Inside Manzano: The Life of a Nuclear Special Weapons Storage Site

by Charles E. Cabler

Overview

In the late 1940s, the U.S. Department of Defense established a nuclear weapons depository in the Manzano Mountains of New Mexico. For more than 20 years, Manzano Base served as a maintenance and storage site for some of the most destructive weapons ever created. Operated by the U.S. Air Force, the facility was small and obscure, with highly restricted access. Its covert mission fostered a sense of mystery, leaving the public to speculate about what really went on there. The site was decommissioned in 1992 yet its rich history continues to influence America's nuclear weapons program.

This book tells the story of Manzano and the personnel who served there. Firsthand accounts recall their experiences of nuclear weapons accidents, aircraft crashes, UFO/UAF sightings and a radiation demonstration called "tickling the tiger's tail."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476688879
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	09/16/2022
Pages:	211
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.42(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Charles E. Cabler served with the USAF 1962–1968, stationed at the 3800 Air Base Wing, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama; the 1094 Air Police Squadron Manzano Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and the Air Force Reserve, Denver, Colorado. He served during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War, earning the National Defense Medal with Ribbon. He is a member of the American Legion Post 11 in Florence, Alabama and the USAF Police Alumni Association, and a volunteer adviser for the American Corporate Partners Organization, providing career guidance to military personnel as they transition into civilian life. He lives in Florence, Alabama.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Preface 1

Part I The Historical Development of Manzano

1 La Villa de Alburquerque, New Mexico 6

2 Manzano Weapons Storage Site 12

3 Sandia Base (Abbreviated History) 21

4 Kirtland Air Force Base (Abbreviated History) 27

Part II Manzano Begins, Code Name "Water Supply"

5 Site Able Construction 34

6 8460th Special Weapons Group 39

Part III The Administrative Area

7 Access to Manzano Base 44

8 The Administrative Area 46

Part IV The Restricted "Q" Area

9 "Q" Area Access 54

10 Nuclear Weapons Stored at Manzano 57

11 Nuclear Weapon Storage Structures 66

12 The Weapon Maintenance Plants 74

13 The Birdcage for Pit Storage 87

Part V Base Security

14 DoD Nuclear Weapon Storage Area Security Program 92

15 Security Squadrons Responsible for Manzano 95

16 The Perimeter Fences 103

17 Storage Structure Security System 107

18 Central Security Control and ADT Monitoring 110

19 Patrolling the "Q" Area 114

20 Nuclear Weapon Convoy Duty 122

Part VI Miscellaneous Manzano Information

21 Aircraft Crashes at Manzano 134

22 Wildlife and Varmints on the Mountain 143

23 Manzano's Aerial Phenomena 146

24 Abandoned in Place 152

25 Kirtland Underground Munitions Maintenance and Storage Complex 162

26 The 377th Security Forces Squadron 167

27 Manzano Today 172

Epilogue 177

Appendix A Aerial View of Manzano Base (Kirtland AFB) 180

Appendix B Wall Map Displayed in the ADT Monitoring Room 182

Appendix C Abbreviated Chronological History of Manzano 183

Appendix D Manzano Base Commanders 188

Appendix E Department of the Air Force Letter 189

Appendix F Frequently Used Abbreviations and Acronyms 190

Chapter Notes 192

Bibliography 198

Index 199