ANYONE could have launched a nuke back in the '60s and '70s.

Its a wonder that this whole planet isn't a steaming pile of dust right now with the way our government protected us back in the 60's and 70's.

Back then, in order to keep things simple for the guys working the Minuteman silos, the "top secret" launch codes for our nuclear missiles were set at 00000000. They even had that written down on the walls for people with bad memories.

I’ve Got the Same Combination on My Luggage!

America’s gaggle of “Minuteman” long-range nuclear missiles went on line for the first time during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. But the world was supposedly protected from mutual assured destruction by the “Permissive Action Links” (PALs) which required an 8-digit combination in order to launch. Robert McNamara, then the U.S. Secretary of Defense, personally oversaw the installation of these special locks to prevent any unauthorized nuclear missile launches. He considered the safeguards to be essential for strict central control and for preventing nuclear disaster.

But what Secretary McNamara didn’t know is that from the very beginning, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in Omaha had decided that these locks might interfere with any wartime launch orders; so in order to circumvent this safeguard, they pre-set the launch code on all Minuteman silos to the same eight digits: 00000000.

For seventeen years, during the height of the nuclear crises of the Cold War, the code remained all zeros, and was even printed in each silo’s launch checklist for all to see. The codes remained this way up until 1977, when the service was pressed into activating the McNamara locks with real launch codes in place.

Technically, crew members can launch a nuclear attack with or without approval from higher authority. Unless PAL or its equivalent forecloses this option, as many as 50 missiles could be illicitly fired.

Military personnel, e.g. maintenance airmen, and civilian contractors who possessed minimal security credentials were granted LCC access, and annually thousands of visitors holding no clearance whatsoever were permitted access to operational LCCs. In the interest of public relations, the Air Force permitted ready access to the Minuteman launch network by practically anyone desiring it.

Damn Interesting


This just goes to show that scary government incompetence has a long and storied history.

maybe they were hoping one sucker would be itching to try it, they then can blame a lone nut and take out a russian city at no cost.

Actually they couldn't just launch a nuclear attack. The actual code set to zero was the launch code, there was a seperate arming code without which the warhead would not detonate. Also the target packages were encrypted as well, so you couldn't just punch in alt and long coordinates to hit an area.

Its scary to think that some guy having a bad day could've just up and launched 50 nuclear warheads, started WW III and possibly ended all life on Earth. Even one of those visitors, who they apparently let in whenever they asked, could have figured it out.

Sure, maybe they couldn't have armed the warheads or aimed the missiles but, once they were out of the tubes, you could bet the other side would respond with full scale retaliation.


No matter how it could have happened, it would have been one REALLY bad day for everybody.

I think this music goes better with the following vid:







What was Phage doing in that video (2:15 mark)?

Originally posted by mad scientist
Actually they couldn't just launch a nuclear attack. The actual code set to zero was the launch code, there was a seperate arming code without which the warhead would not detonate. Also the target packages were encrypted as well, so you couldn't just punch in alt and long coordinates to hit an area.

All the information that I've seen says that Permission Action Links are actually the code for the devices built into the warhead which permits detonation.

Documentation shows that PAL was a concern of the nuclear weapons production design facilities (in particular Sandia which handles the physical packaging and electronics).

If it had been a property of the launch system then it would be a concern of the prime contractor for the missile system + silo.

www.cs.columbia.edu...

reply to post by FortAnthem


Hey, in running a search I came across your thread...wanted to add this video:

000 00 00000

Amazing, eh? McNamera is such a nasty man....

CJ