February 11, 2009 4:17 PM

Nuke-Armed B-52 Mistakenly Flown Over U.S.

(AP)  A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states last week, prompting an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons "deeply disturbing" and said the committee would press the military for details.

The plane was carrying Advanced Cruise Missiles from Minot Air Force Base, N.D, to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., on Aug. 30, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a Defense Department policy not to confirm information on nuclear weapons.

The missiles, which are being decommissioned, were mounted onto pylons on the bomber's wings and it is unclear why the warheads had not been removed beforehand.

The Air Combat Command has ordered a command-wide stand down on Sept. 14 to review procedures, officials said. They said there was minimal risk to crews and the public because of safety features designed into the munitions.

In addition to the munitions squadron commander who was relieved of his duties, crews involved with the mistaken load — including ground crew workers — have been temporarily decertified for handling munitions, one official said.

The investigation is expected to take several weeks.

The incident was first reported in Military Times newspaper.

"There is no more serious issue than the security and proper handling of nuclear weapons," Skelton said in a statement Wednesday. "The American people, our friends, and our potential adversaries must be confident that the highest standards are in place when it comes to our nuclear arsenal."

Skelton, D-Mo., said his committee will pursue answers on the classified matter "to ensure that the Air Force and the Department of Defense address this particular incident and strengthen controls more generally."

© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 136 Comments
by theusa1st September 7, 2007 3:28 PM EDT
YEA YEA and to think Jesus Christ died on the cross for your dumb azz.

Use your brain fool

Posted by mocaleo at 12:56 PM : Sep 06, 2007

I am sure my dumb azz is smarter than the little pea brain on your shoulders. You had already proven your ignorance before...must you continually prove it. Now take the towel of your head and wipe the drool on the side of your mouth and clean up your runny nose little boy.
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 September 6, 2007 5:03 PM EDT
vote jefferson... vote gop...

dnc are like john adams and want to give the jihadist their lunch money hoping they will leave us alone....

gop are like thomas jefferson and want to spend their lunch money on weapons and go kick the jihadists in their arses.....

What Thomas Jefferson learned from the Muslim book of jihad

Thomas Jefferson knew about fascist nazi islam..... he killed plenty of them....

In 1786 Jefferson and John Adams went to negotiate with Tripoli''s envoy to London, Ambassador Sidi Haji Abdrahaman or (Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja). They asked him by what right he extorted money and took slaves. Jefferson reported to Secretary of State John Jay, and to the Congress:

The ambassador answered us that [the right] was founded on the Laws of the Prophet (Mohammed), that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have answered their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners, and that every Mussulman who should be slain in battle was sure to go to heaven.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Barbary_War
http://www.usvetdsp.com/jan07/jeff_quran.htm
muslim justifies slavery and piracy%u2026
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?6bdec278-6a71-4436-bc4d-29d1c54b0ad7
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by theusa1st September 6, 2007 3:07 PM EDT
Posted by mocaleo at 11:58 AM : Sep 06, 2007

thanks for proving my point. By the way I get my news from many sources and then make a decision. Yes Fox is one of them and they do happen to be the most watched, but they are not the only one, just the most unbiased.
Reply to this comment
by theusa1st September 6, 2007 2:46 PM EDT
You''''re right, I am new posting to this site. If I''''d know it was overwrought with liberals, I''''d probably not registered.
Posted by Hwy71So at 11:04 AM : Sep 06, 2007

Hwy71So, It was good you registered...now you can see just how irrational some of the far left are. As if 911 was an inside job...morons all of them.
Their hatred blinds them to reason and fact concerning 911...
Stick around and enjoy the laughs...
Reply to this comment
by rudy654-2009 September 6, 2007 2:44 PM EDT
For over 50 years we have not dropped one, so what is the big deal with this one?????????
Posted by Consciousnes at 09:32 AM : Sep 06, 2007

Well, that''s cool. So, as long as they have never dropped one, that''s okay, just keep doing it, nothing will ever happen?
Reply to this comment
by hwy71so September 6, 2007 2:04 PM EDT
You''re right, I am new posting to this site. If I''d know it was overwrought with liberals, I''d probably not registered.
Reply to this comment
by lewiston14 September 6, 2007 1:07 PM EDT
Brian: I see the video and those side explosions were interesting to say the least. But after all 6 years coming up in a few days still nobody has an answer. I guess that is what troubles me the most. And the mayor was sure in a hurry to remove the remains while 1000%u2019s of brave men and woman die from lung problems. Regular people that gave their lives to help.
Reply to this comment
by lewiston14 September 6, 2007 12:57 PM EDT
Brian: yes I can not disagree it is possible. But to what end? Killing so many and making such a mess messing up the economy for what. He don''t need a reason he just points his finger on a map and tells everybody to go get it. There will be hell to pay in washington if it is ever proven but I think some Con ED guy offered a few million would be talking up a storm. When all else fails money works.
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 September 6, 2007 12:54 PM EDT
Posted by brianbwb at 09:36 AM : Sep 06, 2007

hahahahaha

WTC
New Three-D study supports federal finding in 9-11 tragedy
http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=6683593&nav=0zHF
Study Supports Fed''s Finding On WTC Collapse
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=nation_world&id=5401655
Simulation Finds 9/11 Fireproofing Key
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4905202.html
Debunking The 9/11 Myths - Mar. 2005 Cover Story
PM examines the evidence and consults the experts to refute the most persistent conspiracy theories of September 11.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1227842.html
Study Backs Up Feds'' Theory of Why World Trade Center Collapsed on Sept. 11
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,284816,00.html
Reply to this comment
by brianbwb-2009 September 6, 2007 12:52 PM EDT
Posted by martin9p2,

Again, the operative word here is "mistake" The orions were not flying by mistake, these bombs were.
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