10 Fascinating Facts You Didn't Know About Davy Crockett, The Nuclear Device

2023-03-30

  1. The First Nuclear Device - Davy Crockett was the first nuclear device developed by the United States during the Cold War. It was a tactical nuclear weapon designed for use by ground troops.
  2. The Size of the Device - The Davy Crockett was incredibly small in comparison to other nuclear weapons of the time. It weighed only 59 kilograms and was only 1.14 meters in length.
  3. The Yield of the Device - The device had a maximum yield of 15 to 20 kilotons of TNT equivalent. This was equivalent to the explosion of around 15,000 to 20,000 tons of TNT.
  4. The Delivery System - The Davy Crockett was designed to be fired from a variety of delivery systems, including from a recoilless rifle, from the M28 or M29 Davy Crockett Weapon System, or from an M50 Ontos tank.
  5. The Warhead - The Davy Crockett had a W54 warhead, which was a very small nuclear warhead. It was the smallest nuclear warhead ever deployed by the United States.
  6. The Target - The Davy Crockett was designed to be used in tactical situations against enemy personnel and equipment. It was not designed to be used against hardened targets such as bunkers or fortifications.
  7. The Tests - The Davy Crockett was tested in a total of six nuclear tests in the Pacific Proving Grounds between 1961 and 1962.
  8. The Deployment - The Davy Crockett was deployed to various American units in Europe from 1961 to 1971. It was also deployed to South Vietnam from 1967 to 1971.
  9. The Retirement - The Davy Crockett was fully retired from service in the United States in 1977, with all remaining weapons being destroyed.
  10. The Legacy - The Davy Crockett is remembered as a symbol of the Cold War and a reminder of the destructive power of nuclear weapons.

Category: History | Topic: Davy Crockett (nuclear device) | @Wikipedia

Davy Crockett (nuclear device)