aftermath shows how engineers and medical personnel devised ways to respond to the challenges of cleanup, including how to decontaminate the extremely radioactive bodies of the three casualties so they could have something approaching a normal burial in a cemetery. Interleaved chapters recount the history of harnessing nuclear power by the US Army, Air Force, and Navy, with only the Navy finding lasting success. The SL-1 was an Army project aimed at providing power for remote, hard-to-provision DEW line radar stations in the Arctic Circle. I found the tale of Air Force experiments to create a nuclear-powered bomber especially interesting, since my lab at General Dynamics sat in the middle of the structure that housed the project, at that time still called the "Nuclear Building".