"W54" 3D.gif

*A rare, signed, higher resolution and non-watermarked version of this image is available for download at: https://creary.net/digitalart/@jaichai/jaichai-an-unfinished-story-and-the-man-pack-nuke

Years ago, a superior officer "strongly advised" me to stop writing a purely fictional story.

The plot of the story revolved around a team of RECON Marines who are ordered to trigger a spontaneous eruption of Mount Pinatubo (an active stratovolcano in the Zambales Mountains, Philippines) using their portable Man Pack Nuke.

The mission's goal was to bury Clark Air Force Base under several inches of volcanic ash.

Coincidentally, the so-called "natural disaster" occurs just prior to the U.S. relinquishing Clark AFB to the Philippine government.

Funny thing.

I penned that story many years BEFORE the real-life eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

In spite of mini-nuclear devices being around for over three decades, the general public was largely unaware of their existence, nor the ongoing U.S. SpecOps portable nuclear warfare training.

Imagine that?

About U.S Military "Man Pack Nukes" -

Though it sounds like the plot of a movie, the reality is that select Army engineer, Special Forces, Navy SEALs and RECON Marines were once trained to employ backpack nukes.

The scientists at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory created the W54 atomic warhead in the late ‘50s.

It was one of the smallest nuclear warheads ever fielded at under 11″ diameter (270 mm), about 16″ long (400 mm) and a little over 50 pounds (23 kg).

The fuse permitted Military Bomb Specialists to select from a one-tenth kiloton up to a full kiloton yield.

(BTW, if a nuke is strapped on your back or between your legs for HALO jumps, as far as the military is concerned, you are instantly a "Military Bomb Specialist! Lol!)

The W54 was also a potent dirty bomb.

In addition to the proximity blast death toll, people a quarter-mile away would receive lethal doses of radiation.

About 400 W54s were built.

(Source: https://sofrep.com/amp/specialoperations/sof-backpack-nukes/)

Other miniature nuclear bombs, devices known as the B-54 Special Atomic Demolition Munition (SADM), could also be carried in a backpack.

(Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/25-years-us-special-forces-carried-miniature-nukes-their-backs-180949700/)

Submitted FYI.

May you and yours be well and loving life today.

In Lak'ech, JaiChai

(JaiChai 19 May 2022. Simultaneous multi-site submissions posted. All rights reserved.)