Abandoned Titan II rocket. Huntsville, Alabama

Source: cmcguffin (flickr)

Ashley and I got our Cold War on at the Titian II Nuclear Missile Silo. It’s a strange, creepy, and fascinating place, appearing randomly in the desert just south of Tucson. I’ve always wanted to check it out, and of course Ash was game. The once active nuclear silo is now home to a small museum, and tours of the silo are offered by knowledgable employees, many of which once served on some of the many Titian II silos that were constructed and operated in Arizona, Nebraska, and Arkansas during the Cold War. The small crew, which worked 24 hour shifts, was able to launch its 9-megaton nuclear warhead from its underground silo in just 58 seconds to a target more than 6300 miles away. The whole trip would only
take about 30 mins. Thank God they never had to. Pretty fucking scary.

Titan II Missile Silo.