The Night a Nuclear Missile Accidentally Exploded: A Firsthand Account of Survival (411)

Cold War Conversations Podcast

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 11 July 2025

⏱️ 76 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this gripping episode, we hear the harrowing account of Greg Devlin, a former US Air Force technician who barely survived a catastrophic explosion at a Titan II nuclear missile silo in 1980. He shares his journey from enlisting in the Air Force, the challenges he faced, and the fateful night that changed his life forever. Greg vividly describes how he and his colleagues struggle to contain a potentially cataclysmic situation. With gripping detail, he shares the moment the explosion occurred, the physical and emotional toll it took on him, and the surreal experiences that followed. Greg's story is one of survival against all odds. He reflects on the aftermath of the explosion and his long road to recovery, which included numerous surgeries and the enduring effects of the hazardous materials he was exposed to. Greg’s account highlights the dangers of military service and the importance of remembering those who served during the Cold War. It’s a powerful narrative of survival, sacrifice, and resilience. Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode411/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Love history? Join Intohistory ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:05.8	Oh, that's my prime delivery.
0:07.4	What, already?
0:08.4	Only one thing can match the buzz of Primes fast delivery.
0:12.0	And that's the buzz of Primes entertainment.
0:14.8	What are we watching?
0:15.5	Heads of State, that new action comedy with Idris Elber as the Prime Minister,
0:19.1	John Sina as the president, and Priyanka Chopra
0:21.1	Jonas as their only hope. Looks like a blast. From fast delivery to explosive entertainment,
0:27.1	it's on Prime. For only $899 a month, join now. Content includes limited ads, subscription,
0:32.8	or to run news. For more information, go to Amazon.com.uk.U.K. slash prime.
0:36.3	Boom, as soon as it hit me, I only had one thought in my brain. I know I'm going to die.
0:41.8	I just hope it doesn't hurt. That's the only thing I thought. This is over.
0:45.9	This is Cold War Conversations. If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to first-hand Cold War history accounts.
0:54.5	Please follow us in your podcast app so you don't miss a single episode.
0:59.0	In this gripping episode, we hear the harrowing account of Greg Devlin, a former US Air Force
1:04.5	technician who barely survived a catastrophic explosion at a Titan 2 nuclear missile silo in 1980. He shares his journey from enlisting
1:13.6	in the Air Force, the challenges he faced and the fateful night that changed his life forever.
1:19.6	With vivid descriptions and emotional reflections, Greg's story highlights the dangers of military
1:25.6	service and the importance of remembering those who
1:28.4	served during the Cold War. It's a powerful narrative of survival, sacrifice, and resilience.
1:35.9	I'm delighted to welcome Greg Devlin to our Cold War conversation.
	...

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