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Author Topic: Bit of history  (Read 2558 times)

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Offline Bakersdozen

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Bit of history
« on: November 10, 2024, 12:43:44 pm »
When driving I-70, in the Flint Hills, I always look for the large cannon sitting on top of a hill overlooking Fort Riley. We take this route to get to our state beekeeping meeting or when traveling west to Colorado. I always assumed it was left from WWII. I got curious and searched online and the cannon has an interesting history. There is a walking path up to it and it sets in a small park called Freedom Park.  It's name is Atomic Cannon and a remnant from the Cold War. It had a range of 20 miles and was designed to fire a nuclear war head with the destructive power similar to what was dropped on Hiroshima. I'm glad we didn't have to use it! There are more spread around the US. Twenty were sent to Western Europe and South Korea.  They were all retired in the early 1960's. Now we know!

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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Bit of history
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2024, 03:02:58 pm »
Okay, that's incredible.
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I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.

Offline Zweefer

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Re: Bit of history
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2024, 08:32:14 am »
We did go a bit crazy with nukes for a while there in the 60’s… there was even a backpack version given to the army.  :o


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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Bit of history
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2025, 01:10:53 pm »
If you search online you will find a long list of unethical, bizarre, and cruel experiments the military has performed using people. But there is no way in the world I would voluntarily let them strap a nuke on my back. The thought of turning to dust and ashes in the blink of an eye goes beyond what I can comprehend.
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Offline iddee

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Re: Bit of history
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2025, 04:12:56 am »
In think I would prefer a nuke detonating on my back than a grenade. With the nuke, I know I would feel nothing. With the grenade, I have met too many vets with pepper looking skin from all the shrapnel. Then there were all the ones who were left dying that never lived to show their shrapnel.
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“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Bit of history
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2025, 11:15:19 am »
Quote from: iddee on January 06, 2025, 04:12:56 am
In think I would prefer a nuke detonating on my back than a grenade. With the nuke, I know I would feel nothing. With the grenade, I have met too many vets with pepper looking skin from all the shrapnel. Then there were all the ones who were left dying that never lived to show their shrapnel.
I understand completely.
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