LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — August 7, 1957, was a busy day at the Nevada Test Site. On this day in history, Operation Plumbbob was underway in the desert north of Las Vegas. The operation included 29 explosions — all but two involving nuclear weaponry.
A variety of governmental and military organizations carried out the testing, but most focused on intercontinental and intermediate-range warheads. Some 18,000 members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines participated in Operation Plumbbob.
Military leaders wanted to learn more about how nuclear warfare affected those on the battlefield. Scientists also used almost 1,200 pigs to test which materials offered the best protection from nuclear blasts.
Copyright 2025 KVVU. All rights reserved.
