Los Palomares, Spain at about 10:20 Spanish Time, January 17, 1966.
A B-52 bomber flying a Crome Dome mission collided during a refueling stop over the quiet farming village of Palomares - located on Spain's south east coast and about 100 miles south of the Spanish AF academy at San Javier, Spain. Eleven crew members were involved. Seven passed away and four B-52 crew members survived. About 1:00 AM, Twenty-eight members of the 3973rd CDS were on an AF bus heading over the Spanish mountains to the village of Palomares, arriving mid-morning of January 18th - at the tail section of the B-52 in the dry river bed of the Almanzora River. Four B-52 nuclear bombs had fallen from the B-52. Three were located in and around the village. One was not located until EIGHTY days later and recovered by the US Navy in the Mediterranean. Security for the three bombs on land was provided by the 3973rd CDS with two SAC AP's and two Guardia Civil (Spanish National Police) posted around each bomb until relieved on January 19th, 1966. A tent city of 75 tents was erected and the Grey Eagle Mobile Kitchen, portable showers and washing facilities were constructed. The US Navy supplied the evening movies as all 600 Airmen were restricted to Camp Wilson to prevent any unnecessary incidents from occurring. One of the staples from the Grey Eagle Kitchen was fresh local tomatoes.









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