The Milrow Event (1969)

Published on 2022-03-19 | Archived on 2023-11-24

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The Milrow Event by United States. Department of Energy. National Nuclear Security Administration.

This video discusses the MILROW detonation, as presented by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. The narrator sums up the reason for the test when he states, “The purpose of the MILROW event was to test an island, not a weapon.” The device, detonated on October 2, 1969, on Amchitka Island, Alaska, was buried 4000 feet underground and had a yield of approximately one megaton. MILROW demonstrated that a larger nuclear test could be safely conducted on the island.

As seen in video number 0800038, scenic views of the island and additional World War II activities on Amchitka Island are shown. Additional footage shows environmental and safety activities before
and after the test. The nuclear explosive package is shown being lowered into the shaft. An extensive overview of the unique shaft stemming and backfill operations is also shown along with a summary of diagnostic tests and their equipment. Surface effects during and after the detonation are shown, including subsidence crater results that differed from standard subsidences after nuclear explosions at the Nevada Test Site.

Publication date 1969 Topics Department of Energy, Declassification Nuclear Testing Archive, Amchitka Island, Milrow 0800040 - THE MILROW EVENT 1969 Color 27:30