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(U) InSIDer's View of History : 'Soviet Rocket' Strikes Chicksands
FROM: Al Gray
Deputy Director, Meade Operations Center (S3304)
Run Date: 04/02/2004
FROM: Al Gray
Deputy Director, Meade Operations Center (S3304)
(U//FOUO) The year 1957 was auspicious for a number of reasons.
It was the year that the U.S. and the Soviet Union were making
dramatic efforts to be the first to fire an Intercontinental Ballistic
Missile (ICBM) and, as a related effort, to orbit a satellite in space.
In mid-May, the Soviets made their first, unsuccessful attempt to
launch an ICBM. Success would follow later that summer, but
during the better part of that year the newspapers were full of
stories of these efforts, with much speculation on progress ranging
the spectrum from believable stories to pure fantasy.
(C) Meanwhile, at RAF Chicksands, a large Air Force COMINT
collection site north of London, two young lieutenants were sore at
the military for putting them through jet fighter training classes.
The peace talks in Korea had diminished the Air Force's need for
fighter jocks, relegating them to "flying" large gray desks at the
Chicksands operations site instead. They used a number of
innovative ways to have themselves mustered out of their
obligated service so they could pursue flying careers in civilian life.
To that point, none had achieved success.
(U//FOUO) One particular adventure almost brought about the
success they sought. Using all of their creative imagination,
reportedly enhanced by a liberal application of libations at a nearby
pub one night, they took action to capitalize on the current wave of
news stories about Soviet progress in their space program.
(U//FOUO) They obtained from the base Motor Pool a 12-foot
length of sewer pipe, created a nose cone and tail fins, and welded
them in the appropriate spots on the sewer pipe, creating a
"rocket." (In those days, many people used the terms 'missile' and
'rocket' indiscriminately.) They painted it red and white, much as
they imagined a real rocket would be painted. They also enlisted a
young Air Force linguist to inscribe in Cyrillic something to the
effect that the 'rocket' belonged to a named scientific academy in
Moscow, and the address to which it should be "returned" if found
in any unusual location.
(U//FOUO) As far-fetched as this sounds today, in the climate of
1957, when space programs were still a matter of some fantasy,
there appeared a real opportunity to spoof many on Chicksands, if
the 'rocket' was given publicity in some unique manner.
(U//FOUO) The plot was hatched late one night, after some more
libation in that same pub. The two lieutenants took the 'rocket'
from its hiding place and toted it to the middle of the large green
field fronting on Chicksands Priory, where the major portion of foot
SERIES:
(U) InSIDer's View of
History '04
1. InSIDer's View of
History ... A Lesson
in Personal
Accountability
2. InSIDer's View of
History : How a Four
Star General Once
Waited for a Lowly
Captain to Finish
Eating Lunch
3. InSIDer's View of
History : In SHAPE,
In France
4. InSIDer's View of
History : 'Soviet
Rocket' Strikes
Chicksands
5. InSIDer's View of
History: Onboard Air
Force Two Bound for
Moscow
6. InSIDer's View of
History : Testifying
Before Congress...
Who Turned Out the
Lights?
7. InSIDer's View of
History : Resourceful
NCOs at Goodfellow
8. InSIDer's View of
History : Desert One
- The Iranian
Hostage Rescue
Mission
9. InSIDer's View of
History : SIGINT
Appearing in the
Press
10. InSIDer's View of
History : Meeting
President Reagan
11. InSIDer's View of
History : 'Local
Support' as Stress
Management
and road traffic passed close by, enhancing the potential for shock
value, and public display. In the dark of that night, they dug a hole
in the ground sufficient to hold the 'rocket' in an upright position,
and eased it into the hole. They then took the remainder of their
liquid refreshments up the hill and alongside the Officers Club, sat
and sipped their refreshments, awaiting dawn and the hoped-for
reaction of base personnel.
12. In SID er's View of
History : Quite a
Welcome!
13. In SID er's View of
History : The
Adventure Continues
-- Evacuation from
Belgrade
(U//FOUO) Everything (except one factor) happened as planned.
The "rocket" was discovered, reported to the Air Police, the Base
Commander, and other leaders on base. What didn't occur
according to plan was the lieutenants' approach to the Base
Commander, acknowledging their prank before he had the time to
notify officials off-base. They both had fallen asleep during that
critical time period.
(U//FOUO) As it turned out, newspapers were notified; the
American embassy was alerted; the local police; British CID; and
reportedly even scientists at Wright Patterson AFB were in the
process of preparing to board a flight to the UK to inspect the
Soviet 'rocket' before anyone could correct the record.
(U//FOUO) It made a good news story. It also created the
opportunity for the Base Commander to "counsel" the lieutenants
in a way they likely would never forget. The story was repeated
throughout USAF Security Service (now AIA) circles for many
years. Tame, perhaps, by today's standards, but it was quite the
topic back then.
(U) Note from SIGINT Communications: if you missed it, have a
look at the previous InSIDer's View of History from
Also,
please send us YOUR story!... see our call for submissions for
details.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108