280MM HEAVY MOTORIZED GUN M65
(GUN NR.21 ON CARRIAGE NR. 3)
At 8:21 A.M. IN 25 MAY 1953 THIS GUN FIRED THE WORLD'S FIRST ATOMIC
ARTILLERY ROUND, AT CAMP DESERT ROCK, NEVADA. 19 SECONDS LATER
AND 7 3/4 MILES DISTANT, THE SHELL THAT COULD WIPE OUT AN ENEMY DIVISION
EXPLODED ON TARGET WITH A ROARING VIOLENCE EQUAL TO 15,000 TONS
OF TNT. 3,100 PARTICIPATING MILITARY OFFICERS AND MEN CROUCHED
SOME 5,000 YARDS FROM THE CHURNING MASS OF HEAT AND FLAME THAT
SURROUNDED THE CORE OF THE ATOMIC FIREBALL. THE EVENT WAS A MILESTONE
IN MILITARY HISTORY AND IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONRY.
THE TEST WAS CARRIED OUT AT THE REQUEST OF THE ATOMIC ENERGY
COMMISION AND AS DIRECTED BY THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. MAJOR
GENERAL A.M. HARPER, COMMANDING GENERAL, THE ARTILLERY CENTER, AND
COMMANDANT, THE ARTILLERY SCHOOL, FORT SILL, WAS CHARGED WITH RESPON-
SIBILITY FOR THE FIRING. CANNONEERS OF "A" BATTERY, 867TH FIELD ARTILLERY
BARRALION OF FORT SILL MANNED "ATOMIC ANNIE" FOR THE SHORT, THUS
BECOMING THE FIRST GROUND TROOPS IN HISTORY TO DELIVER A NUCLEAR
WEAPON.
THE 280MM GUN REQUIRED 8 YEARS OF RESEARCH TO DEVELOP. WHEN
LINKED UP WITH ITS TWO TRANSPORTERS IT WEIGHS 85 TONS HAS A
LENGTH OF 84 FEET AND A WIDTH OF 10 FEET. THE BARREL IS 40 FEET
LONG. IT COULD TRAVEL CROSS-COUNTRY AS WELL AS ON ROADS AT A
SPEED OF 35 MP, HAD A RANGE OF 20 MILES, AND ALL-WEATHER
CAPABILITY. THE MK9 PROJECTILE FIRED AT FRENCHMAN'S FLAT WEIGHED
800 POUNDS.
"ATOMIC ANNIE" IS EMPLACED HERE AT THE SAME ELEVATION IT HAD
WHEN FIRING THE ATOMIC ROUND, 184 MILS.